News Releases

Former Governor of The Bank of Canada Stephen Poloz wins $30,000 prize

Toronto, ON November 8, 2023 – The National Business Book Award today announced that The Next Age of Uncertainty: How the World Can Adapt to a Riskier Future has been named the winning book for the 2023 award and its $30,000 prize. The book, authored by Stephen Poloz, former Governor of The Bank of Canada, was published by Allen Lane Canada/Penguin Random House Canda. The prize was presented to the author at an award luncheon in Toronto.

In The Next Age of Uncertainty: How the World Can Adapt to a Riskier Future, Stephen Poloz shares an explanation of how the central bank works and why it does what it does – especially in an age of chronic uncertainty. He argues that past crises from the Victorian Depression in the late 1800s to the more recent downturn in 2008, foreshadow what is in store for us in the decades ahead. He looks at this uncertainty in the context of five distinct forces that impact the economy both individually and in concert with one another over the long term. These are: population aging, technological progress, rising inequality, growing debt (personal and government), and climate change.

Stephen Poloz is one of the world’s most respected economists with over 40 years of experience in economic and investment research, forecasting, banking, and policymaking, including seven years as Governor of the Bank of Canada.

“Once again, the business books submitted for consideration in 2023 demonstrate a remarkable calibre of research, writing, analysis and original thought,” said NBBA sponsor Miles Nadal, Founder and Executive Chairman of Peerage Capital Group. “It was a tough decision to land on one winner.”

The 2023 National Book Award finalists are:

• Unprecedented – Canada’s Top CEOs on Leadership During COVID-19
  Compiled and Edited by Steve Mayer and Andrew Willis
  Signal, an imprint of McClelland & Stewart
• No Bootstraps When You’re Barefoot: My Rise from a Jamaican Plantation Shack to the Boardrooms of Bay Street
  Wes Hall
  Random House Canada

The NBBA winner is selected by an independent jury which evaluates each submission based on originality, relevance, excellence of writing, thoroughness of research and depth of analysis. The jury is chaired by Deirdre McMurdy, Peerage Capital and includes: Anna Porter, author, and publisher; Bobby Siu, PhD, management consultant and 2022 NBBA shortlisted author; and Senator Pamela Wallin.

Past NBBA winners include Adam Miron, Sébastien St-Louis & Julie Beun, Stephen R. Bown, Mark Carney, Jeff Rubin, Gordon Pitts, Naomi Klein, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Daniel Levitin, and Andrea Benoit. For a full list of past winners, visit: www.nbbaward.com

Canada’s National Business Book Award is generously sponsored by presenting sponsor Miles S. Nadal and supporting partners Peerage Realty Partners, Stephen J.R. Smith, The Globe and Mail, and The Walrus.

Follow us on Twitter @NBBAward and visit www.nbbaward.com for more information.

For copies of the books, author photos and interviews please contact:
Mary Ann Freedman, Freedman & Associates Inc.
Tel: 416-523-8681
Email: maf@freedmanandassociates.com

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Winner of the 38th annual business literary award to receive $30,000 prize

Toronto, ON October 18, 2023 – Deirdre McMurdy, Adjudicator and Chair of the Jury for the 38th annual National Business Book Award, today announced the three finalists for the annual literary award. Presented by Miles S. Nadal, the $30,000 prize will be awarded to the author demonstrating the most outstanding Canadian business-related writing, research, and originality. The winner will be announced at a live, in-person event on November 8, 2023.

National Business Book Award authors have a tradition of identifying and documenting current issues, themes, and trends in the business world, and continue to do so. Leadership, post pandemic advice, overcoming diversity, innovation, climate change, risk, and finance are some of the key topics addressed in this year’s book nominees.

The 2023 National Book Award finalists are:

Unprecedented – Canada’s Top CEOs on Leadership During COVID-19
Compiled and Edited by Steve Mayer and Andrew Willis
Signal, an imprint of McClelland & Stewart

A compilation of exclusive, first-person essays on leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic from 29 CEOs from Canada’s most iconic and largest companies, chronicles corporate survival in the face of Covid. With stories across diverse sectors – nursing homes, grocery stores, airlines, hotels, pharmacies, and shopping malls – each CEO shares his/her story about the initial response and how it was refined over the pandemic. These individual stories have enduring historic significance as a guide in crisis management.

Steve Mayer is an investment banker with Greenhill Canada and Andrew Willis is an award-winning columnist with The Globe and Mail.

No Bootstraps When You’re Barefoot: My Rise from a Jamaican Plantation Shack to the Boardrooms of Bay Street
Wes Hall
Random House Canada

An extraordinary and inspiring memoir, Wes Hall shares his personal story of growing up in abject poverty amid domestic violence in rural Jamaica and his journey to the boardrooms of Bay Street, where he became a powerful entrepreneur, philanthropist, and change-maker. This biography recounts Hall’s determination to achieve personal and financial success, as well as his work in philanthropy, advocacy, and social justice.

Wes Hall is the executive chairman and founder of Kingsdale Advisors, which provides shareholder advisory services, and is the recipient of six Honorary Doctorates. He is the founder of BlackNorth Initiative.

The Next Age of Uncertainty: How the World Can Adapt to a Riskier Future
Stephen Poloz
Allen Lane Canada/Penguin Random House Canada

Former Governor of the Bank of Canada, Stephen Poloz shares an explanation of how the central bank works and why it does what it does – especially in an age of chronic uncertainty. He skillfully argues that past crises from the Victorian Depression in the late 1800s to the more recent downturn in 2008, gave a hint of what is in store for us in the decades ahead. He looks at this uncertainty in the context of five distinct forces that impact the economy both individually and in concert with one another over the long term. Stephen Poloz is a leading economist with over 40 years of experience in economic and investment research, forecasting, banking, and policymaking. He was the Governor of the Bank of Canada for seven years.

The 2023 NBBA winner is selected by an independent jury which evaluates each submission based on originality, relevance, excellence of writing, thoroughness of research and depth of analysis. The jury is chaired by Deirdre McMurdy, Peerage Capital. The jury includes Anna Porter, author, and publisher; Bobby Siu, PhD, professor, management consultant and 2022 NBBA shortlisted author, and Senator Pamela Wallin.

Past winners include Adam Miron, Sébastien St-Louis & Julie Beun, Stephen R. Bown, Mark Carney, Jeff Rubin, Gordon Pitts, Naomi Klein, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Daniel Levitin, and Andrea Benoit. For a full list of past winners, visit: www.nbbaward.com

Canada’s National Business Book Award is generously sponsored by Presenting Sponsor Miles S. Nadal, Peerage Realty Partners, Stephen J.R. Smith, The Globe and Mail, and The Walrus.

Follow us on Twitter @NBBAward and visit www.nbbaward.com for more information.

For copies of the books, author photos and interviews please contact:
Mary Ann Freedman, Freedman & Associates Inc.
Tel: 416-523-8681
Email: maf@freedmanandassociates.com

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Prominent jury announced for the 2023 National Business Book Award

Toronto, ON  September 13, 2023 – Freedman & Associates today announced the distinguished jury assembled for the 2023 National Business Book Award. In its 38th year, the Award is presented annually to the author demonstrating the most outstanding original Canadian business-related work. The winner will be announced at a live, in-person Award Ceremony on November 8, 2023, in Toronto.

The 2023 Jury Chair is Deirdre McMurdy, Chief Communications Officer at Peerage Capital, taking over from best-selling author and award-winning journalist, Peter Mansbridge. The jury also includes Canadian publisher and author Anna Porter, OC, OOnt; professor and management consultant Bobby Siu, PhD, and Senator Pamela Wallin. This independent jury evaluates each book submission based on originality, relevance, excellence of writing, thoroughness of research and depth of analysis.

Past NBBA winners include Adam Miron, Sébastien St-Louis & Julie Beun, Stephen R. Bown, Mark Carney, Jeff Rubin, Gordon Pitts, Naomi Klein, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Daniel Levitin, and Andrea Benoit. For a full list of past winners, visit: www.nbbaward.com.

Jury Members

Deirdre McMurdy is an award-winning business journalist in both print and broadcast media. Prior to joining Peerage Capital as Chief Communications Officer, she was a Principal in the country’s leading strategic communications firm, frequently supported CEOs and senior management teams in the capital markets sector. Deirdre has previously worked as a special adviser to a senior Cabinet minister in the Government of Canada and as a senior executive at a leading public policy research institute.

Anna Porter is one of Canada’s most respected authors and book publishers. Born in Budapest, Hungary and educated in New Zealand, she co-founded Key Porter Books and is the author of 11 books, including her soon-to-be-released psychological suspense novel Gull Island.

Bobby Siu, PhD is a management consultant and a former Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Policy, Administration and Law at York University. He provides management consulting and research services to a broad range of public, private, and non-profit sectors on equity and diversity matters. His book Opening Doors to Diversity in Leadership was shortlisted for the 2022 National Business Book Award.

Senator Pamela Wallin, O.C, S.O.M. was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 2008. She has 14 Honourary Doctorates and was named to the Canadian Broadcasting Hall of Fame. She is also a former Chancellor of the University of Guelph. Senator Wallin also served as Canada’s Consul General in New York from 2002-2006 and is the author of three best-selling books.

Sponsors

The National Business Book Award is grateful to its 2023 award sponsors. The presenting sponsor is entrepreneur and philanthropist Miles S. Nadal; Supporting partners are Stephen J.R. Smith, Peerage Realty Partners, The Globe and Mail and The Walrus. FEI Canada – Toronto Chapter is the award ceremony host.

Follow us on Twitter @NBBAward and visit www.nbbaward.com for more information. 

For media information please contact: 

Mary Ann Freedman, Freedman & Associates Inc.
Tel: 416-523-8681
Email: maf@freedmanandassociates.com 

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