# Anne Whelan

> Anne Whelan is the St. John’s-based founder, principal shareholder and CEO of Seafair Capital. Her career spans family-business ownership, diversified investment, corporate governance and community leadership. She is lead director of the Bank of Canada and served on the Atlantic Economic Panel that released its recommendations in September 2026.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Seafair Capital
- **Organizations:** Seafair Capital, Bank of Canada, NAV CANADA, CSA Group, Nova Leap Health, The Gathering Place, Atlantic Economic Panel, Newfoundland Power (former board chair), Business Development Bank of Canada (former director), NLOWE
- **Nationality:** Canadian
- **Education:** Bachelor of Arts, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Master of Business Administration, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Directors Education Program; ICD.D designation, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
- **Known for:** Atlantic Business Magazine CEO of the Year, 2014, Atlantic Business Magazine Top 50 CEO Hall of Fame, 2015, WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100, 2016, 2021 and 2025

## Career timeline

- **Early teens** — Trained in clowning with Beni Malone and earned money entertaining at birthday parties.
- **2002** — Began managing her mother’s business.
- **2007** — Purchased the family business with a vendor note and bank financing; her home was at risk.
- **2013** — Faced a business downturn and strengthened her approach to diversification and outside advice.
- **2014** — Named Atlantic Business Magazine CEO of the Year.
- **2015** — Entered Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 50 CEO Hall of Fame.
- **2017** — Received Startup Canada’s Entrepreneur of the Year award and Memorial’s P.J. Gardiner entrepreneurship award.
- **2018-06** — First appointed to the Bank of Canada board.
- **2019-11** — Received the Newfoundland and Labrador Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year award.
- **2025-02** — Joined the NAV CANADA board on February 7.
- **2025** — Seafair earned Gold Standard status in Canada’s Best Managed Companies; Whelan was also recognized in WXN’s Top 100 awards.
- **2025-11** — Named to the seven-member Atlantic Economic Panel.
- **2026-09** — The Atlantic Economic Panel released Bolder Ambitions: Greater Prosperity for All on September 25.

## Achievements

- Atlantic Business Magazine CEO of the Year, 2014
- Atlantic Business Magazine Top 50 CEO Hall of Fame, 2015
- WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100, 2016, 2021 and 2025
- Startup Canada Entrepreneur of the Year, 2017
- P.J. Gardiner Newfoundland and Labrador Entrepreneur of the Year, 2017
- Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year in Newfoundland and Labrador, 2019
- Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2012
- Seafair reached Canada’s Best Managed Companies Gold Standard in 2025

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — The Atlantic Economic Panel, of which Whelan was a member, released its regional economic report on September 25.
- **2025-11** — Appointed to the Atlantic Economic Panel.
- **2025-05** — Seafair achieved Gold Standard status in Canada’s Best Managed Companies after four consecutive years of recognition.
- **2025-02** — Joined NAV CANADA’s board on February 7, with a term listed through 2028.

## Links

- Website: https://seafair.ca/meet-anne
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemwhelan

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/anne-whelan
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-10