Susan Black

President and CEO

About

Susan Black is the President and CEO of Signal49 Research, where she has led transformative initiatives to revamp the organization, focusing on research excellence and elevating the relevance of its research, subscription products, and executive councils. In 2025, under her leadership, the organization completed its first acquisition in 30 years, and the following year rebranded as Signal49 Research, no longer licensing its name from The Conference Board, Inc. Her leadership has clarified the organization’s position as a widely respected expert across our knowledge areas and established it as a go-to resource for Canada’s leaders. Susan is recognized for her strategic vision, evidence-based approach, and ability to foster collaboration.

Prior to her current role, Susan held senior executive positions including Senior Vice President of People at Holt Renfrew, Chief Human Resources Officer and Senior Vice President of Strategy at Intact Financial Corporation, and President of Catalyst Canada, where she built a leading non-profit in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space. Susan has also served on numerous boards, chairing governance and compensation committees for organizations such as Gore Mutual Insurance and York University.

Academic Qualifications

PhD, Organizational Studies, Schulich School of Business, York University
MBA, Harvard Business School
BA, Yale University

Employment History

Holt Renfrew, Senior Vice President, People
Intact Financial Corporation, Chief Human Resources Officer; Senior Vice President, Strategy
Catalyst Canada Inc., President