Engineers Canada names next CEO

Photo courtesy Engineers Canada.

Philip Rizcallah, P.Eng., will be Engineers Canada’s next CEO, effective Aug. 6. He succeeds Gerard McDonald, P.Eng., who plans to retire after six years of service to the Ottawa-based organization of engineering regulators.

Rizcallah earned his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia (TUNS) and Bachelor of Science with Honours in Mathematics from Dalhousie University in Halifax and worked as a fire protection engineering and safety officer for Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). He then moved from Halifax to Ottawa to serve the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) as a supervisor, manager, director and program director over two decades, leading teams for its building regulations resource unit.

Most recently, he set up and led Accessibility Standards Canada—a first-of-its-kind departmental corporation, determined by the Accessible Canada Act—as CEO. He was selected to lead Engineers Canada following a board-led search process with the support of an executive recruitment firm.

“The board is excited about the energy and enthusiasm Philip brings,” says Nancy Hill, P.Eng., president of Engineers Canada. “He has demonstrated a superior ability to build relationships. His mindset will be an important asset as we move into our 2025-2029 strategic plan.”

“I’m very excited to join the Engineers Canada team,” says Rizcallah. “The organization is a leading voice for the profession in Canada and an example for how collaboration is central to ensuring engineering continues to tackle the most challenging problems facing the world.”