Meet Blake Phillips
Blake Phillips is the Director of the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF, September 1, 2022 - ), the ninth director since the School was established in 1980. From 2018 – 2022, Blake served as the Deputy Director for the SAF.
Phillips began his career as a biologist and professional forester working in British Columbia prior to pursuing his MBA and PhD in finance. Published in top tier finance, banking, and investment journals, Phillips’ research interests include mutual funds and institutional investors, hedge funds and risk management, market efficiencies and empirical asset pricing, and derivatives and risk management.
Prior to stepping into the Director role, Phillips leveraged the combination of his education, practical experience in the field of forestry, and research in financial systems to spearhead the development and launch of Canada’s first undergraduate degree in Sustainability and Financial Management (SFM).
A legacy of leadership: SAF directors through the years
Since the 1980s, the School of Accounting and Finance has been shaped by a series of visionary directors whose leadership has played a crucial role in defining the School’s direction, values and impact. These individuals have guided SAF through decades of growth and transformation, helping to establish its national reputation for academic excellence, innovation and career-ready education.
Each director has brought unique strengths and insights, building on the foundation laid before them while responding to the evolving needs of students, employers and the accounting and finance professions. Their leadership has helped create the interdisciplinary, future-focused education that sets SAF apart today.
Below is a list of the SAF directors whose dedication and leadership have shaped the School into what it is today.
- Jack Hanna 1980 – 1987, 1988 – 1990
- John Waterhouse 1991 - 1996
- Morley Lemon 1987 – 1988, 1998 – 2002
- Howard Armitage 1990 – 1991, 1996 - 1997
- Alister Mason 2002 – 2006
- James Barnett 2006 – 2012, 2016 – 2018
- Thomas W. Scott 2012 – 2017
- Steve Fortin 2018 – 2022
- Blake Phillips 2022 – Present