John Davison
“Always keeping focus on our long-term goals and staying true to our strategic pillars even in challenging times has been the key to the company’s success, and it will continue to be in the years and decades to come.”
John is responsible for the financial activities of the company, including worldwide financial reporting and management, forward planning, taxation and treasury activities, as well as information systems and technology. “We have a strong operating model, a long-term approach to doing business, and we will never sacrifice the quality of our product,” he says. “This combination has helped us achieve our leadership position in the industry today and will propel us forward to meet our goals of further expansion in the future.”
John also oversees the growing Four Seasons residential business, which includes urban and resort complexes around the world, with as many more properties currently in development. “There’s something about planning a new home, a place where families will live and play, that’s really special,” says John. “And the idea of actually living at Four Seasons? That’s amazing.”
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Career Highlights
- At Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts: joined in 2002 as Senior Vice President, Project Financing; has held current position since 2005
- Previously: four years as member of the Audit and Business Investigations Practice at KPMG in Toronto; followed by 14 years at IMAX Corporation, most recently as President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
- Education and professional designations: Chartered Accountant since 1985; Chartered Business Valuator since 1987; graduate of the University of Toronto, Victoria College, 1983
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Associations
- American Resort Development Association (Board member)
- Financial Executives International (member)
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Personal Insights
- Favourite destination: Barbados, because “it’s a beautiful place with wonderful people who make my family feel right at home – the perfect place for a soon-to-be-open Four Seasons Resort”
- Proudest professional moments: finally getting a job at Four Seasons, 18 years after first working with the company as a client of KPMG
- Relief from a head full of numbers: doing the New York Times crossword puzzle, watching movies (especially comedies) with his family and standard poodle, and riding his motorcycle
