Leadership Transition Update: CAO Candidate Shortlist Approved

5 hours ago

2 min read

Another milestone in the search for Calgary’s next Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). City council has voted to endorse a confidential shortlist of three candidates to move on to the final round of interviews.

How We Got Here

In May, council launched a structured leadership transition process following the announcement that CAO David Duckworth would be stepping down. To guide the search and support onboarding for the new CAO, council established the CAO Recruitment and Appointment Sub-Committee. Councillor Yule chairs the subcommittee, with Councillor Wyness serving as vice-chair. The subcommittee retained Boyden Canada, an executive search firm, to support the recruitment process.

The response was strong, with 228 candidates applying. In early September, the subcommittee reviewed the resumes of contenders, focusing on candidates whose qualifications best matched the profile established for the role. The list was then narrowed further, and the subcommittee interviewed leading candidates over several days last week. The result is the three-person shortlist now moving forward.

Next Steps

Second-round interviews: The three finalists will be interviewed again in mid-November.
Announcement: Council hopes to announce the new CAO before the end of November.
Interim leadership: CAO Duckworth’s last day is December 1. Because of this timeline, an interim CAO will likely be appointed from within the organization for a short period. The length of that interim period will depend on the successful candidate and when they are able to start.

The names of the shortlisted candidates remain confidential while the process continues. Updates will be shared as the recruitment moves through final interviews and the announcement of Calgary’s next CAO.

Why This Work is Important

The CAO is the City of Calgary’s highest-ranking administrative position, leading all City departments and an organization of roughly 15,000 employees with an operating budget of about $5 billion. The CAO is also the only City employee hired directly by council.

Council is looking for a leader who can build confidence in the City’s administration, work closely with the community, and make sure every tax dollar is spent wisely. The new CAO will also be responsible for turning council’s strategic priorities into action, with clear expectations set from the start.