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Mark Cohon

Business and Community Leader | 12th Commissioner of the CFL

Mark cohon headshot Jul 2024
TEDx: Trust Is the Most Important Ingredient for Success
Mark
Mark cohon headshot Jul 2024
TEDx: Trust Is the Most Important Ingredient for Success

It is almost impossible to put Mark Cohon’s life and career into a box. A seasoned sports executive, he is the 12th commissioner of the CFL, one of North America’s oldest sports leagues; an award-winning executive producer; a successful angel investor; an active community builder; and, in a prior life, an arctic explorer and zookeeper. Cohon draws on these diverse experiences, while unpacking his old-school playbook for leadership success in modern times, highlighting the importance of cultivating trust when navigating change and uncertainty.

Cohon earned his respected reputation as a sports executive with the MLB, where he was Director of Corporate and Game Development, and the NBA, where he served as Director and Group Manager of International Marketing, Managing Director of NBA Europe, and Vice-President of Business Development. In these roles, he raised the profile of these iconic leagues in over 30 international markets.

In 2007, Cohon made the move to the CFL. As its 12th Commissioner, he was the driving force behind the league’s renaissance. His eight-year stewardship saw the CFL’s business model transformed, and its brand rejuvenated. Record television ratings, $2 billion in new stadiums, new live game programming with ESPN, strengthened corporate partnerships, a return to the nation’s capital, and the almost tripling of team distributions are all part of Cohon’s legacy.

Upon completing his successful run as commissioner, Cohon wanted to continue his role as a community builder while following his entrepreneurial spirit. He was appointed the Chair of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to help transform the Juno Awards, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and Canada’s national music charity, MusiCounts. As the Executive Producer of the Juno broadcast, Cohon and the team won multiple Canadian Screen Awards for Best Live Entertainment Special.

Today, Cohon is the chair of the Northern Super League, the new Canadian women’s professional soccer league, and of Toronto Global, a government funded agency that promotes and attracts foreign direct investment. He is also the chair and partner in Georgian Bay Spirits Co., one of the fastest growing Canadian spirits companies; a board member of Great Canadian Entertainment, the largest Casino operator in Canada; and a special advisor to CVC, one of the world’s largest private equity firms.

Whether leading organizations with thousands of employees, being the trusted voice of a league with millions of fans, or the chief cheerleader for one of North America’s largest and fastest growing cities, there is one common theme that has embodied Cohon’s life — building trusted relationships and stronger communities. In recognition of his transformative leadership, Cohon was appointed to the Order of Ontario and awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

  • An Old-School Playbook for Modern Times

    A seasoned sports executive, Mark Cohon is renowned for his ability to deliver results, not only from a corporate perspective but from a fan and community perspective as well.

    As an MLB and NBA executive, Cohon raised the profile of these iconic sports leagues in over 30 international markets. Then, as the 12th commissioner of the CFL, he was the driving force behind its renaissance, celebrated for rejuvenating its brand and business model and for regularly sitting in the stands and connecting one-on-one with fans.

    Cohon attributes his success to his father, George Cohon, an iconic Canadian business leader who founded McDonald’s Canada and McDonald’s Russia. In this heartfelt and motivational speech, Cohon shares the stories of a father and a son — from the weekly tours of his restaurants to connecting with customers and staff member alike — to outline the old-school playbook for modern success that fueled his and his father’s illustrious careers.

    A talented storyteller, Cohon will demonstrate how simple, old-school values around face-to-face communication, breaking bread with people, doing good in your community, raising resilient kids, having fun, treating others how you would like to be treated, and persistence can serve as a guiding light, both professionally and personally.

  • Building Trust

    Trust in our politicians, institutions, corporate leaders, innovation, and even in each other is at an all-time low.  As organizational leaders, how do you build trust with your employees, customers, suppliers, colleagues, and key stakeholders in these unsettling times?

    As the 12th Commissioner of the CFL — North America’s oldest sports league — Mark Cohon had to lead in a complex environment, weighing the diverse interests of team owners, players, union leaders, fans, broadcast partners, sponsors, licensees, government officials, referees, amateur football associations, and even medical staff.

    In this engaging talk, Cohon argues that building trust was core to his success in driving the league forward, and outlines why trust is the key currency all leaders should be judged upon. Cohon will explore stories around authentic engagement and how, in showing your character, you can build trust in yourself and your organization.

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