Matthew Holmes named as CEO of Magazines Canada

Matthew Holmes

Magazines Canada has announced that Matthew Holmes is to be the successor to Mark Jamison as Chief Executive Officer of Magazines Canada. He steps into the position January 25. 

Holmes is an experienced association leader, having been the founding executive director of the Canadian Organic Trade Association. As such he has been involved in government policy developments and trade and market issues which are similar to the kind of government affairs, lobbying and policy work with which Jamison and Magazines Canada have been involved deeply. He has worked as a policy analyst within the federal government in Ottawa, and as the special assistant, government relations for the President of York University in Toronto.

"Holmes has been appointed to a number of senior government advisories, roundtables and task forces," a release said, "while also coordinating a popular annual policy conference and reception for Parliamentarians and their staff. His expert testimony before House and Senate Standing Committees has resulted in amendments to critical government legislation, while building trust and awareness of an emerging industry. Under his tenure, the association saw a 50% increase in membership and a seven-fold growth in revenue. Holmes was the first Canadian elected to the world umbrella group for organics, IFOAM–Organic International, based in Bonn, Germany.

What does he know about the magazine business, it might be asked? Well,  he has quite an appetite for it, He has served on the editorial board of literary and trade magazines, and has published a book of poetry, as well as articles in a number of Canadian journals. In 2012, Holmes was the recipient of the gold National Magazine Award for poetry.