Mentor
Dominic Barton
Overview
Dominic Barton currently serves as Chair of Rio Tinto plc (since 2022), one of the world’s leading mining and metals companies, and Chair of LeapFrog Investments (since 2022), a private equity firm focused on emerging markets and social impact. He is a Trustee of the Brookings Institution and a member of the Board of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
Dominic’s career spans corporate strategy, public service and global diplomacy. He is best known for his tenure as Global Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company (2009-2018), where he led more than 30,000 professionals in over 60 countries and significantly expanded the firm’s presence in Asia and emerging markets. During his leadership, McKinsey deepened its capabilities in digital transformation, sustainability, and public sector advisory, while advancing diversity and inclusion across the partnership. He previously served as the firm’s Asia Chair (2004-2009) and was based in Seoul, Shanghai and Toronto.
In 2019, he was appointed Canada’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (2019-2021), where he played a critical role in navigating a period of heightened diplomatic tension, overseeing bilateral trade issues, and leading complex consular negotiations.
Beyond Rio Tinto and LeapFrog, Dominic has held several influential board and advisory roles. He was Chair of Teck Resources (2018-2019), a Non-Executive Director of Singtel, a Non-Executive Director of Investor AB, and an advisor to the Singapore Economic Development Board. Furthermore, he chaired Canada’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth, tasked with shaping national growth strategies and immigration reform. He was also Chancellor of the University of Waterloo (2018-2024), where he supported the institution’s global engagement and innovation agenda.
He brings deep cross-sector expertise in:
• Natural resources & energy – leading transformation and stakeholder engagement at the board level of global mining and energy firms
• Corporate strategy & organisational change – advising multinational companies and public institutions on strategic reinvention and performance
• Impact investing & emerging markets – guiding capital toward inclusive growth across Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia
• Diplomacy & public policy – bringing geopolitical insight and cross-sector coordination to economic development and international affairs
Educated at the University of British Columbia and as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, Dominic is highly sought after for his global perspective, pragmatic intellect and ability to guide institutions through periods of profound change. His leadership continues to shape the intersection of business, government and society on the global stage.
PDF Profile
Download PDFMajor Career Roles
Rio Tinto plc
Chair
McKinsey & Company
Global Managing Partner
LeapFrog Investments
Chair
Radical Ventures
Senior Adviser and Partner
Teck Resources
Chair
Government of Canada to the People’s Republic of China
Ambassador
Other Career Roles
Singtel Group (Singapore)
Non-Executive Director
Investor AB (Sweden)
Non-Executive Director
The Olayan Group
Advisory Board member
University of Waterloo
Chancellor
International Advisory Council
Chair
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