About Ted
More than writing and speaking about complexity, Ted has managed it.
Ted Cadsby, MBA, CFA, ICD.D, is a bestselling author whose focus is the ingrained habits of mind that lead us astray when we navigate complex challenges.
As the former executive vice president of Retail Distribution at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), he led 18,000 employees in banking and wealth management services in Canada, Asia and the Caribbean. He was also President and CEO of CIBC Securities Inc., Chairman of CIBC Trust Corp., and Chairman of CIBC Private Investment Counsel Inc.
Ted has served as a corporate director on a number of boards including Meridian Credit Union, ResMor Trust Company, Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Foundation (CAMH), The Mutual Fund Dealer’s Association of Canada and The Investment Funds Institute of Canada. He has chaired a variety of board committees, and is a Business Advisor to the Ted Rogers School of Management at Toronto Metropolitan University.
In addition to two books on investing, Ted is the author of Closing the Mind Gap: Making Smarter Decisions in a Hyper-Complex World, and Hard to Be Human: Overcoming Our 5 Cognitive Design Flaws. He has written many articles for various publications, including The Globe and Mail and Harvard Business Review. Ted has lectured and led seminars for undergraduate and graduate business students and university faculty on decision-making, leadership and group effectiveness. He has been extensively interviewed by the national media, including CBC’s The National and CTV National News.
Ted graduated as the medallist in philosophy from Queen’s University, completed his MBA at the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario, and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation from the CFA Institute and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.
“Ted Cadsby has done us all a favour with this lucid tour of thinking through complexity.”
Roger Martin, former Dean of the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
“Your keynote was identified in evaluations as one of the top 3 highlights of our conference, with comments such as ‘very inspiring’ and ‘perfect opener’.”
Robert P. Taylor, PhD, CEO of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada
“Brimming with insight, professionals in all fields will find Cadsby’s book highly valuable.”
Phil Rosenzweig, PhD, Professor of strategy and international management, IMD
“Cadsby’s ideas are vital … Read them and prosper.”
Don Tapscott, Executive Chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute
“Cadsby expertly outlines why humans possess instinctive responses and provides actionable tips..his presentation is creative and informative.”
Kirkus Book Reviews
“This wide-ranging book distills the latest research in complexity theory and cognitive science to think and act more effectively.”
David Orrell, PhD, mathematician and best-selling author
“Loved Cadsby’s Closing the Mind Gap…must-read for anyone wanting to tackle complexity!”
Amanda Lang, Anchor of BNN Bloomberg
“Ted brought together insights in a compelling presentation that provided practical steps leaders can take.”
John Brewer, Director, The Conference Board of Canada
“A courageous synthesis of psychology, complexity and systems theory. Cadsby provides practical implications for improving decision-making.”
Gary Klein, PhD, Senior Scientist MacroCognition LLC
“William James said we are only half awake. Ted Cadsby shows there is a lot of scientific truth wrapped inside that metaphorical truth.”
Philip Tetlock, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Wharton School of Business
“A very sophisticated and extremely valuable read.”
Gordon Pape, best-selling author and investment commentator
“A must read for Canadians who are serious about investing.”
Moshe Milevsky, PhD, Professor of Finance, Schulich School of Business
“Ted’s case would make any fair judge rule: ‘Case closed.’ Readers who follow his advice will be duly enriched.”
John Bogle, Founder and Former Chairman of The Vanguard Group
“Ted Cadsby has provided a valuable addition to investment finance. This book can immediately be put into action.”
Eric Kirzner, PhD, Professor of Finance, Rotman School of Management
“Cadsby has established himself as an author who must be read.”
Andrew Allentuck, Globe and Mail
“Cadsby offers a wealth of advice…It’s a keeper for any investor.”
Jade Hemeon, Toronto Star
“Ted’s speech provided very illuminating insight into cutting-edge research, as evidenced by the extended Q&A.”
“Cadsby draws masterfully on a wide range of scientific findings. His book is a remarkable wake-up call. We owe him thanks.”
Robin Hogarth, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Economics, Universitat Pompeu Fabra