JOAN DEA

Joan Dea is a seasoned business executive, investor and social impact leader. She is Managing Director and Founder of Beckwith Investments, which invests in, and provides advice to innovative, leading companies and is an experienced independent corporate director. Currently, Dea serves on the boards of the Charles Schwab Corporation, Charles Schwab Bank and Cineplex Inc.

Ms. Dea draws from a successful career that spans from international consulting to senior leadership in a Fortune 500 company. She was a senior executive and Executive Committee member at BMO Financial Group, a large highly diversified global financial institution, where she developed and managed the strategic and change agendas which resulted in transformational results. As a Partner and Director at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Dea advised Fortune 500 companies on issues of global competitiveness, strategy and performance in the consumer goods, retail, media and financial services industries. She also co-founded BCG Ventures and held several internal leadership positions.

Dea is a champion of out-of-the-box approaches to address tough social issues. She is Chair of LEAP Social Ventures, a leading venture philanthropy that invests to scale high potential social ventures. A lifelong supporter of the arts and education and with a passion for the advancement of women and girls, she is past Chair of Women’s Initiative, Trustee of Marin Academy, Vice Chair of the National Ballet of Canada and Advisory Board Member of GlobalGirlMedia, amongst other volunteer board roles. She mentors and supports young business women and emerging artists.

Ms. Dea is a graduate of Yale University and the London School of Economics and has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada.