Patrick Searle

Patrick Searle is the Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI), a national business association representing more than 175 of Canada’s fastest growing, technology-intensive companies. As CEO, Patrick leads CCI’s national team of policy, government relations, and business experts, working closely with founders and scale-up leaders to strengthen domestic competitiveness, advance strategic industries, and shape innovation policy in Canada.

Since joining CCI in 2017, Patrick has been a driving force in transforming the organization from a tech-sector lobby group into a modern national business council. His leadership has expanded CCI’s mandate beyond traditional advocacy, building programming, services, and executive development initiatives that directly support Canada’s growth-stage companies. Patrick played a principal role in the development and expansion of CCI’s Innovation Governance Program, one of the country’s leading training platforms for current and aspiring board leaders in the innovation economy. He was also instrumental in elevating Canada’s CEO Summit into the premier annual gathering for the nation’s technology CEOs and ecosystem builders. These initiatives have strengthened collaboration across Canada’s innovation economy and raised governance and leadership standards in the sector.

As Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Patrick oversaw CCI’s communications, events, executive programming, membership engagement, and partnership development efforts. He strengthened CCI’s reputation as the premier voice for Canada’s growth-stage business leaders and elevated the Council’s presence with policymakers, media, and national institutions. Patrick also directed public affairs campaigns that helped shape policy conversations and influence public understanding of Canada’s innovation economy.

Earlier in his career, Patrick worked as an advocate for access to post-secondary education and later served as a senior advisor to several cabinet ministers in the Ontario Government. He is a graduate of King’s University College at Western University and is the incoming President of the Western Alumni Association.