Our Team
Our Leadership
James de Gaspé Bonar, Ph.D., CEC, PCC
Founder & CEO
In a world of endless promotional hype, James Bonar, with his authentic style and aspirational methodology, supports clients navigate complex challenges, and create novel and impactful solutions. Clients who commit to working with James and his team at the Bonar Institute are not disappointed.
James has over 30 years of experience in Canada and the United States as a senior executive in business and the non-profit sector, and as a management consultant and professional executive coach.
He brings diverse experience in assisting individual and corporate clients. One example of the suite of services he uses is the Bonar Institute’s proven six-step results-based methodology which features emotional intelligence assessment, introspection techniques, and the setting of realistic SMART Goals. Interwoven in this process (the “science”) is the art of listening and providing you counsel on reaching your objectives. James is an avid sounding board and impactful advisor.
James has particular insight into the human dynamics underlying practical business situations; he assists leaders to see beyond the ordinary, to discover innovative possibilities and to embrace opportunities latent in the unknown.
John Barker JD, CCEP, CHC, CHPC, CHRC
Senior Vice President, AI
John Barker is a thought leader and consultant who delivers impactful and actionable client insights and advice in these times of existential disruptions in local, national, and global economies, as well as society at large. John is a highly respected consultant with a track record of supporting multicultural management teams in startups and large and middle-sized organizations in North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East in adapting to major disruptions. John is a conference presenter and panelist at numerous international gatherings dealing with customer insights, analytics, and innovation.
His academic background includes a BA in Philosophy from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium; a Juris Doctor from Tulane University Law School, New Orleans; and a Master of Science in Regulatory Compliance from Northwestern University, Chicago. John has the following certifications from the Compliance Certification Board (CCB): Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP); Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC); Certified in Healthcare Research Compliance (CHRC); and Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC).
David Cliche
VIce President, Business Development & Marketing
Dave’s extensive experience over the past 25 years includes developing, deploying, and managing strategic marketing and business development engagements in Canada, the US and the UK. He spent over 10 years with Aon, where he led and managed marketing strategy for the Canadian operation, and for three of those years managed a global portfolio representing all of Aon’s digital properties. In addition. He also led Aon Canada’s Affinity business unit charged with developing insurance solutions for many of Canada’s leading not-for-profit plans, programs, and associations.
As TMD’s President and CEO since September 2015, he has served as the strategic lead for all insurance and professional services clients and has played significant roles in the development of strategic solutions for Marsh, AIG, Aviva, Liberty Mutual, Markel, Northbridge Insurance, LMS ProLink, BMS Group, QBE, Euler Hermes, and Transamerica.
He also played a senior strategic role in the management of go-to-market deployments for key brands including Columbia, Sorel, Mountain Hardware, Moen, SickKids, St. Baldrick’s Foundation, St. Joseph’s Health Care, the Ontario Science Centre, Western University, Brescia, VetStrategy, Lumea, Clarity Eye and Start.ca.
Having industry insight and experience from both global marketing and business leadership positions creates opportunities to uniquely provide constructive, insightful and industry relevant advice and counsel.
In his spare time, Dave enjoys reading, writing, cooking and travelling anywhere that takes him close to the ocean. Dave lives in London, Ontario, Canada.
Michael Hagley MASc., MBA, PCC, P.Eng.
Senior Vice President, Programs & Services
Michael’s mission is to bring people that work together, truly together as a team. He guides his clients to achieve this and more!
He started his career as a Chemical Engineer in Canada, the U.K., and the U.S.A. He has experience in a number of industries including chemical processing and manufacture, automotive manufacturing, telecommunications. He worked in early-stage companies in online grocery, consumer goods, web development, and cannabis. Michael also has experience in traditional and digital media managing advertising, revenue and digital products.
Michael started his career as a Chemical Engineer in Canada, the U.K., and the U.S.A. He has experience in a number of industries including chemical processing and manufacture, automotive manufacturing, telecommunications. He worked in early-stage companies in online grocery, consumer goods, web development, and cannabis. Michael also has experience in traditional and digital media managing advertising, revenue and digital products.
In 2015, Michael completed his coach training at Adler and has gone on to work with clients in Financial Technology, Cannabis, Luxury Travel, Wealth Management, Technology Sales, Software Development, and more!
In his work with leaders, he helps them manage, lead and coach their people to outstanding results. In his work with teams, he helps build shared understanding, purpose, and a shared vision. Group and individual coaching are the final pieces of the puzzle that bring people that work together, truly together as a team.
Jude Carriere
Director, Administration & Operations
Jude Administration Specialist providing remote business development and project management support to Leadership and Organizational Development professionals, and Leadership Coaches across Canada.
She is a client-centric professional who excels at developing effective relationships with key stakeholders and program participants to provide a seamless leadership development experience through coaching or skills development workshops and programs. With over 25 years of practice in a variety of office roles, Jude leads a team of administrative specialists who provide multi-disciplined support in all areas of program development and implementation, from the initial proposal through to final evaluation of the completed project.
Jude is pleased to be the Secretary and provide administrative support for a local charity. One of her proudest professional achievements has been leading the application for charitable status which was awarded on first reading with no requests for information or amendments required.
Jude lives in the beautiful Niagara (Ontario) region and enjoys long drives listening to podcasts with her husband and their golden retriever.
Renuka Gamage MASc, MBA, PMP, CMP
Senior Director, Purposeful Leadership & Content Management
Renuka combines skills and knowledge from her highly diverse career of 25+ years including her research on new venture scale-ups and organizational leadership in support of new business owners and corporate clients. She has worked in multi-cultural environments, Sri Lanka, Dubai, and Canada.
Born and brought up in Sri Lanka, and an engineer in electronics and telecommunications, Renuka transitioned along a career path in corporate training, project management, bids/proposals management, teaching and facilitation to researching and consulting; she holds a Master of Applied Science in Technology Innovation Management engineering from Carleton University, an MBA, and a diploma in Electronics & Telecommunication engineering from Sri Lanka. She also holds professional certifications in project management (PMP) and in change management, diplomas in training and development, instructional skills for technical trainers (TVET), and in AI Business Strategy and Applications.
Giving back to the community, Renuka has volunteered her skills and knowledge generously and was awarded the ‘Best Volunteer in a Professional Field’ at the VOscars 2014 by Volunteer Ottawa. This award is given to individuals who have dedicated their professional skills to volunteer endeavors and to setting inspiring examples for the community. Currently, Renuka is a Sustainable Markets Fellow of the Sustainable Markets Initiative (an organization created by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales in collaboration with the World Economic Forum; https://www.sustainable-markets.org/). She is a board member and chair for Zonta JMK Women in Business scholarship committee at Zonta Club of Ottawa and serves as a mentor to new commers to Canada through local service agencies.
Renuka believes that ongoing and self-motivated learning are a process of broadening through which the sharing of knowledge-gained, that can help others achieve their goals.
John Bonar
Senior Advisor to the Founder & CEO
Originally from Montreal, Quebec, Mr. Bonar spent 32 years as Trade Commissioner in the Canadian Foreign Service. His multifaceted career included promoting trade and investment on behalf of Canadian exporters while on foreign postings.
He also managed numerous trade policy files during assignments at Global Affairs Canada headquarters, including:
- promoting Canadian interests within the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA);
- protecting market access for firms selling the U.S. Department of Defense under the Canada –U.S. Defence Production Sharing Arrangement (DPSA);
- leading export financing and foreign capital project reviews with Export Development Canada (EDC) and the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC);
- representing Canada on trade and the environment panels of the OECD in Paris.
John is pleased to join the Bonar Institute as a senior advisor to the Founder and CEO.
Our Associates & Team Members
Lalith Gunaratne CET, MSc
Senior Associate, Leadership & Mindfulness
Inspiring leadership excellence through mindfulness.
Lalith Ananda Gunaratne is a leadership trainer, facilitator and mentor weaving eastern and western philosophies and aboriginal wisdom into a tapestry of well-being and self-mastery for resilience in a fast-paced uncertain world.
Mindfulness practice based on martial arts is the foundation for his work in leadership, and as an entrepreneur, business developer and consultant.
His broad life and professional experience began as a pioneer to establish a solar energy venture in the late 1980s in Sri Lanka to renewable energy business development in Asia and Africa.
In 2002, he established Sage Training in South-Asia to facilitate team-centered leadership training for the private-sector, government, donor agencies and NGOs. He has led programs in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Indonesia, Maldives, Guyana and Canada.
He trained in Canada as a Mechanical Engineering Technologist and has a Masters in Responsibility and Business Practice from University of Bath, United Kingdom.
Marielle Métrailler ECPC, PCC
Senior Associate Coaching, Training
Brings experience from across industries and markets to assist in the development of her clients.
Marielle is a leadership and executive coach working primarily with Managers with a background in science or technology who want to build and grow high-performance teams.
Originally from Switzerland and the holder of a bachelor’s degree in each Marketing and Sociology, she has worked in the corporate world throughout Europe and North America, applying her skill set to industries as varied as Luxury Goods, Biotech and pharmaceutical advocacy organizations.
A proponent of lifelong learning, she is always open to change and ready to learn new skills. She had the opportunity to work with highly performant individuals including VPs and CEOs in the pharmaceutical industry, preparing them for their meetings with government officials.
Marielle is an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC), an Erickson Certified Professional Coach (ECPC) and a certified Nova profile practitioner.
Donna-Lea Bowman
Senior Associate, Leading our Women Leadership Training Programs & Strategic Client Relationship Management Activities.
Empowering executives to develop meaningful relationships and impactful networks.
Donna-Lea Bowman is a committed people-focused, bilingual, solution driven business strategist, mentor, and trainer. She works with a portfolio of businesses and institutions across diverse industries to help build value-based strategic partnerships.
Donna-Lea employs an empowering and consistently innovative results-driven approach to mentor, guide and advise clients to thrive in challenging and increasingly more complex business situations. Leveraging her extensive leadership management experience, she works with her clients to create attainable, actionable, and impactful objectives that address her clients’ individual needs. She seamlessly balances big-picture concerns with operational insights.
Donna-Lea works with Executives to identify challenges and then collaboratively creates an optimal road map for success.
Ready to become a great leader?
