Heather Reisman - Biography

Heather Reisman (born August 28, 1948) is a Canadian businesswoman. Reisman is the founder and chief executive of the Canadian retail chain Indigo Books and Music. Previously, she was president of Cott Corporation, a leading supplier of private label carbonated soft drinks. Reisman is married to Gerald Schwartz, founder and CEO of Onex Corporation. Together they have four children and seven grandchildren.

Early life

Reisman was born in Montreal, Quebec to a Jewish family. She is the niece of Simon Reisman, who headed the Canadian delegation that negotiated the 1988 Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement.

She was educated at McGill University.

Career

In 1996, she founded Indigo which, in 2001, merged with its main rival, Chapters, to form the largest book retailer in Canada. In 2006 she founded the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation whose mission is to enrich the libraries in under-resourced public schools.

She drew praise and criticism in October 2001, after announcing that Indigo would not sell Hitler's Mein Kampf in its bookstores.

In August 2006, as a result of differing reactions by the two main Canadian political parties to the 2006 Lebanon War, Reisman announced that she and husband Gerry Schwartz would be joining Robert Lantos in withdrawing their longtime support for the Liberal Party of Canada and supporting the Conservative Party of Canada under Stephen Harper.

As part of her role as CEO of Chapters/Indigo, she has been removing a number of titles available, such as Mein Kampf.

Advocacy

Death penalty for Sakineh Ashtiani

On July 5, 2010, Reisman started to create an online petition to save an Iranian woman, Sakineh Ashtiani, from the death penalty by stoning. Her initiative found support around the world.

Bilderberg Group

Reisman is listed as a member of the steering committee of the Bilderberg Group, a controversial group of influential business and government leaders who meet annually behind closed doors under a media blackout to discuss world issues.

Reisman has been a delegate for several years at the annual conference of the Bilderbergs. In Istanbul, Turkey, 31 May - 3 June 2007 she was in the company of other notable Canadians: Jason Kenney, Member of Parliament; and Gerald Butts, Principal Secretary in the Office of the Premier of Ontario.

She is also reported to have attended the last meeting in Sitges, Spain.

Awards

In 2006 Reisman received an honorary doctorate from Ryerson University. In 2009 Reisman received an honorary doctorate Wilfrid Laurier University. In 2009, the Financial Times listed Reisman as one of the top 50 businesswomen in the world. In 2010, she received an honorary doctorate from Mount Allison University.