Simon Foster

Worth knowing

He has been on both sides of a deal: founding and exiting a software company, and running corporate development for a media group buying and building digital businesses. He also knows how to get a new consumer media product to market, having launched podcasting on BlackBerry and Sirius XM on mobile in the US. Founders weighing an acquisition offer, and operators planning their go to market, should write.

Story

Simon studied at Queen's and took a master's in political economy at the London School of Economics before making his career in Toronto technology. At QuickPlay he worked on mobile firsts, then spent five years as Senior Vice President of Digital and Corporate Development at Blue Ant Media. In 2016 he started Chatter Research, signing clients including Nike, and stayed as CEO through the sale. Alongside that work he has spent two decades in the Canadian arts, currently as Chair of the Ontario Arts Council investing $60 million annually into the arts economy. He is now Vice Chair & Partner of Capital Canada Limited in Toronto.

In Simon's words

Born in Canada; Queen's graduate, and has built and backed companies and arts organizations from Toronto.

Highlights

• Founder and CEO, Chatter Research (acquired by Stingray Digital, 2020)
• Co-founder and Chair, Framework Foundation
• Board of Directors & Chair, Ontario Arts Council (appointed 2023)
• Arnold Edinborough Award, Business/Arts, 2011
• Board, Canada's National Ballet School, 2007-2012