Trent Henry becomes Canadian chairman and CEO of E&Y

Trent Henry has been appointed by Ernst & Young as Canadian chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Canadian firm.

“Ernst & Young has taught me many things, but two lessons resonate the most: always maintain an entrepreneurial spirit in business and always be willing to learn,” said Henry, who also serves as CAmagazine’s technical editor for taxation. “Today’s business leaders must learn to develop a global mindset that enables them to leverage the diverse perspectives necessary to drive innovation and renew economic growth.”

Henry began his career with Ernst & Young in 1989, and was admitted to the firm’s partnership in 1998. Most recently, he served as managing partner of the Canadian Tax practice and as a member of the Canadian Executive Committee.

In addition to his work advising a wide range of Canadian and international clients at Ernst & Young, Henry is a member of the Board of Governors of the Canadian Tax Foundation and a board member of the Canadian Council of the International Fiscal Association. He was recently named a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario. He volunteers with the Toronto Regional Immigrant Employment Council mentoring program.

Henry replaces outgoing chairman and chief executive officer Lou Pagnutti, who has served in the role since 2004. Pagnutti is moving on to become Ernst & Young’s Asia–Pacific Area managing partner and a member of Ernst & Young’s global executive team.

Henry will take on the new role and join Ernst & Young’s Americas Executive Board effective July 3, 2010, while Pagnutti will stay on until August 2010 to ensure a smooth transition.