Longtime Royal Conservatory supporter Darren Entwistle is one of more than 100 notable Canadians recently named to the Order of Canada. The president and CEO of TELUS was named to the Order of Canada as part of announcement from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, on December 28, 2018.
Darren is the longest-serving CEO amongst incumbent telecommunication companies worldwide. Since taking on the role in 2000, he has grown the company into a leading national telecommunications provider and premier corporate citizen. In 2010, TELUS was recognized as the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the first-ever recognition for a Canadian company.
Under Darren’s leadership, TELUS began a transformational partnership with The Royal Conservatory that culminated in the revitalization of the RCM’s home, the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning. The extraordinary facilities, which include breathtaking Koerner Hall, have enabled the organization to expand and enrich programs benefiting hundreds of thousands individuals annually across Canada and, increasingly, around the world.
Darren was one of several alumni, supporters and past performers named to the Order of Canada. Others included Tony Award-winning performer Len Cariou; acclaimed novelist and playwright Anne-Marie MacDonald; and Linda Hasenfratz, philanthropist and CEO of Linamar Corporation.