Greg Hicks was appointed President and CEO of Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC) in March 2020, one day after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Under Greg’s calm and steady hand, the Company successfully navigated the crisis while helping Canadian communities do the same, elevating CTC’s brand trust to new heights.
As the challenges of the pandemic eased, Greg spearheaded CTC’s Better Connected strategy, which CTC launched in 2022. A foundational investment strategy, Better Connected drove fundamental improvements to key retail capabilities – including Owned Brands, loyalty and personalization, omnichannel retail, supply chain, and IT – creating a springboard for CTC’s next chapter of prosperity.
Guided by a strategic mindset and exceptional commercial acumen, Greg is leading CTC into the new era of retail. True North, CTC’s customer-driven, transformative growth strategy leverages data and technology to operate more efficiently while delivering great Canadian retail, personalized experiences and stronger financial performance.
Under Greg’s leadership, True North builds on the success of Better Connected and the familiar foundation of CTC’s Brand Purpose: We Are Here to Make Life in Canada Better. Backed by dozens of initiatives, True North will strengthen CTC’s connection to its customers, driving higher performance and accelerated value.
Prior to his appointment to CEO, Greg was President of Canadian Tire Retail (CTR), overseeing over 500 stores across Canada. Relentlessly focused on bringing customers the products they want and need to make life in Canada better, Greg significantly grew the company’s Owned Brands portfolio, generating over $4B in sales in 2019, and led the acquisition of Party City's Canadian business.
Previously, Greg served as Group Senior Vice-President, Consumer Products & Retail Experience, CTR, where he oversaw its General Merchandise and Automotive businesses and was also responsible for managing Store Experience, Store Operations, Product Sourcing and Quality, including the management of CTC’s Pacific Rim offices in Asia.
With more than 20 years of retail experience, including serving as Chief Operating Officer at TSC Stores, Greg has a proven ability to lead teams to success. He has also advised and worked with large multi-national retailers on the development of Canadian strategies.
Greg holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and an Honours Business Administration degree from Ivey Business School. A member of CTC’s and the Business Council of Canada’s Boards of Directors, Greg previously acted as a Trustee for CT REIT and served as the former Chair of the Retail Council of Canada. Greg was named Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year by the Retail Council of Canada in 2023 and is a past recipient of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 Award.