Biography
Eric Newell, 63, is Chancellor of the University of Alberta. He is the retired Chair and CEO of Syncrude Canada Ltd. (Syncrude), positions he held since May 1994 and August 1989, respectively, until January 1, 2004. He served as President of Syncrude from 1989 to 1997. Prior to that he worked with Imperial Oil Limited and Esso Petroleum Canada Ltd.

Eric holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia and a Masters of Science in Management Studies from the University of Birmingham, England. He has received Honarary Doctorates of Law from Athabasca University, University of Alberta, and an Honorary Diploma from Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence.

Eric is the Chair, CAREERS...The Next Generation Foundation, and a member of the boards of Alberta Energy Research Institute, C.D. Howe Institute, Alberta Heart Institute, Lieutenant Governor Arts Award Foundation, Junior Achievement of Northern Alberta, and The Learning Partnership. As past President of the Alberta Chamber of Resources, he led the creation of the National Oil Sands Task Force in 1995.

Eric currently resides in Edmonton, AB.