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Maureen Kempston Darkes
GM Group Vice President,
President, GM Latin America, Africa and Middle East
Maureen Kempston Darkes was appointed GM group vice president and president, GM Latin
America, Africa and Middle East (LAAM) and a member of the General Motors Automotive
Strategy Board, effective January 1, 2002. Prior to this appointment, she was president and
general manager of General Motors of Canada Limited (GMCL) and vice president of General
Motors Corporation, from 1994 to 2001.
After joining the General Motors of Canada Limited Legal Staff in 1975, she became assistant
counsel in 1979. She served on the General Motors Corporation Legal Staff in Detroit in 1979-
1980 and headed the GM of Canada Tax Staff from 1980 to1984. From 1985 to 1987, she
worked in the GM Treasurer's Office in New York and subsequently held the position of acting
treasurer for GM of Canada until her appointment as general director, public affairs, for GMCL
in April 1987. She was appointed GMCL vice president of corporate affairs in 1991 and elected
to the GMCL Board of Directors. In addition to her corporate affairs responsibilities, she was
appointed general counsel and secretary of GMCL in July 1992.
Kempston Darkes serves on the boards of CN Rail and Brookfield Asset Management. During
her tenure as president of GM of Canada, she was a board member of the Vehicle
Manufacturers' Association; the Ontario Government Education, Quality and Accountability
Board; and the Ontario Minister of Health's Women's Health Council. She was appointed by
the federal government to the Free Trade Agreement Automotive Select Panel in 1989 and, in
1994, to the Transportation Equipment Sectoral Advisory Group on International Trade. She
also serves on the University of Toronto President's International Alumni Council. She has
served as the former chair for major gifts for Women's College Hospital Fund Raising
Campaigns; co-chaired the BC Cancer Foundation's Millennium Campaign, focused on genome
science and research into finding cures for and treatment of cancer; and served on the board
of Falconbridge Inc.
Kempston Darkes was born and raised in the Toronto area. She holds a bachelor of arts degree
in history and political science from Victoria College, University of Toronto. She also holds a
bachelor of laws degree from the University of Toronto Law School and was called to the Bar
of Ontario. She has received honorary doctor of law degrees from the University of Toronto,
University of Victoria, McMaster University, Dalhousie University, Wilfrid Laurier University,
and the Law Society of Upper Canada; an honorary doctorate of business administration from
Laurentian University; and an honorary doctor of commerce degree from Saint Mary's
University. In 1997, she received The Order of Ontario and was appointed as an Officer of the
Order of Canada in 2000. The American Bar Association in 1998 recognized her with the
Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award. In 1999, she received the
Distinguished Service Citation from the Automotive Hall of Fame.
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