Presenter – David Herle

Mr. Herle is a principal partner with The Gandalf Group, a firm that provides research and fact based communications advice. Mr. Herle has been a nationally recognized practitioner in public opinion research, strategic advice, and communications strategies for the past twenty years.

Mr. Herle is most active advising private sector clients about brand image and reputation management, especially in virtually every sector of the economy.

Also active in research and strategy for the public sector, Mr Herle is probably best known in that regard for his work on nine consecutive federal budgets, all of which received very high public approval ratings. Most notable is the landmark 1995 budget that paved the way for eliminating the federal deficit by dramatically cutting government spending. That budget turned conventional political wisdom on its head by making a “bad news” budget a huge political success.

Understanding the forces that drive the economy remains a major focus of Mr. Herle’s work. The Gandalf Group conducts the quarterly C Suite Survey featured in the Report on Business and Business News Network. It analyzes the views of Canada’s corporate leaders on challenges facing the economy and society. The Gandalf Group also produces, for the advertising agency Bensimon Byrne, the quarterly Consumerology Report. Consumerology looks at the big trends impacting on society and learns how those trends are impacting on consumer behavior and attitudes.

Herle was the national campaign chair for the Liberal Party in the 2004 and 2006 general elections as well as for the Leadership campaign of the Right Honourable Paul Martin in 2003. He is a frequent commentator about politics on the CBC National News, including being a member of The Insiders panel during both the 2008 and 2011 federal elections, CBC News Network, and major newspapers and periodicals in Canada and internationally.  He is a sought after speaker on issues ranging from consumer trends, environmental attitudes, energy policy, agricultural policy, and politics.

Mr. Herle received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Regina, majoring in social sciences. He was called to the Bar in Ontario after receiving his LLB from the University of Saskatchewan. Mr. Herle is a member of the Market Research and Intelligence Association and the American Association for Public Opinion Research.