Kris Hagerman

Kris Hagerman
Name	Kris Hagerman
Occupation	Business executive
Known for	Chief Executive Officer of OpenText

Kris Hagerman is a Canadian corporate executive and lawyer known for leading technology, energy, and utility enterprises. He has held senior roles across Canadian and international organizations, combining legal training with executive management in sectors including information technology, power utilities, and telecommunications. Hagerman's career spans leadership at OpenText, Nova Scotia Power, and Emera, with board roles and affiliations across industry associations and cultural institutions.

Early life and education

Hagerman was raised in Nova Scotia where he pursued undergraduate studies before attending law school. He earned legal qualifications from a Canadian law faculty and completed professional training that enabled admission to the bar in a provincial jurisdiction, aligning him with peers educated at institutions such as Dalhousie University, Queen's University, University of Toronto, and McGill University. His formative years overlapped with regional developments involving Halifax, Cape Breton Island, Annapolis Valley, and Atlantic Canadian economic initiatives tied to entities like Department of Fisheries and Oceans and provincial ministries. Early influences included Canadian legal practitioners and business leaders associated with firms similar to McCarthy Tétrault, BLG, Borden Ladner Gervais, and regulatory bodies such as the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Legal and early career

Hagerman began his professional career in law and corporate counsel roles, serving in positions comparable to those at major Canadian firms and in-house legal departments of utilities and telecommunications companies. His work intersected with matters involving corporate governance tied to organizations resembling Manulife Financial, Sun Life Financial, and transactional practice areas as handled in offices of Toronto-Dominion Bank and Royal Bank of Canada. He transitioned into executive management during engagements with regional utilities and energy companies, negotiating regulatory matters with agencies akin to the National Energy Board, provincial regulators, and engaging with stakeholders such as Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and provincial energy ministries. During this period, he collaborated with corporate finance teams and advisors from institutions like Bank of Montreal, CIBC, and international consultancies similar to McKinsey & Company and Deloitte.

Nova Scotia Power and Emera

Hagerman joined the utility sector in senior leadership roles that culminated in executive appointments at Nova Scotia Power and its parent company, Emera. At Nova Scotia Power he oversaw operations, regulatory strategy, and customer service functions while implementing infrastructure programs tied to provincial energy policy and regional grid reliability. His tenure engaged with generation and transmission matters involving stakeholders such as Hydro-Québec, New Brunswick Power, and federally relevant entities like Natural Resources Canada. At Emera, Hagerman participated in corporate strategy and governance during a period of international expansion and asset management, interacting with partners and counterparties including Florida Power & Light Company, TECO Energy, Triton Knoll, and capital markets participants such as Toronto Stock Exchange and institutional investors like OMERS and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. His leadership addressed challenges related to regulatory approvals, environmental assessments reviewed by agencies akin to Environment and Climate Change Canada, and commercial negotiations involving transmission interconnections.

CEO of OpenText

In succession to prior executives, Hagerman became Chief Executive Officer of OpenText, a multinational software firm headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario. As CEO he led strategic initiatives across enterprise information management, cloud transformation, and product portfolio realignment, coordinating with global partners and customers including enterprises similar to Siemens, IBM, Microsoft, SAP, and Oracle Corporation. His stewardship encompassed mergers and acquisitions activity, integration processes involving targets comparable to HP Autonomy, Carbonite, and Micro Focus-like assets, and engagement with capital markets through interactions with securities regulators such as the Ontario Securities Commission and investor relations with stakeholders like BlackRock, Vanguard Group, and activist investors exemplified by ValueAct Capital. Hagerman guided organizational priorities on cybersecurity and data governance, addressing standards and compliance frameworks associated with institutions such as International Organization for Standardization, ISO/IEC, and industry groups including Cloud Security Alliance.

Board memberships and affiliations

Hagerman has served on corporate and nonprofit boards and participated in advisory bodies spanning technology, energy, and cultural sectors. His affiliations include governance roles with companies and institutions akin to OpenText Corporation's board, regional economic development organizations similar to Nova Scotia Business Inc., and cultural entities comparable to Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and foundations modeled after The Rideau Hall Foundation. He has engaged with industry associations and trade groups such as Canadian Electricity Association, Information Technology Association of Canada, and policy forums involving provincial chambers like the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal and federal advisory councils. Hagerman's board work has involved audit and compensation committees, risk oversight, and succession planning consistent with standards promulgated by organizations like Institute of Corporate Directors.

Personal life and recognition

Hagerman maintains ties to Atlantic Canada and Ontario, often participating in regional philanthropic initiatives and post-secondary collaborations similar to partnerships with Dalhousie University and University of Waterloo. His professional contributions have been recognized by peers in business and legal communities with industry acknowledgments comparable to corporate leadership awards and listings in publications akin to The Globe and Mail, Financial Post, and Bloomberg Businessweek. Outside of work, he is associated with community organizations and charitable causes in areas aligned with arts, healthcare, and education, comparable to beneficiaries like IWK Health Centre and provincial cultural trusts.

Category:Canadian chief executives Category:Canadian lawyers