President & CEO
King, Ontario
Permanent
[Pro/Biz Services-Engineering Svc/Architecture]
Client Organization:Priestly Demolition, Inc. (PDI)
Position Title:President & CEO
Reports to:Ryan Priestly, Owner
Location: King City, Ontario preferred; open to national or international relocation
________________________________________
THE COMPANY
Priestly Demolition Inc. (PDI) is a leading demolition company operating across Canada and the United States. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in King, Ontario, PDI is renowned for its commitment to safety, innovation, and environmental stewardship. The company specializes in a wide range of services including selective, commercial, and industrial demolition, plant and mill decommissioning, hazardous material abatement, asset recovery, and site remediation.
With over 500 experienced professionals, and thousands of successfully completed projects (including World Demolition and National Demolition Award Winning Projects), PDI is a trusted industry partner with the expertise required to handle the most complex and high-profile demolition projects in North America. Over the years, PDI has been consistently recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies and a Top 100 Employer in its category, reflecting its dedication to excellence in both operations and workplace culture.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The President & CEO position is the Top Executive Leadership role at Priestly Demolition Inc. (PDI), accountable for delivering operational performance, growth strategy, cultural stewardship, and long-term enterprise value. This role will unify the business under a single leadership voice, advancing PDI’s legacy while bringing structure, scale, and discipline to a fast-growing, multi-regional operation. The CEO is responsible for shaping and executing the 3–to 5–year growth strategy, fostering a high-performance culture, and guiding the business toward achieving their revenue milestone.
This role requires a confident, emotionally intelligent, and operationally excellent leader who can command respect in the field, collaborate with an entrepreneurial owner, and inspire a diverse leadership team. They must bring grit and grace, leading with accountability, clarity, and trust.
Working Conditions and Leadership Expectations
The President & CEO will operate in a dynamic, fast-paced, and high-accountability environment that demands strategic foresight and hands-on leadership. While the role is primarily based at the Ontario headquarters, regular travel to industry events, regional operations (including Calgary, Vancouver, Windsor, and U.S. locations) is expected to maintain executive visibility, drive alignment, and build credibility with field and operational teams.
The work environment is collaborative yet entrepreneurial, requiring comfort with ambiguity, decisiveness under pressure, and the ability to lead through structure and disruption. The role requires extended hours and availability outside standard business times when necessary to attend industry and client events or to respond to emerging priorities, crisis events, or strategic opportunities.
The President & CEO is expected to model the highest standards of ethical integrity, transparency, and professionalism. As a visible representative of PDI’s brand and values, they must lead by example, foster psychological safety, and ensure inclusive, respectful interactions at all levels of the organization. This role demands a high degree of discretion, judgment, and emotional intelligence, particularly when navigating legacy dynamics, owner engagement, and complex stakeholder relationships.
Organizational Context:
PDI is a high-growth, family-owned business known for safety excellence, technical innovation, and leadership in the demolition sector. The current President is set to retire, and the owner is transitioning into a strategic advisory and ambassador role. The CEO will inherit a strong brand, a passionate workforce, and an executive team with deep tenure and capability.
KEY OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE
- Lead and deeply integrate PDI’s operating companies under one aligned enterprise ("One Priestly").
- Develop national/international operating model and infrastructure.
- Develop and formalize organizational operating cadence and performance metrics.
- Elevate culture to become a top employer of choice in demolition/construction.
Family Business Support (Shared Services):
?While the President and CEO does not have leadership or operational responsibility for family-owned businesses outside of PDI, this role supports the select needs of family members, including Robin Priestly and the founder, Vic Priestly, through shared corporate services, particularly within Finance, Human Resources, IT, and Legal.
?This includes enabling effective resource planning, coordinating the use of shared services, and ensuring clarity between enterprise priorities and family business needs.
?The CEO must navigate this dynamic with discretion, professionalism, and strong stakeholder management to preserve enterprise focus while honoring family commitments.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Strategic Growth & Vision Execution
?Translate “One Priestly” into an actionable, scalable business strategy.
?Define and deliver on 3-year strategic horizons with measurable outcomes.
?Lead national and cross-border expansion initiatives, including U.S. operations.
?Evaluate, recommend, and lead M&A opportunities and adjacent greenfield opportunities
?Champion business model innovation, including technology, services, partnerships, AI, and ESG.
Operational Leadership & Scale
?Optimize the organizational structure for scalability.
?Lead transformation efforts across finance, legal, HR, and IT functions.
?Drive continuous improvement in project delivery, cost control, and field performance.
?Establish a leadership cadence that includes structured decision rights, clear KPIs, and cross-functional collaboration and efficiencies.
?Ensure business continuity through risk, compliance, and legal oversight.
People Leadership & Culture Stewardship
?Inspire, coach, and hold the executive team accountable for results.
?Foster a culture of empowerment, ownership, and discipline.
?Champion safety, inclusion, and engagement across all levels of the organization.
?Build and sustain a high-performing, inclusive, and values-aligned culture.
?Maintain strong relationships across subsidiaries and field teams to build alignment and pride.
?Develop senior leaders and a succession pipeline for future readiness.
Brand, Reputation & External Relationships
?Represent PDI to clients, industry bodies, regulators, and partners.
?Collaborate with the Owner to enhance the company’s public image and stakeholder trust.
?Strengthen client engagement and ensure commercial excellence.
Culture & Leadership Style Fit:
This is a rare opportunity for a confident and visionary leader to step into a legacy brand poised for its next chapter. The President and CEO will shape the business and PDI's culture, reputation, and impact for years to come.
?Must thrive in a culture that balances entrepreneurial freedom with structural discipline.
?Requires maturity, emotional intelligence, and the ability to lead through ambiguity.
?Embraces a collaborative, roll-up-your-sleeves environment while instilling rigor.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND CAPABILITIES
The ideal candidate will possess the following experience, knowledge, skills, and attributes:
?Minimum 5+ years in a President, CEO, or COO role within an organization of similar or greater scale and complexity ($ 500 M+), or a proven second-in-command ready to step confidently into a top leadership role.
?Extensive experience in the construction sector is required; exposure to demolition or adjacent heavy civil industries is a strong asset.
?Demonstrated success in leading enterprise-wide operational transformation, building scalable systems, and driving performance at pace.
?Proven ability to lead effectively in unionized environments and navigate strong field voices with credibility, empathy, and decisiveness.
?Leads enterprise-level financial strategy with full accountability for P&L performance, capital deployment, and long-term value creation. Synthesizes financial insights to drive data-informed decisions, manage risk, and deliver sustained profitability. Champions fiscal discipline, operational efficiency, and investment alignment with strategic objectives.
?Brings executive-level oversight to legal and commercial risk. Deep understanding of contract law, regulatory compliance, and commercial negotiations. Balances legal discipline with business opportunity, ensuring enterprise protection and sustained growth across jurisdictions.
?Proven leadership experience across Canadian and U.S. markets, with demonstrated ability to navigate regulatory, cultural, and operational complexity.
?Experience operating within owner-led or family-owned businesses, with an ability to honor legacy while implementing structured growth and governance.
?Understanding ESG frameworks and emerging technologies (including AI) to drive innovation, operational modernization, and sustainable growth.
?Direct experience leading M&A initiatives from strategic evaluation, deal negotiation through integration, focusing on unlocking post-acquisition value and organizational alignment.
Critical Leadership Competencies
?Articulates and mobilizes around a bold, forward-looking vision. Connects daily execution to long-term ambition, balancing strategic foresight with operational pragmatism. Inspires belief in the future while keeping teams grounded in results.
?Builds scalable systems, processes, and decision-making infrastructure. Drives cross-functional alignment and performance through disciplined execution, clear priorities, and enterprise-wide accountability.
?Leads with emotional intelligence and authenticity. Fosters a culture of high performance, inclusion, and ownership. Develops senior leaders, builds leadership pipelines, and models values-aligned behavior across all levels.
?Commands trust and credibility with humility. Operates confidently in boardrooms, job sites, and in front of external stakeholders. Communicates with clarity, consistency, and conviction—especially under pressure.
?Leads transformation through ambiguity with steadiness and resolve. Adapts quickly to evolving conditions while keeping the organization focused, aligned, and optimistic about change.
?Navigates complex internal dynamics and external relationships with professionalism and tact. Builds coalitions across diverse stakeholders, resolves conflict productively, and earns influence through consistency and integrity.
Early Success Measures:
The first year will be foundational for the President & CEO to build trust, establish credibility, and accelerate PDI’s evolution into a fully scaled, strategically aligned organization.
Early success will be measured by the ability to forge a strong and steady partnership with the Owner, galvanize the executive team around clear strategic priorities, and unify the organization under a single leadership voice.
The CEO will be expected to drive operational discipline, elevate accountability, and lay the groundwork for a modernized, scalable platform, while honoring PDI’s entrepreneurial roots and strong cultural identity. This includes activating the 3–5-year growth vision, optimizing organizational structure, integrating regional businesses, and positioning PDI as a destination for top talent and innovation.
?Primarily strategic (70%) with focused operational oversight (30%).
?Balance of internal execution and external representation.
?Collaborative, transparent, and decisive leadership style.
?The role is based in King City, Ontario.
?Requires presence in the office and on job sites.
?Travel across North America is expected.
?Expected travel: 30–40%, depending on geographic scope and initiatives.
?Frequent regional visits and periodic out-of-country travel.
?Full-time, executive-level availability with extended hours as required.
?Must be available for urgent decision-making and stakeholder engagements.
?Flexibility to respond to both strategic and time-sensitive operational issues.
?Required to respond outside of standard business hours.
?Competitive executive compensation aligned with company performance.
?Eligibility for short- and long-term incentive plans tied to strategic and financial outcomes.
?An equity pathway may be considered, subject to candidate profile and ownership discussions.
?Reports directly to the owner with bottom-line responsibility and enterprise-wide decision rights.
?Aligns with the owner on major strategic initiatives and performance targets.
?May interact with external advisors, legal counsel, and investors as needed.
?Support the family and their group of companies as required.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Tim Hewat, Head of Executive Search, North America - tim.hewat@lhhknightsbridge.com
Melanie Barbieri, Senior Consultant - melanie.barbieri@lhhknightsbridge.com
About LHH Knightsbridge – www.lhhknightsbridge.com
President & CEO
LHH KNIGHTSBRIDGE
0 days ago
Permanent
[Pro/Biz Services-Engineering Svc/Architecture]
King, Ontario
Client Organization:Priestly Demolition, Inc. (PDI)
Position Title:President & CEO
Reports to:Ryan Priestly, Owner
Location: King City, Ontario preferred; open to national or international relocation
________________________________________
THE COMPANY
Priestly Demolition Inc. (PDI) is a leading demolition company operating across Canada and the United States. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in King, Ontario, PDI is renowned for its commitment to safety, innovation, and environmental stewardship. The company specializes in a wide range of services including selective, commercial, and industrial demolition, plant and mill decommissioning, hazardous material abatement, asset recovery, and site remediation.
With over 500 experienced professionals, and thousands of successfully completed projects (including World Demolition and National Demolition Award Winning Projects), PDI is a trusted industry partner with the expertise required to handle the most complex and high-profile demolition projects in North America. Over the years, PDI has been consistently recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies and a Top 100 Employer in its category, reflecting its dedication to excellence in both operations and workplace culture.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The President & CEO position is the Top Executive Leadership role at Priestly Demolition Inc. (PDI), accountable for delivering operational performance, growth strategy, cultural stewardship, and long-term enterprise value. This role will unify the business under a single leadership voice, advancing PDI’s legacy while bringing structure, scale, and discipline to a fast-growing, multi-regional operation. The CEO is responsible for shaping and executing the 3–to 5–year growth strategy, fostering a high-performance culture, and guiding the business toward achieving their revenue milestone.
This role requires a confident, emotionally intelligent, and operationally excellent leader who can command respect in the field, collaborate with an entrepreneurial owner, and inspire a diverse leadership team. They must bring grit and grace, leading with accountability, clarity, and trust.
Working Conditions and Leadership Expectations
The President & CEO will operate in a dynamic, fast-paced, and high-accountability environment that demands strategic foresight and hands-on leadership. While the role is primarily based at the Ontario headquarters, regular travel to industry events, regional operations (including Calgary, Vancouver, Windsor, and U.S. locations) is expected to maintain executive visibility, drive alignment, and build credibility with field and operational teams.
The work environment is collaborative yet entrepreneurial, requiring comfort with ambiguity, decisiveness under pressure, and the ability to lead through structure and disruption. The role requires extended hours and availability outside standard business times when necessary to attend industry and client events or to respond to emerging priorities, crisis events, or strategic opportunities.
The President & CEO is expected to model the highest standards of ethical integrity, transparency, and professionalism. As a visible representative of PDI’s brand and values, they must lead by example, foster psychological safety, and ensure inclusive, respectful interactions at all levels of the organization. This role demands a high degree of discretion, judgment, and emotional intelligence, particularly when navigating legacy dynamics, owner engagement, and complex stakeholder relationships.
Organizational Context:
PDI is a high-growth, family-owned business known for safety excellence, technical innovation, and leadership in the demolition sector. The current President is set to retire, and the owner is transitioning into a strategic advisory and ambassador role. The CEO will inherit a strong brand, a passionate workforce, and an executive team with deep tenure and capability.
KEY OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE
- Lead and deeply integrate PDI’s operating companies under one aligned enterprise ("One Priestly").
- Develop national/international operating model and infrastructure.
- Develop and formalize organizational operating cadence and performance metrics.
- Elevate culture to become a top employer of choice in demolition/construction.
Family Business Support (Shared Services):
?While the President and CEO does not have leadership or operational responsibility for family-owned businesses outside of PDI, this role supports the select needs of family members, including Robin Priestly and the founder, Vic Priestly, through shared corporate services, particularly within Finance, Human Resources, IT, and Legal.
?This includes enabling effective resource planning, coordinating the use of shared services, and ensuring clarity between enterprise priorities and family business needs.
?The CEO must navigate this dynamic with discretion, professionalism, and strong stakeholder management to preserve enterprise focus while honoring family commitments.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Strategic Growth & Vision Execution
?Translate “One Priestly” into an actionable, scalable business strategy.
?Define and deliver on 3-year strategic horizons with measurable outcomes.
?Lead national and cross-border expansion initiatives, including U.S. operations.
?Evaluate, recommend, and lead M&A opportunities and adjacent greenfield opportunities
?Champion business model innovation, including technology, services, partnerships, AI, and ESG.
Operational Leadership & Scale
?Optimize the organizational structure for scalability.
?Lead transformation efforts across finance, legal, HR, and IT functions.
?Drive continuous improvement in project delivery, cost control, and field performance.
?Establish a leadership cadence that includes structured decision rights, clear KPIs, and cross-functional collaboration and efficiencies.
?Ensure business continuity through risk, compliance, and legal oversight.
People Leadership & Culture Stewardship
?Inspire, coach, and hold the executive team accountable for results.
?Foster a culture of empowerment, ownership, and discipline.
?Champion safety, inclusion, and engagement across all levels of the organization.
?Build and sustain a high-performing, inclusive, and values-aligned culture.
?Maintain strong relationships across subsidiaries and field teams to build alignment and pride.
?Develop senior leaders and a succession pipeline for future readiness.
Brand, Reputation & External Relationships
?Represent PDI to clients, industry bodies, regulators, and partners.
?Collaborate with the Owner to enhance the company’s public image and stakeholder trust.
?Strengthen client engagement and ensure commercial excellence.
Culture & Leadership Style Fit:
This is a rare opportunity for a confident and visionary leader to step into a legacy brand poised for its next chapter. The President and CEO will shape the business and PDI's culture, reputation, and impact for years to come.
?Must thrive in a culture that balances entrepreneurial freedom with structural discipline.
?Requires maturity, emotional intelligence, and the ability to lead through ambiguity.
?Embraces a collaborative, roll-up-your-sleeves environment while instilling rigor.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND CAPABILITIES
The ideal candidate will possess the following experience, knowledge, skills, and attributes:
?Minimum 5+ years in a President, CEO, or COO role within an organization of similar or greater scale and complexity ($ 500 M+), or a proven second-in-command ready to step confidently into a top leadership role.
?Extensive experience in the construction sector is required; exposure to demolition or adjacent heavy civil industries is a strong asset.
?Demonstrated success in leading enterprise-wide operational transformation, building scalable systems, and driving performance at pace.
?Proven ability to lead effectively in unionized environments and navigate strong field voices with credibility, empathy, and decisiveness.
?Leads enterprise-level financial strategy with full accountability for P&L performance, capital deployment, and long-term value creation. Synthesizes financial insights to drive data-informed decisions, manage risk, and deliver sustained profitability. Champions fiscal discipline, operational efficiency, and investment alignment with strategic objectives.
?Brings executive-level oversight to legal and commercial risk. Deep understanding of contract law, regulatory compliance, and commercial negotiations. Balances legal discipline with business opportunity, ensuring enterprise protection and sustained growth across jurisdictions.
?Proven leadership experience across Canadian and U.S. markets, with demonstrated ability to navigate regulatory, cultural, and operational complexity.
?Experience operating within owner-led or family-owned businesses, with an ability to honor legacy while implementing structured growth and governance.
?Understanding ESG frameworks and emerging technologies (including AI) to drive innovation, operational modernization, and sustainable growth.
?Direct experience leading M&A initiatives from strategic evaluation, deal negotiation through integration, focusing on unlocking post-acquisition value and organizational alignment.
Critical Leadership Competencies
?Articulates and mobilizes around a bold, forward-looking vision. Connects daily execution to long-term ambition, balancing strategic foresight with operational pragmatism. Inspires belief in the future while keeping teams grounded in results.
?Builds scalable systems, processes, and decision-making infrastructure. Drives cross-functional alignment and performance through disciplined execution, clear priorities, and enterprise-wide accountability.
?Leads with emotional intelligence and authenticity. Fosters a culture of high performance, inclusion, and ownership. Develops senior leaders, builds leadership pipelines, and models values-aligned behavior across all levels.
?Commands trust and credibility with humility. Operates confidently in boardrooms, job sites, and in front of external stakeholders. Communicates with clarity, consistency, and conviction—especially under pressure.
?Leads transformation through ambiguity with steadiness and resolve. Adapts quickly to evolving conditions while keeping the organization focused, aligned, and optimistic about change.
?Navigates complex internal dynamics and external relationships with professionalism and tact. Builds coalitions across diverse stakeholders, resolves conflict productively, and earns influence through consistency and integrity.
Early Success Measures:
The first year will be foundational for the President & CEO to build trust, establish credibility, and accelerate PDI’s evolution into a fully scaled, strategically aligned organization.
Early success will be measured by the ability to forge a strong and steady partnership with the Owner, galvanize the executive team around clear strategic priorities, and unify the organization under a single leadership voice.
The CEO will be expected to drive operational discipline, elevate accountability, and lay the groundwork for a modernized, scalable platform, while honoring PDI’s entrepreneurial roots and strong cultural identity. This includes activating the 3–5-year growth vision, optimizing organizational structure, integrating regional businesses, and positioning PDI as a destination for top talent and innovation.
?Primarily strategic (70%) with focused operational oversight (30%).
?Balance of internal execution and external representation.
?Collaborative, transparent, and decisive leadership style.
?The role is based in King City, Ontario.
?Requires presence in the office and on job sites.
?Travel across North America is expected.
?Expected travel: 30–40%, depending on geographic scope and initiatives.
?Frequent regional visits and periodic out-of-country travel.
?Full-time, executive-level availability with extended hours as required.
?Must be available for urgent decision-making and stakeholder engagements.
?Flexibility to respond to both strategic and time-sensitive operational issues.
?Required to respond outside of standard business hours.
?Competitive executive compensation aligned with company performance.
?Eligibility for short- and long-term incentive plans tied to strategic and financial outcomes.
?An equity pathway may be considered, subject to candidate profile and ownership discussions.
?Reports directly to the owner with bottom-line responsibility and enterprise-wide decision rights.
?Aligns with the owner on major strategic initiatives and performance targets.
?May interact with external advisors, legal counsel, and investors as needed.
?Support the family and their group of companies as required.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Tim Hewat, Head of Executive Search, North America - tim.hewat@lhhknightsbridge.com
Melanie Barbieri, Senior Consultant - melanie.barbieri@lhhknightsbridge.com
About LHH Knightsbridge – www.lhhknightsbridge.com