KPMG appoints Andrew Forde as inaugural head of AI research

KPMG Canada has appointed Andrew Forde as its first head of AI research.

In the newly created role, the Toronto-based partner will focus on bridging the gap between Canada’s AI research and commercialization.

“Canada helped pioneer modern AI research, but we’ve struggled to turn that leadership into globally competitive companies and products. Too often our breakthroughs are commercialized elsewhere, and that’s cost us a real competitive advantage,” said Forde. “We want to connect world-class Canadian research with the problems our clients are trying to solve. This role is all about taking ideas out of the lab and turning them into the frameworks, tools, and approaches that organizations can actually use.”

Forde will also build relationships with Canadian universities and research labs to strengthen collaboration between academia, business, and the public sector. 

Forde joined KPMG in 2023 as a partner in its technology strategy and digital transformation practice. He has more than 15 years of experience in data, AI, and technology transformation.

Before joining KPMG, Forde was an associate partner at IBM Consulting, a managing director at CGI, global innovation lead for strategic modeling and analytics at Deloitte, and an associate at Boston Consulting Group. He began his career as a materials scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center.

Forde is also currently an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto, where he has taught for the last four years. He holds a doctorate in industrial engineering and data sciences from the University of Toronto.

“Our clients are looking for AI solutions that are grounded in evidence, not hype,” said Stephanie Terrill, Canadian managing partner of digital and transformation. “With this dedicated AI research leadership role, we’re bringing scientific rigour directly into how we solve complex business problems and turning evidence‑based research into useful, made-in-Canada solutions that help our clients unlock greater value while strengthening our country’s competitiveness in the process.”