PHILIP HOWELL

Philip Howell was appointed as Deputy Minister of Tourism effective January 14, 2008. Prior to that, he was the Associate Deputy Minister of the Ontario Ministry of Finance where he was also responsible for the Treasury Board Office, which oversees fiscal strategy, risk assessment and internal audit services for the Ontario Public Service, ensures the integrity of the multiyear fiscal plan and manages the Estimates process, Results-based Planning and inyear expenditure monitoring. He was appointed to the position in September 2005. Prior to this, Mr. Howell was the Assistant Deputy Minister in the Office of Economic Policy in the Ontario Ministry of Finance, a position he assumed in September 1999. He was also the Chief Economist for the Province of Ontario. He has extensive public and private sector experience in economic policy analysis and development as well as macroeconomic forecasting. From July 2001 to September 2002, Mr. Howell was on a temporary assignment as Acting Superintendent of Financial Services and CEO of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario while the provincial government sought a permanent head for the Commission. Before being appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Mr. Howell held the position of Director, Taxation Policy Branch within the Ministry of Finance, commencing February 1999. His responsibilities included developing tax policy and provincial budget initiatives for Ontario in the personal, corporate and commodity tax fields.