Peter Held

From: Cape Town, South Africa

ARRIVED: 1961

Profile

Peter was born in Cape Town in 1937 to Herbert and Hilde Held, both Jewish immigrants from Germany. Growing up, Peter spoke German at home while learning English and Afrikaans at school; as a result, he became trilingual at an early age. After high school, he continued his education at Wits University, did five years of clerkship in Johannesburg, and then, in 1960, passed the Public Accountants’ and Auditors’ Board exam to become a chartered accountant.

As a newly minted chartered accountant, Peter worked in London, England for six months before making his way to Canada as a tourist. His plan at the time was to stay six months, work his way across North America, and then head to Australia. Instead, he found work in Toronto at Dunwoody & Company (now BDO Canada). There, he quickly ascended the ranks, becoming partner at just twenty-six years old, Toronto region managing partner from 1981 to 1996, and chief executive officer of BDO Dunwoody from 1997 to 2001.

In addition to his leadership at BDO, Peter has made a number of contributions to Canadian life such as serving as chairman of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants from 1991 to 1992. He was also first vice chairman, second vice president, and a member of the board of governors for the Canadian Institute. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario awarded Peter a fellowship in 1976, life membership in 1987, and an Award of Outstanding Merit in 1993.

Peter is married to Gyneth Held (née Gordon), a speech-language pathologist who also hails from South Africa and who operates a private practice. Together, they have two adult children, Heather (married to Gill) and Michael (married to Krista), as well as four grandchildren.