Heather Reisman

Early career and founding Indigo

Heather Reisman began her professional life not in business but in social work, serving as a caseworker after her education at McGill University. Following the end of her first marriage, she shifted careers and joined her brother Howard's company before co-founding Paradigm Consulting, a strategic change consultancy, in 1979. She served as the managing director of this firm until 1995, developing the management expertise she would later apply to retail. Her entry into the book industry came in 1995 when she was invited to be a front-line investor for the American chain Borders as it sought to enter the Canadian market. When regulatory hurdles prevented Borders from expanding into Canada, Reisman seized the opportunity to create her own venture, founding Indigo Books and Music based on her original concept document. She successfully raised $25 million from a group of investors to launch the new retail chain, which was positioned from the outset as a cultural destination rather than a simple bookstore.

The company grew rapidly, challenging the established Chapters chain and fundamentally changing the Canadian bookselling landscape with its emphasis on curated selections and an inviting atmosphere. In a defining move for the industry, Indigo Books and Music acquired its main rival, Chapters, in 2001, creating the nation's largest book retailer and securing a clear leadership position in the book retailing industry. Since 1998, Reisman has personally curated more than 262 'Heather's Picks,' books she recommends that come with a money-back guarantee, a practice that has become a signature element of Indigo's brand identity and customer engagement. This personal curation strategy reflects her deep involvement in the company's product selection and her belief in the power of books to connect with readers on a personal level, which has been a consistent theme throughout her tenure as chief executive.

Business expansion and leadership roles

Although Indigo has increasingly stocked giftware in its stores, Reisman said in a 2018 interview that books were, are, and always will be the heart and soul of the business. She began expanding Indigo into the United States in 2018, starting with the first store at Short Hills in New Jersey. Reisman co-founded Kobo Inc. in 2009 and two years later, sold Indigo's majority stake in Kobo to the Japanese company Rakuten for $315 million. This move realized substantial value from the early investment in digital reading technology.

Reisman's corporate influence extends well beyond her own companies through her service on numerous boards and governance bodies. She has been a governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange and of her alma mater, McGill University, and has served as a director for retail brands like Williams Sonoma and J. Crew. She is currently a director of Onex Corporation, the private equity firm founded by her husband, and of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, where she helps guide strategic decisions. Her foray into film production includes serving as an executive producer for the 2014 documentary 'Fed Up,' about the obesity epidemic, which was narrated by Katie Couric and produced with Laurie David, and the 2020 documentary 'The Social Dilemma,' which explores the dangerous impact of social networking. In 2021, she co-authored the book 'Imagine It! A Handbook for a Happier Planet' with producer Laurie David, extending her creative work into publishing beyond the retail sphere.

Philanthropic initiatives and major gifts

Heather Reisman's philanthropic work is extensive and focuses primarily on literacy, education, healthcare and scientific innovation. In 2006, she founded the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation with the mission to address the literacy gap by putting new books and learning materials into under-resourced public elementary schools across Canada. Since its inception, the foundation has donated millions of books to over 3,000 school libraries, directly impacting hundreds of thousands of students through improved access to reading materials. In 2005, she and her husband Gerald Schwartz established the HESEG Foundation, which provides scholarships, a living wage and career development support to former 'lone soldiers' who served in the Israeli military without immediate family in Israel, with recipients generally being non-Israeli Jews who volunteered or individuals who served after immigrating to Israel.

Major capital gifts from Reisman and Schwartz, typically made through The Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman Foundation, have transformed institutions in Canada and created lasting educational infrastructure. In December 2013, they donated $15 million to Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto to reshape emergency medicine at the facility, funding significant upgrades to treatment spaces and medical technology. A $5.3 million gift to St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, in late 2018 created scholarships, bursaries and funded recruitment for business students, helping the university attract and support future business leaders. Their most significant philanthropic commitment was announced in March 2019: a $100 million donation to the University of Toronto to build the 750,000-square-foot Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, which Reisman stated would be used to improve technology, particularly artificial intelligence, and how the public can relate to it.

The Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus represents one of the largest single donations to a Canadian university and will house several important research institutions. One of the two towers will contain the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society and the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, while the other will include laboratories for research in regenerative medicine, genetics and precision medicine. This integrated approach brings together technological innovation with medical research in a single complex, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration that could lead to significant scientific breakthroughs. The scale and vision of this gift demonstrate Reisman's commitment to positioning Canadian institutions at the forefront of global research in critical twenty-first century fields, from artificial intelligence ethics to advanced medical treatments.

Public advocacy, political engagement and controversies

Heather Reisman has engaged in public advocacy on several fronts throughout her career, sometimes attracting both praise and criticism for her positions on international and domestic issues. In October 2001, she announced that Indigo would not sell Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' in its stores, a decision that was debated publicly as a matter of free speech versus corporate responsibility and drew reactions from across the political spectrum. In August 2006, she shifted her political allegiance, withdrawing her longtime support for the Liberal Party of Canada to support the Conservative Party under Stephen Harper, citing the parties' differing reactions to the 2006 Lebanon War as her primary reason for this change. On July 5, 2010, she launched a high-profile online petition to save Sakineh Ashtiani, an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning, an initiative that found support around the world and ultimately saw Ashtiani not subjected to the stoning penalty, though her legal situation remained complex.

Her involvement with the HESEG Foundation has been a persistent source of controversy, with protests and campaigns dating back to at least 2007 questioning the use of Canadian charitable funds to support former Israeli soldiers. The 2023 to 2024 war between Israel and Hamas led to a renewed campaign targeting the foundation, with critics arguing that its charitable support for former Israeli soldiers was problematic while Israel faced genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice. In November 2023, Toronto Police conducted nighttime no-knock raids, an aggressive policing practice typically reserved for serious gun and drug cases, against seven activists who had allegedly put up posters on the outside of Indigo stores alleging that Reisman was complicit in genocide for raising funds supporting Israeli lone soldiers through her HESEG Foundation. The arrest of what became known as the Indigo 11 resulted in four guilty pleas for mischief with two individuals receiving absolute discharges and two receiving conditional discharges, while charges against seven others were withdrawn by prosecutors.

Reisman is a member of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group and participated in all its conferences between 2002 and 2017. Her advocacy work includes corporate decisions such as announcing in October 2001 that Indigo would not sell Hitler's Mein Kampf in its bookstores. In July 2010, Reisman launched an online petition to save an Iranian woman, Sakineh Ashtiani, from the death penalty by stoning. Her initiative found support around the world and Sakineh was not subjected to the stoning. This reflects a broad engagement with issues beyond the retail business.

Honours, awards and honorary degrees

Heather Reisman has received widespread recognition for her business achievements and philanthropic contributions across Canada and internationally. In May 2015, she was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame, a pinnacle of business accomplishment in the country that recognizes enduring entrepreneurial success and leadership. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2019, one of the nation's highest civilian honours, for her contributions to business, philanthropy and literacy advocacy. In 2022, she was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto, recognized specifically as 'Canada’s Most Recognized Literacy Advocate' for her work with the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation and her promotion of reading nationwide. The Financial Times listed her as one of the top 50 businesswomen in the world in 2009, and she has been repeatedly included in the Women's Executive Network's list of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, reflecting her sustained influence in the corporate sector.

Reisman has been awarded numerous honorary doctorates from Canadian and international universities, reflecting her impact across business, philanthropy and public service. These honorary degrees recognize her contributions to literacy, education, business innovation and community building. The institutions that have conferred these honours demonstrate the geographic and institutional range of her recognition across the country, from Ryerson University in 2006 to the University of Toronto in 2021. The honorary doctorate from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel in 2017 specifically acknowledges her support for scientific research and education, while the others primarily recognize her business leadership and philanthropic work in Canada. This collection of academic honours complements her business awards and illustrates how her work has been valued in both commercial and educational spheres.

• Ryerson University (2006)
• Wilfrid Laurier University (2009)
• Mount Allison University (2010)
• St. Francis Xavier University (2013)
• University of Manitoba (2016)
• McGill University (2017)
• Weizmann Institute of Science (2017)
• University of Toronto (2021)

Personal life, family and community involvement

Heather Reisman was born in Montreal in 1948 to a Jewish family with strong entrepreneurial roots. Her father, Mark, was a real estate developer, and her mother, Rose, owned a clothing store, providing early exposure to business operations. Her brother, Howard, founded the computer company Time Systems, and she is the niece of Simon Reisman, a notable Canadian trade negotiator who played a key role in the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement. Reisman was married earlier in her life and had two children from that marriage, which ended in divorce before she started her business career with Paradigm Consulting. In 1982, she married Gerald Schwartz, the founder and CEO of Onex Corporation, gaining two step-children. The couple now has nine grandchildren together and maintains an active family life alongside their professional and philanthropic commitments.

The couple are members of Holy Blossom Temple, a Reform synagogue in Toronto, where they participate in Jewish community life and observe religious traditions. Her family background and personal relationships have been intertwined with her professional network, particularly through her marriage to Schwartz, a major figure in Canadian finance and private equity whose business interests sometimes overlap with her governance roles. This connection has facilitated some of their joint philanthropic ventures, including the major gifts to Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto, which were made through their shared foundation. Reisman's personal journey from social work to corporate leadership to philanthropy reflects an evolution of interests and capabilities that has been supported by her family relationships and community connections throughout her career.

Questions about Heather Reisman

What philanthropic work does Heather Reisman do?

In 2006, Reisman founded the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, which has donated millions of books to over 3,000 Canadian public elementary school libraries. In 2005, she and her husband Gerald Schwartz founded the HESEG Foundation, which provides scholarships to former Israeli 'lone soldiers.' Mount Sinai Hospital announced in December 2013 that a $15 million gift from Reisman and Schwartz would be used to reshape emergency medicine. The Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman Foundation donated $5.3 million to St. Francis Xavier University in late 2018. In March 2019, the University of Toronto announced that Schwartz and Reisman were giving the university $100 million to build a 750,000-square foot innovation centre.

What awards has Heather Reisman received?

In May 2015, Reisman was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. She is the recipient of honorary doctorates from Ryerson University, Wilfrid Laurier University, Mount Allison University, St. Francis Xavier University, University of Manitoba, McGill University, Weizmann Institute of Science, and University of Toronto. She is an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2009, the Financial Times listed Reisman as one of the top 50 businesswomen in the world. Reisman was also included in the Women's Executive Network's Top 100 Most Powerful Women. In 2022, she was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto as Canada's Most Recognized Literacy Advocate.

What is the HESEG Foundation and why is it controversial?

The HESEG Foundation, co-founded by Reisman and her husband in 2005, provides scholarships, a living wage and career development opportunities to former 'lone soldiers' who served in the Israeli military without immediate family in Israel. It is controversial because critics argue it uses Canadian charitable status to support soldiers of a state engaged in conflict, most recently during the 2023 to 2024 war with Hamas. Protestors have cited that Israel is currently on trial for genocide in the International Court of Justice. In November 2023, Toronto Police conducted raids against activists who put posters on Indigo stores alleging Reisman was complicit in genocide through HESEG.

What other companies and organizations has Heather Reisman been involved with?

Beyond Indigo and Kobo, Heather Reisman has held significant governance roles with several other corporations and institutions. She has served on the boards of Williams Sonoma and J. Crew, and is currently a director of Onex Corporation, the private equity firm founded by her husband. She has been a governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange and of McGill University, and is a director of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. She also served as executive producer for documentaries 'Fed Up' (2014) and 'The Social Dilemma' (2020), and co-authored a book in 2021.

What is Heather Reisman best known for?

Heather Reisman is best known as the founder and chief executive of the Canadian retail chain Indigo Books and Music. In 2001, she solidified the company's leadership position by acquiring its main rival, Chapters, to form Canada's largest book retailer. Reisman is also the co-founder of the e-reader company Kobo, which Indigo later sold a majority stake in to Rakuten. Beyond business, she is recognized for her philanthropy, including founding the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2019.

Did Heather Reisman expand Indigo outside of Canada?

Yes, Heather Reisman began expanding Indigo Books and Music into the United States in 2018. This expansion started with the opening of the first Indigo store at Short Hills in New Jersey. This move marked a strategic effort to grow the brand's international presence. Despite this expansion and the company's increasing stock of giftware, Reisman has consistently affirmed that books remain the core of the business. In a 2018 interview, she stated, "Books were, are, and always will be the heart and soul of our business."

Sources and further reading

• Heather Reisman (Wikipedia)
• Heather Reisman, business leader, philanthropist and ... (utoronto.ca)
• Heather Reisman: Building a Country Through Books (buildcanada.com)
• Heather Reisman (canadaswalkoffame.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-31.