Confidant Consulting is a Canadian small business, incorporated federally and in the province of Ontario. The owner and president is Richard McDonald, who has retired from a second full-time career and is now consulting, part-time, to government and business.
While the original offer was a broad range of management, strategic, and advisory services, demand and a series of consulting engagements have led me to become specialized in cybersecurity, risk management, governance, and related fields.
No, it's not a spelling mistake - despite the constant suggestion of various autocorrect features.
Oxford defines confidant as “A person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it to others.”
I chose this title to offer to be a person with whom you can discuss concerns and sensitive information, and from whom you can receive discreet and confidential advice; and to emphasize decades' experience in various executive roles, experience in coaching and mentoring, and years’ experience in Top-Secret Security and Intelligence agencies (where safeguarding secrets and exercising discretion is paramount).
I am available for short- and medium-term contracting, offering consulting and advisory services on topics such as
I am a retired Assistant Deputy Minister, most recently serving as Chief Information Officer of a Canadian intelligence agency.
Experience includes
I hold the following degrees, diplomas, and certifications:
| Bachelor of Science (Honours), Computer Science | University of Manitoba | 1978 |
| Master of Science, Computer Science | University of Manitoba | 1979 |
| Master of Business Administration | Queen’s University | 1998 |
| Diploma, Professional Photography | New York Institute of Photography | 2015 |
| Certificate, Graphic Design | New York Institute of Art and Design | 2019 |
A more detailed “project-oriented” résumé is available, normally supplied only when required as part of a rigid procurement bidding process.
English is my mother tongue.
As an executive in the federal public service, I was also bilingual, and was certified at the CCC level in French. My certification expired in 2017 and one cannot re-take the certification exam when no longer a public servant. However, I continue to take refresher training to maintain my language ability in French.