Michael Casey’s experience as an international leader in community and social development spans over five decades. He started working with the cooperative movement in Canada’s Northwest Territories in 1973, where he spent almost 20 years of his career working with indigenous communities on the Canadian Arctic. During this time, he developed his passion for cooperatives, community development work, and the international reach of the global co-operative movement.
Michael has held executive positions in the not-for-profit and cooperative sector and led projects in North America, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. His expertise includes project development, design and management, evaluation and monitoring, feasibility studies, and business development. Michael lived and worked in Asia for 15 years during his career.
As an expert for the Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) initiative, Michael will support Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment in reviewing and updating its existing cooperative law. The work will provide evidence-based, contextualized input into its new law through a broad-based consultancy process involving government ministries and national and international organizations involved with cooperatives.
Concern for community and education of members on the benefits of collaborative cooperation are just some of the factors essential to Michael’s work. He has developed and delivered various cooperative projects where his extensive experience in capacity development, strategic planning and execution, change management, corporate governance, and organizational transformation was essential.
Based in Montreal and Ottawa, Canada, Michael also serves on the Board of Directors of the Funeral Cooperative of Ottawa (FCO). He is fluently bilingual in English and French and holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Alberta and certifications in Canadian Securities and Investment and Accountancy.