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Robert William Pollock
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Entrepreneur, staffing industry pioneer, global business leader.
Born at Winnipeg in 1929, the youngest of nine children in a family of Polish and Austrian immigrants, growing up during the Great Depression instilled a strong entrepreneurial spirit. At 16, he entered the University of Manitoba on a full scholarship, graduating in 1949 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He served as class President in his third year and launched a university magazine called Enterprise. During his studies, he founded and later sold a successful lawn-mowing business that employed 22 people.
In 1951, at just 22 years old, he co-founded Office Overload with James Robert Shore, an outsourcing firm that would evolve into Drake International. Securing the Hudson’s Bay Company as their first client, the business quickly expanded to Toronto and other Canadian cities. After Shore’s untimely death in a 1967 plane crash, Pollock became sole owner and led the company’s global expansion into the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and elsewhere. He became known not just for staffing, but also for pioneering psychometric testing, human resources analytics, and performance improvement. His innovative spirit led to early investments in such technologies as video conferencing long before it became an everyday tool.
Pollock remained actively involved in Drake’s operations well into his 90s, earning recognition as one of the world’s longest-serving CEOs. He has been celebrated for promoting women in leadership roles and for his contributions to the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), which he joined at 26 and helped to expand internationally.
His personal interests include modern art (notably works by Le Corbusier), music, global politics, and attending the Melbourne Cup, which he has reportedly attended for over 30 consecutive years. A donor to his alma mater, he contributed $1.5 million to establish the Drake Centre at the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business. In 1999, he received the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
Pollock has no children. Reserved in personal matters yet visionary in business, he remains a towering figure in international human resources and a memorable Manitoban.
“Pollock saw the future of labour” by Gordon Pitts, The Globe and Mail, 26 January 2004.
“Growing old disgracefully,” NeTT Business News, 21 November 2010.
“Drake International News | HRD Canada,” Hcamag.com, 2015.
“Write a message to Drake founder Bill Pollock,” Drakeintl.com, 2016.
“Drake Pulse | Bill Pollock: Drake’s Founder & Chairman,” Drakeintl.com, 2017.
“How Bill Pollock’s Monaco penthouse made Jack Cowin hungry for success” by Jessica Sier, Australian Financial Review, 21 February 2017.
“Talent titans exclusive: In conversation with Bill Pollock, co-founder of Drake International - Professional Selection Inc.” by Sanjay Sodhi, Professional Selection Inc., 27 June 2017.
“Interview with Mr Bill Pollock, Founder and CEO of Drake International - SCLAA - Supply Chain & Logistics Association of Australia,” SCLAA - Supply Chain & Logistics Association of Australia, 30 April 2018.
“70 years of improving careers and businesses around the globe,” Drakeintl.com, 2021.
“Bill Pollock: The world’s longest serving CEO,” Businessdesk.co.nz, 13 October 2021.
“Bill Pollock was presented with a Distinguished Alumni honour from the University of Manitoba,” Linkedin.com, November 2024.
“Cpjobs” by Ivan Li, Cpjobs, 2025.
This page was prepared by David Creelman, Karen Meredith, and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 7 July 2025
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