Barbara Williams

Notable work and positions

CBC/Radio-Canada - Executive Vice-President, English Services (2019-2026)
Corus Entertainment - Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Shaw Media - President; Canwest Broadcasting - Executive Vice President, Content

Biography

Barbara (Barb) Williams is a Canadian broadcasting executive who served as executive vice-president of English Services at CBC/Radio-Canada from 2019 until her retirement in early 2026, overseeing the public broadcaster's English-language television, radio and digital services, including CBC News, CBC Television, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Sports and CBC Gem. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and a Master of Science in Telecommunications from Syracuse University. Before joining CBC, she was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Corus Entertainment, where she oversaw content strategy across the company's television, radio and digital properties following its acquisition of Shaw Media, where she had served as president. Earlier in her career she was executive vice president of content at Canwest Broadcasting, where she launched the entertainment show ET Canada, vice president and general manager of Quebecor Media's Toronto 1 channel, and senior vice president of lifestyle programming at Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting. The Hollywood Reporter included her on its list of the 25 most powerful women in global television, and Women's Executive Network ranked her among Canada's 100 most powerful women. In October 2025, CBC announced her retirement after a four-decade career in Canadian media, with a successor search to follow.