C. David Naylor, MD, DPhil, FRCPC, developed the proposal to establish ICES in 1991 and served as the Institute's chief executive officer from its inception in 1992 until 1998. Dr. Naylor also served as the inaugural director of the Clinical Epidemiology Unit and Research Program of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre from 1990 to 1996. In 1999, Dr. Naylor was appointed dean of medicine and vice-provost of the University of Toronto. He served as president of the university from 2005 to 2013. In 2006, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Dr. Naylor earned a medical degree from the University of Toronto and a doctorate in social and administrative studies from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. He has received provincial, national and international awards for his research.