Eric Newell is the 18th Chancellor of the University of Alberta. He is the retired Chairman of the Board and CEO of Syncrude Canada Ltd., positions he held since May 1994 and August 1989 respectively. He also served as President of Syncrude from 1989 to 1997. Prior to this he worked with Imperial Oil Limited and Esso Petroleum Canada Ltd.

Mr Newell holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia and a Masters of Science in Management Studies from the University of Birmingham, England. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence.

Mr Newell is Chair of the CAREERS: The Next Generation Foundation, Honorary Chair of the Centre for Family Literacy, Policy Advisor to The Learning Partnership, and a member of the board of the Alberta Energy Research Institute, C. D. Howe Institute, Alberta Heart Institute, and Lieutenant Governor Arts Award Foundation. He is also a director of Nexen Inc. As past President of the Alberta Chamber of Resources, he spearheaded the creation of the National Oil Sands Task Force which developed a comprehensive new energy vision for Canada in 1995.

Eric Newell currently resides in Edmonton, Alberta.