As President and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays, Mark Shapiro helped orchestrate one of baseball’s most remarkable turnarounds — transforming a last-place team into American League champions who captivated a nation during their thrilling run to the 2025 World Series. With more than three decades of experience spanning every facet of professional baseball, Shapiro brings invaluable insights on leadership, organizational transformation, and building winning cultures in highly competitive environments. Audiences will learn how he navigates high-stakes situations, develops talent, and creates systems that sustain excellence even through setback and uncertainty.
Shapiro joined the Toronto Blue Jays in November 2015. As President and CEO, he oversees all business and baseball operations while representing ownership at the league level. Under his leadership, the Jays have reached the postseason five times (2016, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2025), culminating in the organization’s first World Series appearance in 32 years.
Shapiro has also been responsible for the expansion of the Blue Jays’ systems and capabilities in several areas, including player development, high performance, strategy, and analytics. This includes championing two significant capital projects: upgrading the team’s Spring Training home in Dunedin, FL with the Player Development Complex, an industry-leading performance facility, and the $400 million renovation to Rogers Centre, transforming the stadium into a ballpark.
Shapiro’s baseball career began in 1992 with the Cleveland organization, where he spent 24 seasons rising from an assistant in baseball operations to Executive Vice President and General Manager, and ultimately Team President. He was named Sporting News “Executive of the Year” following both the 2005 and 2007 seasons —the only active General Manager in MLB at that time to win the award twice — and was also named Baseball America’s “Executive of the Year” in 2005.
Beyond his front office leadership, Shapiro has been deeply involved in Major League Baseball key initiatives for more than a decade. He currently sits on the league’s Competition Committee, On Field Committee, Long-Term Strategic Planning Committee, and Revenue Sharing Definitions Committee. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Jays Care Foundation, the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays.
A Baltimore native, Shapiro played four years of football at Princeton University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history.