Who We Are

Saher Fazilat is the Vice-President of Operations and Finance at McMaster University, where she oversees the stewardship of approximately $6.5 billion in financial assets, over $4 billion in physical assets and an annual operating budget of roughly $1.7 billion. Reporting to the President and Vice-Chancellor, her portfolio spans finance, technology, real estate, facilities and infrastructure, procurement, audit, ancillary operations, human resources, and enterprise risk management.

Saher is responsible for long-term financial planning, capital allocation, debt and liquidity management, and the governance of major, multi-year infrastructure and real estate initiatives, including public-private partnerships. Under her leadership, the university has advanced strategic investments and alternative revenue-generation initiatives designed to strengthen financial resilience and reduce reliance on traditional funding sources. She also supports the effective utilization of the university’s physical and human resources, including more than 10 million square feet of building space, 400 acres of land, and a workforce of over 11,000 staff and faculty.