Robert William “Bill” Pollock, who passed away July 7, 2026 in Monaco at the age of 97, lived an extraordinary life. He was guided by one enduring belief: that everyone could—and should—be a force for good. Entrepreneur, innovator and founder of Drake International, he spent more than seven decades building an enterprise grounded in the conviction that helping people find meaningful work strengthens individuals, organizations and society. Opportunity changed his own life, and he devoted himself to creating opportunities for others. He believed success was measured not only by what you built, but by the opportunities you created for others.

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1928, Bill was the youngest of nine children of Austrian and Polish immigrants. As a student trying to make money, he sold vegetables door to door and mowed lawns. It was when an employer refused to pay him, that he and a friend were prompted to start Kingsway Lawn Mowing Services. By the time he sold the business, employing 22 people, he had already demonstrated the entrepreneurial instinct and market insight that would define his career. He later said selling the business was one of his few regrets.

A scholarship to the University of Manitoba changed Bill’s life. Determined to create the same opportunity for others, he later established the Drake Centre at the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business. In 1999, he received the University of Manitoba’s Distinguished Alumni Award for his achievements and lasting contribution to business and society.

After graduation, Bill joined Burroughs Corporation (now Unisys), when a chance introduction to Jim Shore became a friendship and business partnership. Curious about why businesses struggled with fluctuating workloads, Bill discovered many organizations were paying full-time salaries for part-time work. Together in 1951, they launched Office Overload in Winnipeg, pioneering what became the modern staffing industry.

Now, Drake International, it is a global workforce solutions company operating in 14 countries with partner relationships across 128 more. Bill was an early champion of international expansion, entering markets such as South Africa when few Canadian companies ventured abroad. Long before digital transformation became commonplace, he invested in technologies that connected people across borders, including PictureTalk, a precursor to modern video conferencing, and The Coordinator, one of the first global business email systems.

Bill remained actively involved in Drake’s operations well into his 90s, earning recognition by the Wall Street Journal as one of the world’s longest-serving CEOs while continuing to drive the company’s evolution and innovation.

A proud Canadian, Bill made Monte Carlo, Monaco, his home in 1971, yet remained a true citizen of the world. He travelled extensively, maintaining lifelong friendships while returning to favourite traditions, from hosting annual white parties in Monte Carlo, to summers in Saint-Tropez and winters in Los Angeles, to attending the Melbourne Cup for 30 consecutive years.

Leadership development was another lifelong passion. Bill joined the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) at just 26 years of age and became one of its original members, helping expand the organization from North America to Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and beyond.

During a YPO visit to the Vatican in the 1960s, Bill introduced fellow members to Pope Paul VI and delivered a speech centred on the theme “One Planet, One People, One Purpose”—a philosophy that guided his life.

“That was my concept of the world becoming one world eventually. A happy world, not fighting with each other, but a peaceful world where everybody’s collaborating and everybody helps everybody.”

He was also an early advocate for women in the workplace, championing women into leadership roles throughout his career. Today, nearly 80 per cent of Drake International’s global leadership team are women.

He believed in people before it was a business principle. He saw what they were capable of before they saw it themselves. He then made sure they had every reason to prove him right.

Bill ensured Drake’s future through thoughtful succession planning and governance, establishing a strong Board of Trustees and preparing the next generation of leadership. To mark Drake International’s 75th anniversary on June 1, 2026, the company launched a one million dollar scholarship initiative in Bill’s name reflecting his lifelong belief that education and opportunity change lives.

For all his accomplishments in business, those who knew Bill best remember not only the visionary he was, but the person he remained. He was endlessly curious, generous with his time, optimistic and deeply interested in people. His interests included modern art—particularly the works of Le Corbusier—music, global politics and hosting dinners every night of the week. He embraced life with irrepressible joie de vivre, sharing a favourite chardonnay with friends, enjoying live music, singing karaoke, dancing and orchestrating legendary practical jokes. Above all, he loved bringing people together.

When asked how he wished to be remembered, his answer was simple:

“For making it a better world.”

Reserved in personal matters yet visionary in business, Bill’s family extended across the globe through the countless people whose lives he influenced. His friends, colleagues and the tens of millions of lives touched through Drake International remain his enduring legacy.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at Saint-Charles Church, Monaco, followed by a reception at the Salon Excelsior, Hotel Hermitage. An informal gathering to celebrate Bill’s life will then be held at Sass Café from 7:00-8:00 p.m. that evening. A service in Winnipeg, Manitoba will be also held in the coming weeks.