Forestry executive, lawyer, and writer Anne Giardini will be Simon Fraser University's 11th chancellor.

On June 13, Giardini will succeed Carole Taylor, whose three-year term as the titular head of SFU is coming to an end.

“I am very honoured to have been selected for this prestigious position, and am tremendously energized by SFU’s vision to be Canada’s most community engaged research university,” Giardini said in a news release issued on April 8. “A chancellor plays a unique role, and I plan to be a tireless advocate for SFU’s students and alumni, and the vital contributions they make to B.C.’s economic prosperity and social well-being.”

Giardini, who holds degrees from SFU, UBC, and Cambridge University and has 731 Twitter followers, is the president of Weyerhaeuser Company Ltd.

She's served on SFU's board of governors, and as chair of the Vancouver International Writers Festival.

The daughter of author Carol Shields, Giardini has written two novels: The Sad Truth About Happiness and Advice for Italian Boys.

“We are exceptionally fortunate to have a leader of Anne’s stature and reach across industry, community service and the arts join SFU in this capacity,” Lynda Brown-Ganzert, chair of SFU’s board of governors, said in the release. “Anne’s deep knowledge of SFU, coupled with her keen understanding of how a university education prepares graduates for success in today’s dynamic economy, will be significant assets to SFU as it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2015, and beyond.”

The chancellor confers degrees and sits on the university's board and senate.