Navigator
Navigator is a Toronto-based strategic advisory and communications firm serving Canadian enterprises, governments, boards, and family offices with crisis management, reputation, government relations, and capital markets advisory, supported by a proprietary 24/7 crisis dashboard (Kio) and in-house research and creative subsidiaries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Navigator does
Navigator Ltd. is a privately held, Canadian strategic advisory and communications firm founded in 2000 by Jaime Watt and headquartered in Toronto, with additional offices in Calgary, Montréal, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Ottawa. The firm provides high-stakes professional services spanning crisis management, reputation management, government relations, public affairs campaigns, and capital markets advisory to enterprise clients including publicly traded companies, boards, family offices, governments, hospitals, and universities. Navigator reports mandates from more than 40 of Canada's top 100 companies and is self-described as Canada's leading high-stakes strategic advisory and communications firm.
Navigator's core proprietary technology is Kio, a 24/7 crisis communications dashboard that provides secure centralized information sharing, response preparation, media monitoring, and team coordination. The firm has built an integrated in-house service stack comprising wholly-owned subsidiaries and brands: Discover (a CRIC-accredited full-service research firm), true (a digital and creative agency), CEOCap (an executive leadership development program), the Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation (a research/advisory initiative), and Empower (a BIPOC public affairs fellowship program).
The business model is classic professional services: quote-based, engagement-driven advisory work with direct enterprise field sales, supported by retainer relationships and episodic crisis-response mandates. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; pricing is custom and varies by scope. Demand generation is anchored on thought-leadership content (the Chairman's Desk column in the Toronto Star, Perspectives magazine, multiple in-house podcasts, the Director's Crisis Playbook bestseller, and ELXN44 post-election analysis in partnership with the Toronto Star) rather than paid performance marketing. Leadership comprises Founder and Executive Chairman Jaime Watt and CEO Laas Turnbull.
Navigator firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Navigator
- Legal name
- Navigator Ltd.
- Website
- https://navltd.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Navigator is a Toronto-based strategic advisory and communications firm serving Canadian enterprises, governments, boards, and family offices with crisis management, reputation, government relations, and capital markets advisory, supported by a proprietary 24/7 crisis dashboard (Kio) and in-house research and creative subsidiaries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Navigator industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Strategic Communications Consulting
- NAICS
- Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Management Consulting Services (54161)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Risk Management Consulting (Enterprise & Operational Risk) (FSAEADAG)
Keywords
Where Navigator is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Navigator business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Strategic Advisory and Communications Consulting: Navigator generates revenue through professional consulting services in crisis management, reputation management, government relations, public affairs campaigns, and capital markets advisory. The firm provides strategic counsel to boards, executives, and individuals, offering services ranging from proactive planning to decisive crisis response.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Navigator product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Navigator is a high-stakes strategic advisory and communications firm providing crisis management, reputation management, government relations, public affairs campaigns, and capital markets advisory services to enterprise clients, boards, governments, and family offices. The firm offers integrated in-house services including research, digital/creative production, and proprietary crisis-management technology through its Kio dashboard, supported by a 24/7 crisis response line.
Product overview
Navigator is a strategic advisory and communications firm offering integrated professional services. The core software product is Kio, a proprietary crisis communications dashboard that provides secure, centralized crisis management capabilities. The integrated service portfolio includes crisis management, reputation management, government relations, public affairs campaigns, and capital markets expertise. Supporting services include Discover (full-service research), true (digital and creative agency), and CEOCap (executive leadership program). The firm also operates the Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation (CCME) research initiative and produces in-house media including the Perspectives magazine and multiple podcasts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation (CCPC/CCME): A Navigator initiative providing research, knowledge, and advisory services to help Canadian businesses and organizations redefine their corporate purpose and increase contributions to society.
- Kio
- Découvrir
- true
- CEOCap
- Empower
Products and services
- Kio Proprietary secure crisis communications dashboard that provides a centralized hub for information sharing, response preparation, and transparent team communication during crises, available 24/7. It includes notifications, reports, key performance indicators, crisis management manuals, media monitoring and analytics, and team directory with file management. Sold as a subscription/managed capability accompanying Navigator's advisory engagements.
- Crisis Management Advisory Strategic crisis response and preparedness services providing advice to boards, executives, and individuals, with proactive planning, decisive action, transparency, and 24/7 availability for clients facing high-stakes situations.
- Reputation Management
- Government Relations
- Public Affairs Campaigns
- Capital Markets Advisory
- Discover (Research Services)
- Studio (true digital and creative agency)
- CEOCap
- Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation (CCPC)
- Media Training
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully reversed GM's decision to close Oshawa plant, saving hundreds of jobs with $170 million investment
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Navigator
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Navigator technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Navigator partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Toronto StarcoreNavigator partners with Toronto Star for ELXN44 post-election analysis broadcasts. Internal experts and veteran political journalists from across the country explore what the government means for organizations and why Canadians voted as they did. The live webcast is delivered in partnership with the Toronto Star.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Navigator competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Public Relations: One of Canada's largest strategic communications and public affairs firms, providing counsel to corporations, governments, and boards. Direct competitor to Navigator in the Canadian strategic advisory market across crisis, GR, and reputation services.
- Earnscliffe Strategy Group: Canadian government relations and strategic communications firm specializing in public affairs and advocacy. Direct competitor to Navigator's government relations and public affairs practices.
- Sussex Strategy Group: Toronto-based strategic advisory and government relations firm serving corporate, government, and non-profit clients. Comparable in size, geography, and service mix to Navigator.
- Crestview Strategy: Canadian public affairs and strategic communications firm with offices in Toronto, Ottawa, and Calgary, offering media relations, crisis communications, and government relations services comparable to Navigator.
Broad incumbents
- Edelman: World's largest public relations firm with established Canadian operations. Competes with Navigator on crisis communications, corporate reputation, and public affairs, with vastly broader global scale and headcount.
- Brunswick Group: Global strategic advisory firm specializing in critical issues, capital markets, and crisis. Overlaps directly with Navigator's capital markets and crisis practices, with international reach Navigator lacks.
- FTI Consulting: Global advisory firm with a Strategic Communications segment covering crisis management, public affairs, and capital markets. Operates in Canada and competes with Navigator on enterprise mandates.
- Hill & Knowlton: Global public relations and communications consultancy with strong government and corporate practices. Established Canadian operations compete with Navigator across crisis, public affairs, and reputation.
- Weber Shandwick: Global communications and engagement firm with strong crisis, public affairs, and corporate reputation practices. Operates in Canada and overlaps with Navigator's service portfolio across most service lines.
Emerging players
- Pollara Strategic Insights: Canadian research and insights firm offering public opinion, stakeholder, and strategic research services. Comparable to Navigator's Discover/Découvrir subsidiary and a potential partner or competitor on the research side.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Navigator social profiles
Digital presenceNavigator financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Navigator leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Navigator subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Navigator funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Navigator M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Navigator
What does Navigator do?
Navigator is a high-stakes strategic advisory and communications firm providing crisis management, reputation management, government relations, public affairs campaigns, and capital markets advisory services to enterprise clients, boards, governments, and family offices. The firm offers integrated in-house services including research, digital/creative production, and proprietary crisis-management technology through its Kio dashboard, supported by a 24/7 crisis response line.
Is Navigator a public or private company?
Navigator is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Navigator founded?
Navigator was founded in 2000. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Navigator based?
Navigator is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Navigator make money?
One revenue line is on record: strategic Advisory and Communications Consulting.
Who are Navigator's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Public Relations, Earnscliffe Strategy Group, Sussex Strategy Group and Crestview Strategy. Broad incumbents are Edelman, Brunswick Group, FTI Consulting, Hill & Knowlton and Weber Shandwick. Pollara Strategic Insights is listed as an emerging player.
Does Navigator have an API?
No public API is recorded for Navigator.
What industry is Navigator in?
Navigator's product category is Strategic Communications Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEADAG, Risk Management Consulting (Enterprise & Operational Risk). Its NAICS code is 541618 and its SIC code is 8742.