Martin Connell and his wife Linda Haynes co-founded Calmeadow, an organization that traditionally supported the provision of credit and financial services to micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries who are unable to access traditional sources.
In connection with his earlier association with Calmeadow, Martin is past chair of ProFund Internacional, S.A., former President of AfriCap MicroVentures Ltd., two regional investment funds with interests in local financial institutions providing credit and financial services to low-income self-employed people in Latin America and Africa.
He was the founding chair of TIFF, the Toronto international film festival, past Chair of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, past chair of IMAGINE, a national philanthropic organization that promotes giving and volunteering, Chair of the Skydome (now the Rogers Centre) during its construction phase Martin is immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Community Foundation, a registered public charitable foundation that builds and manages individual funds that support local charitable organizations and whose mission is to connect philanthropy to community needs and opportunities.
From 1965 until 1996 Martin occupied various executive positions at Conwest Exploration Company Limited.
His daughter Devin Connell owns the popular Toronto eatery Delica.