Nigel Wright, the former chief of staff to ex-prime minister Stephen Harper, has died at 62, his employer said in a press release Tuesday.

The cause of death was not immediately known.

"Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of our cherished colleague and friend, Nigel," said Bobby Le Blanc, president and CEO of Onex, a Canadian private equity firm.

"He was the consummate gentleman who set the standard for professionalism. Over nearly three decades with Onex, he was committed to its values, its culture, and most of all its people, who regarded him with deep admiration and affection. We will miss him dearly."

A lawyer by training, Wright was drawn to Conservative politics from a young age and worked for past leaders Brian Mulroney and Kim Campbell before launching a successful career

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