Speakers

Biography

Biography

Jean-Pierre Clamadieu is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des mines de Paris and an engineer of the Corps des mines. He began his career within the French Administration, particularly working for the Ministry of Industry and as technical advisor to the Minister of Labor. In 1993, he joined the Rhône-Poulenc group where he held several management positions. In 2003, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Rhodia group, and then Chairman-CEO in 2008. In September 2011, following the merger of the Rhodia and Solvay groups, Jean-Pierre Clamadieu was named Vice Chairman of the Solvay Executive Committee. From May 2012 to the end of February 2019, Jean-Pierre Clamadieu served as Chairman of the Executive Committee and CEO of Solvay. On May 18, 2018, he was named Director and Chairman of the Board of ENGIE.

Biography

Jan De Silva is President and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, one of the largest and most influential business organizations in North America. She is spearheading efforts to make Toronto one of the most competitive and sought-after business regions in the world.

Jan brings to the role more than 14 years of international CEO experience building ambitious, high-growth organizations. Anchored in her leadership is her belief in the power of economic development to lift communities.

Prior to joining the Board, she served as CEO of Sun Life Financial’s Hong Kong and Mainland China businesses and co-founded and later sold Retail China Limited. Jan also served as Dean of Ivey Asia for Ivey Business School of Western University.

Highly respected for her business advocacy and government engagement, Jan has been Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Chair of the Canada China Business Council in Beijing and served on the Board of the Asian Corporate Governance Association. In 2019, she was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to represent Canada on the APEC Business Advisory Council. Jan also sits on the board of Intact Financial Corporation, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Biography

Patrick Decker was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Xylem in March 2014, and he also serves on the Xylem Board of Directors. Xylem is a leading global water technology provider, serving customers in more than 150 countries with innovative solutions to their most complex water challenges. Under Mr. Decker’s leadership, Xylem has completed multiple acquisitions that collectively have expanded the company’s portfolio of smart water infrastructure solutions and advanced data analytics capabilities that are applied in water and critical energy services.

Mr. Decker has also overseen an expansion of Xylem Watermark, the company’s corporate citizenship initiative. In addition to continuing its work to provide safe water resources for many of the world’s most vulnerable communities, Watermark now encompasses an ambitious employee volunteerism component that extends to all of Xylem’s nearly 17,000 colleagues. The company pledged to record 100,000 employee volunteer hours in water-related activities over a three-year period in Xylem communities around the globe.

Biography

Hélène Desmarais is a prominent and influential business leader in Canada.  Since it was founded in 1996, Hélène has been Chair and CEO of the Centre d’Entreprises et d’Innovation de Montréal (CEIM), one of Canada’s most successful technology incubator in Canada.  The CEIM has catalyzed the development of hundreds of Canadian startups, some of which have become world-class enterprises.

In 2017, she played a key role in establishing SCALE AI , the Canadian artificial intelligence supercluster, and its main laboratory, IVADO Labs As Founder& Executive Chair of IVADO Labs and Founder & Co-Chair of SCALE AI ,  she steers the two organizations jointly with their management teams . As such, she works with different multinational and hospital leaders to build AI softwares in their supply chain and in the health industry to deliver real-time analysis of medical imagery for clinicians

Ms. Desmarais is also Chair of the Creative Destruction Lab (Montréal) and NextAI- Montreal, two of Canada’s major entrepreneurship incubator in AI programs, which she founded in Montréal. As such, she works with different business leaders to launch innovative start-ups.

As an entrepreneur, Ms. Desmarais chaired the Board of Directors of Gestion Bio-Capital for its first ten years. The venture fund, specializing in biotech start-ups, helped create some 20 businesses, two of them worth over $1 billion.

She is also a corporate director, serving on the board of Christian Dior SA since 2012 where she chairs the Compensation and Nomination Committee  Since 2006, she has also been a board director for Garda World Security and for which she serves on the Audit and Governance committees

In  October 2003, she was named Chair of HEC Montréal and the first women to hold that post In addition , she was the first woman across Canada and North America  to chair the board of an high ranking business school

Since 1995 , she has attended all conferences of the International Forum of the Americas , serves on its board of Governors and chairs its Conference de Montréal steering committee

Hélène Desmarais holds a Bachelor degree in Finance from HEC Montréal

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

Ms. Desmarais received the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002 and again in 2012. In addition to her most recent honorary doctorates from Polytechnique Montréal and Mc Master University , in 2009 she was awarded honorary doctorates from St. Francis Xavier and Lumière Lyon II universities. That same year she received the Medal of Honour from the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal, along with the Order of Canada. She was declared a Great Montrealer in the economic sector and inducted into the Entrepreneurs Club of the Conseil du Patronat du Québec in 2010, and made an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec in 2013 and a Commander of the Ordre de Montréal in 2016.

Biography

Before co-founding ICE in 2014, a dedicated green fuels developer/owner focused on 25GW+ world-class integrated green hydrogen projects located in coastal deserts with the most efficient diurnal wind/sun profile; Alicia led investment and strategy in global markets for 20 years, managing private equity funds, market entry and finance for multinational companies and institutional investors across Australasia including the Middle East. She has focused on infrastructure, project finance, renewable energy, specialty chemicals/pharma, technology, and telecom. She was a founding partner of multiple growth private equity funds and a project finance advisor in the Persian Gulf. Alicia led international strategy and acquisitions at Elan Biopharmaceuticals and was Vice President of Prudential Asia Infrastructure Mezzanine Capital Fund. She was a founding principal at NetFuel Ventures (acquired by a University of Chicago affiliate) and has held international strategy and investment positions at Gemini, Lend Lease, and AirTouch International (Vodafone). Alicia holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Alicia currently sits on the Steering Committee of Hydrogen Council, the Advisory Board of SEC Hydrogen, the Board of Directors for the Ammonia Energy Association and represents ICE as member of Dii Desertec and Global Maritime Forum’s Getting to Zero Coalition. She is also a Board Director of multiple charities focused on poverty and education for children in developing or war torn countries and is a frequent speaker and moderator at clean hydrogen, ammonia, and sustainability events.

Biography

Seifi Ghasemi became chairman, president and chief executive officer of Air Products in July 2014. In this role, he is focused on setting the strategy and policies of the company, developing leadership, and meeting shareholder commitments.

Mr. Ghasemi is a member of The Business Council, an association of the chief executive officers of the world’s most important business enterprises. In 2020, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. In 2019, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the US-China Business Council. Mr. Ghasemi also was the recipient of the 2017 biennial International Palladium Medal from the Société de Chimie Industrielle for his distinguished contributions to the chemical industry.

Prior to joining Air Products, from 2001-2014, Mr. Ghasemi served as chairman and chief executive officer of Rockwood Holdings, a global leader in lithium and advanced materials. From 1997-2001, he held leadership roles at GKN, a global industrial company, including positions as director of the Main Board of GKN, plc, and chairman and chief executive officer of GKN Sinter Metals, Inc. and Hoeganes Corporation. Earlier in his career, Mr. Ghasemi spent nearly 20 years with The BOC Group in positions including director of the Main Board of BOC Group, plc; president of BOC Gases Americas; and chairman and chief executive officer of BOC Process Plants, Ltd. and Cryostar.

Mr. Ghasemi earned his undergraduate degree from Abadan Institute of Technology and holds an M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. He also was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Lafayette College in 2017 and an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from Stevens Institute of Technology in 2018.

Biography

Karima-Catherine (KC) Goundiam est la fondatrice et la PDG de deux compagnies florissantes, dont la première est Red Dot Digital. Cette firme de transformation numérique prête main-forte aux entreprises en s’appuyant sur une approche novatrice axée sur les données. Avec Red Dot Digital, KC fait des affaires au Canada, en France, au Royaume-Uni et autour du globe, dans divers secteurs d’activité.

La seconde compagnie, B2BeeMatch, a été lancée il y a moins de deux ans. Cette plateforme permet aux PME du monde entier d’être mises en relation avec les fournisseurs, les clients et les partenaires qu’elles recherchent. Les entreprises inscrites proviennent de 45 pays et œuvrent dans plus de 100 industries différentes. B2BeeMatch a d’ailleurs établi des partenariats importants, notamment avec l’Ontario Aerospace Council (OAC) et la Chambre de commerce internationale (CCI).

D’autres faits saillants à propos de KC :

• elle a fondé Tech Canada Advocates (TCA) ;
• elle siège au conseil d’administration de plusieurs organisations ;
• elle est la coordonnatrice régionale pour l’Afrique à la Chambre de commerce internationale ;
• elle est membre de deux comités ministériels d’audit de Services partagés Canada (SPC), une agence fédérale qui offre des services numériques aux organismes du gouvernement du Canada ;
• en 2018, le chapitre torontois de l’Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) lui a décerné le JoAnna Townsend Excellence Award.

Biography

 Bill Greuel is currently the CEO of Protein Industries Canada, an organization focused on the growth of Canada’s plant-based food industry. Bill was born and raised on a mixed farm near Bruno, Saskatchewan, and has, since he can remember, been involved and employed in agriculture. 

After completing a BSA and MSc at the University of Saskatchewan, Bill joined Zeneca Seeds where he helped bring to market the world’s first canola hybrids. In his time with Zeneca Seeds, Bill also served as the Product Development Manager for Latin America where he worked to introduce canola into crop rotations in Brazil and Paraguay. 

In 1999, Bill joined the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture as the Oilseed and Transgenic Crop Specialist, later becoming the Manager of Research and Development where he delivered Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund. In 2008, while completing his MBA at the University of Regina, Bill joined BASF as the Clearfield Trait Intellectual Property Manager. He worked six years for BASF ending his tenure there as the Canadian Market Manager for Functional Crop Care, BASF’s combined inoculant and seed treatment business. 

In 2014, Bill returned to the public service, serving first as the Executive Director of the Crops and Irrigation Branch, and later as the Assistant Deputy Minister of Regulatory and Innovation for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. It was in his role as ADM that Bill learned about and became involved in the development of Protein Industries Canada, becoming the organization’s first CEO in 2018.

Biography

Tim Haney (He/Him/His) is the CEO of Dentons Canada and a member of the Dentons Global Management Committee and Global Board.

Tim leads the strategic direction of the firm in Canada, with a focus on providing exceptional client service, and a commitment of fostering a high-performing culture that supports innovation, well-being, community involvement, and inclusion, diversity and equity. Under his leadership, Dentons Canada provides clients with trusted legal and strategic business advice, leveraging innovative solutions to meet the rapidly evolving needs of clients.

Recognized as one of Canada’s leading lawyers in corporate finance, M&A and private equity, Tim has extensive experience advising clients on all matters pertaining to mergers and acquisitions, securities, corporate finance and corporate/commercial transactions, representing public companies, underwriters and private issuers.

Prior to assuming the CEO role, Tim held numerous national leadership positions at the firm, including Managing Partner of the Calgary office, Chair of the Dentons Canada Audit Committee, two terms on the Dentons Canada Board, and Head of the Calgary Securities Corporate Finance and M&A Group.

Outside of his work at Dentons, Tim is involved in numerous local, provincial and national community initiatives. He is an active board member with Right to Play, a global non-profit that empowers children with opportunities to rise above adversity using the power of play, and Catalyst Canada, a global non-profit that works with organizations around the world to accelerate women into leadership. Tim is committed to making an impact in communities around the country.

Biography

A passionate advocate for his community, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen has been proudly representing the residents of York South—Weston since 2015.

Before he started in politics, Minister Hussen worked at the grassroots with neighbours and allies to create “local solutions to local problems.” This would lead to the Minister helping to secure $500 million to revitalise Toronto’s, Regent Park in 2006.

Minister Hussen is a firm believer that diversity is a fact and inclusion is a choice. During his time as the National President for the Canadian Somali Congress, he worked with national and regional authorities to advocate on important issues to Canadians of Somali heritage, which helped foster better civic engagement and integration.

Having lived in social housing himself, Canada’s first dedicated Housing minister understands the positive impact of having an affordable, reliable place to live. In his new role, Minister Hussen is focused on bringing home ownership back within reach while ensuring that everyone in Canada has a safe and affordable place to call home.

Biography

Goldy Hyder is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of Canada. Founded in 1976, the Council is a non-profit, non-partisan organization composed of the chief executives and entrepreneurs of Canada’s leading companies. Members collectively employ 1.7 million Canadians across the country in every major industry.

From July 2014 to October 2018, Mr. Hyder was President and Chief Executive Officer of Hill+Knowlton Strategies (Canada), providing strategic communications counsel to the firm’s extensive and diverse client base. Prior to joining Hill+Knowlton in 2001, he served as Director of Policy and Chief of Staff to The Right Honourable Joe Clark, former prime minister and former leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party.

In addition to his achievements in business and public policy, Mr. Hyder has a long track record of service on behalf of several charities and non-profit organizations. He is chair of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council, a board member of the Business + Higher Education Roundtable, an executive committee member of the Century Initiative and co-chair of Canada’s World Trade Organization Business Advisory Council. In addition, he sits on the advisory boards of two leading organizations promoting advancement of women leaders: Catalyst Canada and the 30% Club (Canada). Mr. Hyder is also a member of the selection board for A Seat At The Table, an initiative to encourage greater representation of people with disabilities on corporate boards. He is a past co-chair of the United Way of Ottawa’s Campaign Cabinet.

Mr. Hyder is a regular commentator in the Canadian media on business, politics and leadership. He is also the host of the “Speaking of Business” podcast, which features interviews with Canadian innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders. In 2013, he received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his contributions to Canada. He holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Calgary.

Biography

Zayna is VP of Growth & Client Success at Teladoc Health in Canada.  Zayna previously led the Futures team with national home healthcare and aging non-proift, SE Health, as their Future Strategist. Zayna is Faculty of Singularity University’ Exponential Medicine stream, and is adjunct faculty in the Health Sector Strategy stream at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Dr. Khayat was previously the lead of health system innovation at MaRS Discovery District, a health innovation hub in Toronto, Canada. In 2017 she was seconded to the REshape Innovation Centre at Radboud university medical centre in the Netherlands. Zayna completed her Ph.D. in diabetes research from the University of Toronto (2001), followed by a career in strategy consulting, including as a Principal in the healthcare practice of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). She currently resides in Toronto with her husband and three children and is proficient in French and Arabic languages.

Biography

English:

Tasha Kheiriddin is one of Canada’s best-known commentators, analysts, and strategic thinkers. She is currently a principal with Navigator Ltd., one of Canada’s leading high stakes strategic advisory and communications firm. Tasha is also the national political columnist for Postmedia and a lecturer with the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. In July 2022 she published her second book, The Right Path: How Conservatives Can Unite, Inspire and Take Canada Forward, which is already an Amazon best-seller. Fluently bilingual in English and French, Tasha has over two decades of experience analyzing, writing about, and commenting on political and current affairs for major networks across Canada, including Radio Canada, TVA, CBC, CTV, and Global Television.

Tasha became passionate about politics and current affairs at an early age and held various positions in Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal. After a career in politics and law, she began working in journalism, first for CBC Newsworld before joining the Law Times and CPAC, where she earned the Justicia Award for Excellence in Journalism. Over the course of her media career, Tasha has also co-hosted CTV News Channel’s National Affairs, hosted the Tasha Kheiriddin Show on Global News Radio, and served as a member of the editorial board and columnist at the National Post, as a columnist at iPolitics.ca, and as an award-winning host-producer at the Cable Public Affairs Channel.

In addition, Tasha has served as communications director and vice-president for several major Canadian policy institutes, including the Montreal Economic Institute, the Fraser Institute, and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. She also operated her own communications consultancy, advising clients on strategy, message development and media training. In recognition of her work, the Women’s Executive Network named Tasha as one of Canada’s "Top 100 Most Powerful Women” in 2016.

An accomplished writer, Tasha is the co-author of Rescuing Canada’s Right: Blueprint for a Conservative Revolution. She is also a tax policy and justice contributor for two other books. Kheiriddin also writes a weekly column for the Postmedia chain of newspapers and provides analysis for radio and television networks in both official languages.

A law graduate of McGill University, Tasha has lectured in McGill’s Canadian Studies and North American Studies programs and in its Max Bell School of Public Policy in 2023.

Français :

Tasha Kheiriddin est l'une des commentatrices, analystes et penseuses stratégiques les plus connues au Canada. Elle est actuellement directrice de Navigator Ltd, l'une des principales entreprises canadiennes de conseil stratégique et de communication à enjeux élevés. Tasha est également chroniqueuse politique nationale pour Postmedia et chargée de cours à l’école de politiques publiques Max Bell de l'Université McGill. En juillet 2022, elle a publié son deuxième livre, The Right Path : How Conservatives Can Unite, Inspire and Take Canada Forward, qui est déjà un best-seller sur la plateforme Amazon. Parfaitement bilingue en anglais et en français, Tasha a plus de vingt ans d'expérience dans l'analyse, la rédaction et le commentaire d'affaires politiques et d'actualité pour les principaux réseaux du Canada, notamment Radio Canada, TVA, CBC, CTV et Global Television.

Tasha s'est passionnée pour la politique et l'actualité dès son plus jeune âge et a occupé divers postes à Ottawa, Toronto et Montréal. Après une carrière en politique et en droit, elle a commencé à travailler dans le journalisme, d'abord pour CBC Newsworld avant de rejoindre le Law Times et CPAC, où elle a remporté le prix Justicia pour l'excellence en journalisme. Au cours de sa carrière dans les médias, Tasha a également coanimé l'émission National Affairs du CTV News Channel, animé le Tasha Kheiriddin Show sur Global News Radio, et a été membre du comité de rédaction et chroniqueuse au National Post, chroniqueuse à iPolitics.ca et animatrice-productrice primée à la Chaîne d'affaires publiques par câble.

En outre, Tasha a été directrice des communications et vice-présidente de plusieurs grands instituts politiques canadiens, dont l'Institut économique de Montréal, l'Institut Fraser et la Fédération canadienne des contribuables. Elle a également exploité son propre cabinet de conseil en communication, conseillant ses clients en matière de stratégie, d'élaboration de messages et de formation aux médias. En reconnaissance de son travail, le Women's Executive Network a désigné Tasha comme l'une des "100 femmes les plus puissantes" du Canada en 2016.

Écrivaine accomplie, Tasha est la coauteure de Rescuing Canada's Right : Blueprint for a Conservative Revolution. Elle contribue également à la politique fiscale et à la justice pour deux autres ouvrages. Tasha rédige également une chronique hebdomadaire pour la chaîne de journaux Postmedia et fournit des analyses pour les réseaux de radio et de télévision dans les deux langues officielles.

Diplômée en droit de l'Université McGill, Tasha a donné des conférences dans le cadre des programmes d'études canadiennes et d'études nord-américaines de McGill, ainsi qu'à l'École de politiques publiques Max Bell en 2023.

Biography

Dr. Magdalena Krol is an associate professor and the Associate Dean of Research, Innovation, Enterprise, and Partnership (AD-RIEP) at York University, in the Lassonde School of Engineering. Her area of expertise is environmental engineering, specializing in numerical modeling of groundwater flow and contaminant transport. Her research activities include: simulation of subsurface gas movement at contaminated sites that are under thermal remediation, optimizing groundwater remediation technologies, modeling subsurface transport of nano-scale zero valent iron (nZVI) particles, and microbially-influenced corrosion of used nuclear fuel containers.

Dr. Krol completed her doctoral studies in Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto. She holds  M.E.Sc. and B.E.Sc. degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Western Ontario (Western). Prior to her doctoral studies, Dr. Krol was a remediation engineer at a US consulting company, where she worked on a diverse set of contaminant remediation projects. She is also a licensed professional engineer in the province of Ontario.

Magdalena has received several distinguished awards, including: the Early Career Award from the International Association of Hydrogeologists, the Lassonde Excellence in Graduate Mentorship Award, the Lassonde Innovation Award and the NSERC Post Doctorate Fellowship (PDF). She has also co-established the innovative Water Technologies for Environmental Research (iWaTER) lab at York University, bringing together researchers from different water disciplines to collaborate on tackling pressing environmental problems.

In her current role as AD-REIP she leads the School’s vision to develop and foster new, innovative research and outreach programs. These programs seek to engage faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students, government and industry partners, alumni, philanthropic donors, and other external constituencies.

Biography

Ravi is President at Infosys. In this role, he leads the Infosys Global Services Organization across all global industry segments, driving digital transformation services, consulting services, traditional technology services, engineering services, data and analytics, cloud and infrastructure along with enterprise package applications service lines. In addition, he oversees Infosys Business Process Management (BPM) and is Chairman of the Board of Infosys BPM. He also oversees Infosys business in Latin America, Japan and China. He is the Chairman of the Board of Infosys Public Services and oversees the Consulting Services Subsidiary of Infosys. Ravi oversees Infosys’ acquisitions Kaleidoscope, Guidevision, Simplus, WongDoody, Fluido and Brilliant Basics and Chairs the Board of the Hitachi-Panasonic JV in Japan. Ravi also oversees the alliances organization and the global partner ecosystem at Infosys.  In addition, Ravi is championing and pioneering the localization initiative and building technology and digital talent pools in the U.S, Europe and Australia for Infosys to drive creation of new and Digital Technology and Innovation Centers by collaborating with clients, the local state governments and academic ecosystems. He is also Chairman for Infosys Foundation USA focused on computer science education in K12 Schools in the U.S.

Previously, Ravi was Group Head for $1B Insurance, Healthcare, and Cards & Payments unit, where he drove client services, demand generation, next-generation service offerings, game-changing innovation, and a world-class delivery organization to support clients. He has also led the global delivery organization in the Manufacturing industry group. Spanning a global clientele and other new incubating engines, he built the global Oracle and CRM practices for Infosys. Under his leadership, the Hyderabad Development Center, with 22,000+ employees, won the Infosys Excellence Award for the Best Development Center five years in a row from 2010 – 2014.

Ravi has over 19 years of experience in the consulting space, incubating new practice lines, driving large transformational programs, and evangelizing new business models across industry segments. He has played diverse roles across organizations within the CRM space for Oracle Corporation, building a next-generation CRM practice at Cambridge Technology Partners. He has also worked on process and technology transformation for the unbundling of Indian State Electricity Boards at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ravi started his career as a nuclear scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center.

He is on the Board of Governors of the New York Academy of Sciences, Member of the Young Presidents Organization(YPO) Manhattan Chapter, Member of the International Advisory Board of Fudan University, Shanghai, Chairs the IT & Business Services Workforce Council for the Governor in the State of Connecticut, Member of Skills Consortium of the World Economic Forum(WEF), Fortune CEO Workforce Redesign Group and many other industry forums.  He regularly attends the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum Davos, actively writes about digital transformation, future of work, reskilling, talent transformation in the Harvard Business Review, Knowledge@Wharton, Forbes and other top tier publications.

Ravi has a master’s degree in business administration from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, India.

Biography

Dr. Frannie Léautier, Partner and Vice-Chair at SouthBridge Group and CEO of SouthBridge Investments, is a highly experienced and well-known finance and development expert, with long-standing global experience leading and transforming organisations in the private, public and non-for-profit spheres.

Dr. Léautier had an illustrious career at the World Bank Group (WBG), where during her 15-year tenure, she held senior financial positions across the Group. Frannie was Chief of Staff to the President, and served as Vice-President for seven years of her tenure at the WBG.  She was Infrastructure Director and played a critical role in the strategic work around the joint World Bank/IFC infrastructure products and played a crucial role in developing the WBG’s infrastructure strategy.  At the WBG, she won several awards for her outstanding support and contributions.  She was Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and chaired the AfDB Board for much of the time she was there.  She has held several leadership roles at the Trade and Development Bank (TDB) Group,  including Vice Chair of the Board, Special Advisor to the President, before becoming TDB’s first Chief Operating Officer.  She also led the Asset Management business of TDB, including the recent launch of a unique product for trade finance in Africa.

Dr. Léautier is known for her skills in operational management, transformational leadership, resource mobilisation, working with complex multi-constituency governance structures, and engaging with the highest levels of government.  Her work has contributed to attracting innovative financing to Africa.

She has founded two companies, one in Risk Management Advisory and another to invest equity into SMEs. In addition to her extensive career, Dr. Léautier holds advisory and governance roles on several boards, including the UN Foundation, where she is a member of the Board and serves on the Program Committee and Nominating Committee; Orca Energy Group, a Toronto Exchange publicly listed company, where she is member of the Risk and Audit Committee and chairs the ESG Committee; chair of the board of Norsad Finance Ltd; member of the Executive Board at AZA Finance, a cross-border payments platform; chair of the Board of FSD-Africa and FSD-Africa Investments; trustee at ODI; and is a member of the board of Les Eaux Minérales d’Oulmes, where she sits on the Audit and Risk Committee. She is also a member of the Board of World Resources Institute (WRI).  She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Regional Advisory Group for Africa and has previously served as co-Chair for the Global Agenda Councils of the WEF on youth unemployment and also for Africa.  Other advisory and board roles she has held include with MIT, OCP Group, African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) where she was Treasurer and also chaired the Audit and Risk Committee, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), King Badouin Foundation US (KBFUS), and Nelson Mandela Institute for Science and Technology (NM-AIST). She has authored several books including “Leadership in a Globalized World: Complexity, Dynamics and Risk” and articles in prestigious journals.  She was distinguished professor at Sciences Po Paris, and has lectured at MIT where she developed a course on infrastructure systems.  She has also been invited to lecture at Harvard and the University of Tokyo. She holds a Masters of Science in Transportation, and a PhD in Engineering (thesis on Infrastructure Systems) from MIT.  She also holds a doctorate in Humane Letters from North Central College and a doctorate in Law from Lancaster University, honoris causa.

Biography

Electrical engineer, entrepreneur and positive leader, Benoit Moffet Bédard sold Amotus in 2018, a company specializing in the development of connected objects that he co-founded 5 years earlier. Benoît now devotes his time and energy to “protecting what matters” - environment and people. He co-founded Beap.ai, a cleantech startup working in the mining and energy industry. The company is developing a platform capable of maintaining the health of the physical assets of these industries. The platform aims to predict their failure and thus reduce human and environmental accidents in addition to costly unplanned shutdowns. Beap.ai now owned by Norda Stelo contributes to the sustainability and digitization of these industries.

Français :

Ingénieur électrique de formation, entrepreneur et leader positif, Benoit Moffet Bédard vend Amotus en 2018, une entreprise spécialisée en développement d’objets connectés qu’il a co-fondé 5 ans plus tôt. Benoît consacre aujourd’hui son temps et son énergie à protéger ce qui compte pour l’environnement et l’humain. Il co-fonde Beap.ai, une startup en cleantech qui œuvre dans l’industrie des mines et de l’énergie. L’entreprise développe une plateforme capable de maintenir le bilan de santé des actifs de production de ces industries. La plateforme a pour but de prédire leur défaillance et ainsi diminuer les accidents humains et environnementaux en plus des coûteux arrêts non prévus. Beap.ai maintenant propriété de Norda Stelo contribue à la durabilité et la numérisation de ces industries.

Biography

Caroline Mulroney is Ontario’s Minister Francophone Affairs.

She was elected MPP for the riding of York-Simcoe in June 2018 and has since served as Minister of Francophone Affairs. Since June 2019, Ms. Mulroney is also Minister of Transportation; she was previously Attorney General of Ontario. The Ministry of Francophone Affairs is currently addressing the priority issue of economic development as a catalyst for the vitality of Ontario's Francophonie. This approach stems from the importance that Minister Mulroney places on the culture of entrepreneurship, the skilled bilingual workforce and the role of economic immigration in the contribution of the Francophonie to Ontario's economy as a whole.

Mulroney was the vice president of BloombergSen Investment Partners, a Toronto-based investment firm, where she managed client services, marketing and business development. Prior to that, Mulroney spearheaded corporate and regulatory matters related to growth opportunities in Canada and the United States for Wellington Financial LP.

Mulroney is a graduate of Harvard College and the NYU School of Law. After graduating from the NYU School of Law, Mulroney practiced law at Shearman & Sterling.

She co-founded the Shoebox Project for Shelters, a charitable organization that co-ordinates and delivers gifts to thousands of women and girls in shelters or facing homelessness.

Mulroney and her husband, Andrew Lapham, have four children.

Français:

Caroline Mulroney est ministre des Transports et ministre des Affaires francophones de l’Ontario.

Elle a été élue députée provinciale de la circonscription York-Simcoe en juin 2018 et elle occupe depuis le poste de ministre des Affaires francophones. Depuis juin 2019, madame Mulroney est également ministre des Transports ; elle était précédemment procureure générale de l’Ontario.

Le ministère des Affaires francophones se penche présentement au dossier prioritaire du développement économique comme catalyseur du dynamisme de la francophonie ontarienne. Cette approche relève de l’importance que la ministre Mulroney accorde à la culture de l’entrepreneuriat, à la main d’œuvre bilingue qualifiée et au rôle de l’immigration économique à l’apport de la francophonie à l’ensemble de l’économie ontarienne.

Mme Mulroney a été vice-présidente de BloombergSen Investment Partners, une société de placement de Toronto où elle était responsable du service aux clients, du marketing et du développement des affaires. Mme Mulroney a également géré les questions corporatives et réglementaires liées aux possibilités de croissance au Canada et aux États-Unis pour la firme Wellington Financial LP.

Mme Mulroney est diplômée du collège Harvard (Harvard College) et de l’École de droit de l’Université de New York (NYU School of Law). Après avoir obtenu son diplôme de l’Université de New York, Mme Mulroney a pratiqué le droit au sein du cabinet Shearman & Sterling.

Elle a cofondé l’Opération boîte à chaussures, un organisme de bienfaisance qui coordonne des dons et les distribue à des milliers de femmes et de filles dans des refuges ou sans-abri.

Caroline Mulroney et son mari, Andrew Lapham, ont quatre enfants.

Biography

Josep Oliu holds a Degree in Economics from the University of Barcelona and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Minnesota (USA). His academic career included teaching economics at the Universidad Autónoma of Barcelona as Associate Professor, and serving as Head of the Department of Economics at the University of Oviedo.

Between 1982 and 1983, Josep Oliu was an Advisor to the World Bank and to the Spanish Ministry of Economy. In 1983 he was the Head of Strategy and Studies at the Spanish National Institute of Industry, where he later served as Planning General Manager. He was also a member of the Boards of Directors of Aviaco, Elcano, Enresa and Inisel.

He joined Banco Sabadell in 1986 as Technical General Secretary and was appointed Executive Managing Director and member of the Board of Directors in 1991. Since 1999 he is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Banco Sabadell.

His other current positions include Chairman of the Board of Exea Empresarial and representative Director of the latter in Puig, S.L..

He is also a Member of the Board of Trustees of Princess of Asturias Foundation and of the Princess of Girona Foundation and a Member of FEDEA (Foundation for Studies in Applied Economics).

Biography

George R. Oliver is chairman and CEO of Johnson Controls. Prior to becoming CEO on Sept. 1, 2017, he served as president and chief operating officer with responsibility for the company’s operating businesses and leading the integration of Johnson Controls and Tyco following their September 2016 merger.

Oliver previously served as chief executive officer of Tyco and as a member of its Board of Directors from September 2012 through the September 2016 merger with Johnson Controls. He joined Tyco in July 2006 as president of Tyco Safety Products and assumed additional responsibility as president of Tyco Electrical & Metal Products from 2007 through 2010. He was appointed president of Tyco Fire Protection in 2011.

Prior to Tyco, Oliver had a more than 20-year career with General Electric (GE), where he served in operational roles of increasing responsibility in several divisions, including as president and chief executive officer of GE Water and Process Technologies and president and chief executive officer of GE Engine Services, as well as previous leadership roles in GE's Aircraft Engines and Appliances divisions.

Oliver serves on the Board of Directors of Raytheon Company, a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense and other government markets throughout the world. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Trustees. Oliver earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he serves as a member of the Board of Trustees.

Biography

English:

Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a record of demonstrated leadership and creativity, Pierre Ouellette draws upon nearly 25 years of professional experience in di-verse and challenging milieu, including fifteen years in the university sector. Through-out his career and community involvement, Mr. Ouellette has mobilized teams dedicated to transformational achievements, as was the case while at the Radio-Canada where he served as regional director for Ontario from 2016 to 2021.

Under his leadership, Radio-Canada Ontario experienced significant growth, in no small part due to the digital strategy he piloted with them. He enjoyed similar success in the 1990s with two weekly newspapers he founded in northern Ontario ; one Francophone and the other bilingual.

His strength in developing and articulating a compelling vision — working in teams and with valued stakeholders—has enabled him to make a lasting impact on the organizations where he has been.

Such was the case at Université de Hearst, where he was in turn a professor of his-tory and sociology, then Vice President Academic, ultimately becoming President of the university. His principal mandate while at Hearst: to increase the student body. To accomplish this, he led the strategic development of an innovative pedagogy and program offering, profoundly transforming the university, which continues its growth to this day.

“To me, the idea of being able to contribute to the success of Université de l'Ontario français, to make UOF’s mission and values my own, is an exciting and welcome continuation of my demonstrated commitment toward, and alongside, the Franco-phones of our province. "

Français :

Animé par un esprit entrepreneurial et faisant preuve de leadership et de créativité, Pierre Ouellette possède près de 25 années d’expériences variées en milieu de travail, dont une quinzaine d’années dans le secteur universitaire.

Tout au long de sa carrière et dans ses engagements communautaires, M. Ouellette a eu la chance de travailler au sein d’équipes dévouées à réaliser des projets mobilisateurs comme ce fût le cas au sein de la Société Radio-Canada alors qu’il était directeur régional responsable de l’Ontario de 2016 à 2021. Sous son leadership, les stations régionales ontariennes ont connu une croissance marquée, en partie due au virage numérique qu’il a piloté. Il avait connu le même succès dans les années 90 alors qu’il avait créé deux hebdomadaires, l’un francophone et l’autre bilingue, dans le nord de l’Ontario.

Sa forte capacité à développer, en équipe et avec toutes les parties prenantes, une vision engageante et mobilisatrice lui a permis de parfaire et de transformer les organisations dans lesquelles il a œuvré comme ce fût le cas au sein de l’Université de Hearst, où il a été tour à tour professeur d’histoire et de sociologie, vice-recteur à l’enseignement pour ultimement devenir recteur de l’établissement. Son mandat principal: augmenter la clientèle étudiante. Pour y arriver, il a travaillé de concert avec l’équipe pour développer et déployer des stratégies nouvelles, transformant en profondeur l’université autour d’une pédagogie et d’une offre innovante. L’Université de Hearst n’a cessé de croître depuis.

Comme il le dit lui-même : « Aujourd’hui, l’idée de contribuer au succès de l’Université de l’Ontario français, à faire miennes sa mission et ses valeurs, me paraît un prolongement stimulant à mon engagement plusieurs fois démontré envers et avec les francophones de la province. »

Biography

Mr. Perez Fortea joined GLOBALVIA in 2011 and has been serving as Chief Executive Officer since 2013. He is a Member of UNECE PPP Business Advisory Board since April, 2016 and Member of the Advisory Board of Cornell University's Program in Infrastructure Policy (CPIP) since October, 2016.

He is a Civil Engineer with over thirty years’ experience who started his professional career in the world of construction. He worked firstly in Spain and then in the USA, Indonesia, The Philippines and Jamaica as Country General Manager for several Spanish construction companies.

He has worked in the transportation infrastructure PPP world having been involved in the world's largest projects of this nature. He worked for Cintra (1999-2011) as Highways Director for Spain, Europe and South America and handled a total investment of over €8 Billion worldwide having participated in the successful refinancing of H407ETR after award.

Mr. Perez Fortea has been responsible for the financing, construction and operation of infrastructure projects in 15 countries in 3 different continents.

Biography

Doug Peterson has served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of S&P Global since 2013. He joined the company in 2011 as President of its credit ratings business.

Mr. Peterson has repositioned S&P Global to power the financial markets of the future with data, analytics and benchmarks. Under his leadership, the company has steadily made investments in people, international expansion, cutting-edge technology, innovation and environmental, social and governance, or ESG, solutions.

In February of 2022, S&P Global completed a transformative merger with IHS Markit to create powerful new solutions for customers. The combination and Mr. Peterson’s focus on the customer has enabled S&P Global’s 35,000-plus people to deliver deeper insights, expertise and serve as a trusted source of information for corporate decision makers and world leaders.

Mr. Peterson is a leading voice on ESG issues. He chairs the Bipartisan Policy Center’s ESG Taskforce, and in 2021 he led a workstream of the G7’s Impact Taskforce focused on mobilizing private capital for public good by advocating for globally consistent standards to measure, value and account for sustainability. At S&P Global, Mr. Peterson created a new organization within the company, Sustainable1, to be a single source of intelligence for customers navigating the transition to a low carbon, sustainable and equitable future.

Before joining S&P Global, Mr. Peterson was the Chief Operating Officer of Citibank, N.A., Citigroup’s principal banking entity. Over his 26 years at Citigroup, he served as Chief Auditor, CEO of Citigroup Japan and in leadership roles in Latin America.

Mr. Peterson chairs the U.S.-Japan Business Council and is a member of the Boards of Directors of the Japan Society and the National Bureau of Economic Research. He also is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the New York Stock Exchange Board Advisory Council. In addition, he serves on the Advisory Board of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s Systemic Resolution Advisory Committee and as a Trustee of Claremont McKenna College and the Paul Taylor Dance Company.

Born and raised in New Mexico, Mr. Peterson received an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an undergraduate degree from Claremont McKenna College.

Biography

Paulette Senior has devoted her life and career to breaking down systemic barriers and building up diverse women and girls. Her personal experience immigrating to Canada from Jamaica as a young girl ignited her interest in social justice and helped make her the dynamic, grounded leader she is today.

Paulette’s career began in social services in some of Toronto’s most underserved neighbourhoods. She witnessed the need for systemic change and learned the power of putting the voices of women and equity-seeking communities first. She became known for her excellence in shelter, employment, and housing service provision, as well as for her intersectional approach to advocacy. She has earned numerous awards and has become one of the most respected women leaders in Canada.

In 2016, Paulette joined the Canadian Women’s Foundation as President and CEO after a decade serving as CEO of YWCA Canada. She is a sought-after thought-leader on numerous issues including gender equity and gender-based violence; women’s poverty and the wage gap; girls’ empowerment; and leadership. Her focus at the Foundation is to bolster an inclusive national movement for all women, girls, and communities across Canada.

Biography

Stewart Steeves is Chief Operating Officer of Vantage Airport Group. Since joining Vantage in 2003, Mr. Steeves has held leadership roles across the company’s global network of airports, including most recently as Chief Executive Officer of LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP), the private company selected by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to manage and redevelop LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B. Mr. Steeves is also Chair of LGP’s Board of Directors.

Mr. Steeves served as the Bid Director for LGP, leading the consortium through a multi-year competitive design development and bid submission process with the Port Authority. At the same time, he was Chief Financial Officer and Head of Asset Management for Vantage Airport Group, where he oversaw the performance of an international network of airports on three continents.

Prior to these roles, Mr. Steeves was Chief Executive Officer of the Nassau Airport Development Company in The Bahamas, where he led more than 150 employees through a $500 million airport redevelopment project. While serving as Vantage's Chief Financial Officer, Mrs. Steeves also led the financial restructuring and strategic repositioning of TradePort International Corporation, the private operator of Hamilton International Airport, a low-cost secondary and cargo airport near Toronto, Ontario.

Prior to joining Vantage, Mr. Steeves’ experience included roles in corporate finance at Vancouver Airport Authority, project finance at HSBC in Vancouver, and construction project management for Turner Construction in Chicago, IL. Mr. Steeves holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. He is also a Professional Engineer, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and a licenced pilot.

Biography

Macky Tall is a Partner and Chair of Carlyle’s Global Infrastructure Group, which includes efforts across transportation, renewables, energy, power, water and digital infrastructure. He is based in Washington, DC. He is also a member of Carlyle's Leadership Committee.

Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Tall served in a series of leadership positions at Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), one of the world’s largest infrastructure investors and the second largest pension fund in Canada. He also served on CDPQ’s Executive Committee and Investment-Risk Committee, served as founding Chair and CEO of CDPQ Infra, CDPQ’s subsidiary specializing in major infrastructure projects, and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ivanhoé Cambridge, CDPQ’s real estate subsidiary. Before joining CDPQ, he held several senior management positions with companies in the energy and finance sectors, namely Hydro-Québec, MEG International, Novergaz and Probyn & Company.

Mr. Tall also sits on the Board of Directors of The National Bank of Canada, and the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund Investments Committee. In addition, he has served as co-chair of the Advisory Committee of the Global Infrastructure Facility of the World Bank.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Finance) from HEC Montréal and an MBA (Finance) from the University of Ottawa. He also completed an undergraduate degree in Economics at Université de Montréal.

Biography

François Villeroy de Galhau was born in Strasbourg on 24 February 1959 into a family with roots in Lorraine and Saarland. A former ENA student and Inspector of Finance, he joined the French Treasury in 1988 (Africa desk, then Europe desk) and subsequently became European advisor to the Minister of Finance and then Prime Minister (Pierre Bérégovoy) from 1990 to 1993. He went on to hold various positions at the French Treasury, before becoming financial advisor at the Permanent Representation of France in Brussels. From 1997 to 2000, he was chief of staff of the Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry (Dominique Strauss-Kahn, then Christian Sautter). He was head of the French General Tax Directorate from 2000 to 2003. In 2003, he became the Chief Executive Officer of Cetelem, then headed BNP Paribas’ retail banking activities in France (2008). François Villeroy de Galhau served as Chief Operating Officer of BNP Paribas group, in charge of domestic markets and corporate social responsibility from 1 December 2011 until 1 May 2015, when the French government entrusted him with an assignment on business investment financing. In September 2015, the then President of the French Republic, François Hollande, nominated him for the position of Governor of the Banque de France. After receiving the approval of the Parliament, he was appointed Governor of the Banque de France in the Council of Ministers on 30 September 2015 and took office on 1 November 2015 for a 6-year term. In October 2021, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron proposed that he be reappointed for a second term, a decision approved by the members of Parliament and then ratified by the Council of Ministers on 27 October 2021. François Villeroy de Galhau is a member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB), and Chairman of the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (ACPR). In 2022, he was also appointed Chair of the Board of Directors of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). He has notably published L'espérance d'un Européen (Odile Jacob, 2014) and Retrouver confiance en l'économie (Odile Jacob, 2021).

Biography

As Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas in Canada, Sonja Volpe is responsible for leading the Canadian business strategy, overseeing the nearshoring operations platform and all aspects of regulatory and internal controls compliance. Sonja is a member of the Americas Executive Committee, the Americas Business Committee and the Global Banking Americas Executive Committee.

Sonja first joined BNP Paribas in 2015 as Head of Financial Institutions Coverage in Canada. In this role she was responsible for the firm’s global client relationships with the Canadian banks, insurance companies, pension plans and the government sector. She has been instrumental in building a strong client franchise across each client industry segment and establishing a high performance coverage team.

Sonja has 20 years of experience covering Canadian financial institutions and public sector clients. Prior to joining BNP Paribas, she was a Senior Banker at Citibank Canada where she covered a number of large global client relationships in the financial services sector.

Sonja has a Bachelor's Degree in Honours Modern Languages and Linguistics and an MBA from McMaster University.

Biography

Ian Whitcomb is the President of Irving Oil. In addition to day-to-day company management and the relationship with its Board of Directors, Mr. Whitcomb is responsible for guiding the company toward a more sustainable energy future through the development and implementation of corporate strategy, the achievement of planned results across a broad spectrum of responsibilities, and the safe and reliable operation of the company’s assets in Canada, the United States and Europe.

Ian brings a deep understanding to the company through more than 30 years of working with Irving Oil in his role with Deloitte. Mr. Whitcomb has held a variety of leadership roles, including sitting on the board of Deloitte Canada. He is a graduate of Dalhousie University and became a Chartered Accountant in 1982.