Electrifying Ontario’s Economy

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Speakers:

• Jan De Silva, President and CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade

Jan De Silva, President and CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade

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.

Speaker:

• The Hon. Todd Smith, Ontario Minister of Energy

The Hon. Todd Smith, Ontario Minister of Energy

For over 25 years, Todd Smith has been a trusted voice in the Quinte region. A graduate of Loyalist College, he embarked on a 16-year career in radio broadcasting, serving as the voice of Belleville Bulls hockey and rising to News Director at Quinte Broadcasting.

Todd was first elected in 2011 in the riding of Prince Edward—Hastings. While in Opposition, he served as the PC Critic for several portfolios including the energy file.

In 2022, he was re-elected in the Bay of Quinte riding as part of the Doug Ford government and he was reappointed to serve as Minister of Energy –a file he has held since 2021. Previously, he has served as Government House Leader, Minister of Government and Consumer Services, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade, and Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.

Born and raised in Riverview, N.B., Todd has lived in the Belleville area since the early 1990s. He lives there with his wife Tawnya and daughters Payton and Reagan.

Fireside Chat:

• Julianne den Decker, Senior Vice-President, Candu Energy
• Giles Gherson, EVP and Chair, Economic Blueprint Institute, Toronto Region Board of Trade

Julianne den Decker, Senior Vice-President, Candu Energy

As Senior Vice-President, Project Delivery, Julianne den Decker is responsible for all Canadian Nuclear Major EPC Projects and New Reactors.  This includes SNC’s role in the refurbishment projects at Bruce Power and OPG and new reactor design and delivery. She leads the sector’s project managers and project controls personnel.   Julianne is a board member of the Canadian Nuclear Association, a member of Women in Nuclear and the Chair of SNC’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion network.

Before joining SNC-Lavalin in 2019, Julianne was a Project Director at Aecon supporting the major Ontario Refurbishment Programs at OPG and Bruce Power.  From 2009-2016, Julianne worked for Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I) as the Engineering Manager responsible for the AP1000 design for projects at VC Summer and Vogtle.  Prior to that, Julianne spent 9 years with Areva/Framatome performing Steam Generator replacements at 13 different nuclear facilities in the USA and supporting the EPR project in Okiluoto, Finland.

Julianne is a licenced Professional Civil Engineer in North Carolina. Throughout her career she was named Engineer of the Year at Areva, graduated from Aecon’s Next Generation Leaders Program, CB&I’s Advanced Leadership Program and Shaw’s Developing Leaders Program.  

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Princeton University. 

Julianne has 3 young boys and spends a lot of time in her driveway shooting pucks, losing basketball games and doling out Band-Aids. 

Giles Gherson, EVP and Chair, Economic Blueprint Institute, Toronto Region Board of Trade

Giles Gherson is the Executive Vice President and Chair of the Economic Blueprint Institute at the Toronto Region Board of Trade.

A seasoned leader, Giles has 15 years of experience with the Province of Ontario where he has served under different parties and leaders. He’s held Deputy Minister roles in multiple portfolios, including; Cabinet Office Policy; Cabinet Office Communications; Economic Development, Trade and Investment; Infrastructure and Government Realty; Research Innovation and Science; Red Tape and Regulatory Burden Reduction; Small Business; and Consumer Services.

Prior to his role in government, Giles held positions within the Canadian media landscape, including as editor-in-chief of the Toronto Star, political editor of the National Post and editor of the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business. 

Opening Remarks:

• Alastair Perry, Vice-President, Renewables, SNC-Lavalin

Fireside Chat:

• Tony Valeri, P.C. Decarbonization Investment Project Team – Funding and Government Relations, ArcelorMittal Dofasco
• Alastair Perry, Vice-President, Renewables, SNC-Lavalin

Alastair Perry, Vice-President, Renewables, SNC-Lavalin

Alastair Perry is responsible for SNC-Lavalin’s Canadian renewable energy business.

Alastair has an electrical engineering degree from Queen’s University, a MBA from Cornell University and twenty years of experience in the Canadian energy sector spanning oil & gas, nuclear and renewables.

Alastair has held roles in supply chain, marketing, sales, field technical support, project management, business planning and strategy, quality assurance, commercial and contracts, and general management.

Alastair works with a talented group of forward-thinking engineers at SNC-Lavalin who are intent on engineering a better future for our planet and its people.  He is passionate about helping clients achieve their net zero and decarbonization targets and also contributes to thought leadership on the matter.

Tony Valeri, P.C. Decarbonization Investment Project Team – Funding and Government Relations, ArcelorMittal Dofasco

Tony joined ArcelorMittal Dofasco in June 2011 from his own firm, Ridge Strategy Group, a public affairs and management consulting company. From 2011 to April 2022, Tony was responsible for Communications, Sustainable Development and Government Relations and Trade. In May 2022, as a member of the Executive Team, he was appointed to his current role within the company’s Decarbonization Team, leading funding and government relations. As part of this, Tony is focused on the path to net-zero for ArcelorMittal’s Hamilton steelmaking complex. 

Tony was a Member of Parliament for four consecutive terms, beginning in 1993. During his terms in office, he served as Minister of Transport and subsequently led the Government's legislative program as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Prior to assuming public office, he was principal of a life and health benefits practice. 

Tony is a graduate of McMaster University and is actively involved in the community. He is a Director on the Board of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and a Director on the St. Joseph's Health System Board. 

Opening Remarks:

• John MacQuarrie, President, Commercial Operations, BWX Technologies

Panelists:

• John MacQuarrie, President, Commercial Operations, BWX Technologies
• David Harris, President & CEO, Kinectrics
• Tony Morris, President, Niagara Energy Products
• Narinder Bains, Vice-President of Sales - Nuclear, ATS Automation Systems

Moderator:

• Julianne den Decker, Senior Vice-President, Candu Energy

John MacQuarrie, President, Commercial Operations, BWX Technologies

John MacQuarrie is President of the Commercial Operations segment of BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT), which serves the global commercial nuclear power industry with engineering, components, fuel and services, and it serves the nuclear medicine industry with medical isotopes and radiopharmaceuticals.

With 30 years of industry experience, Mr. MacQuarrie’s career includes over 24 years with the Company. John is a licensed professional engineer in the province of Ontario and is Chair of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Nuclear Association and a board member with the Nuclear Innovation Institute.

David Harris, President & CEO, Kinectrics

David Harris’ mission as President and CEO is to ensure that Kinectrics is a vibrant, and growing company by focusing on adding exceptional value to our customers, ensuring our employees have every opportunity to develop to their full potential, and investing in state-of-the-art facilities.

David works in a collaborative, hands-on manner with the executive leadership team, ensuring individuals are given both clear direction and the autonomy to lead their teams for success. Together they create a work environment that emphasizes personal accountability and rewards excellence. As a result, the work culture at Kinectrics is low on bureaucracy and high on timely decision-making based on input and consultation.

Working in the industry since 1978, David has worked in several executive positions in companies dedicated to improving engineering, energy generation, and infrastructure around the world. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leeds.

Since joining Kinectrics in 2003 as President and CEO, David has led a team that has successfully grown the company by over 600% through the capture of additional market share, geographic expansion, and strategic acquisitions.

David is a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (UK), as well as the UK Institute of Directors Training Program on Directorship. He believes in promoting family, personal, and professional development in himself and others. With a keen interest in sport and fitness, he enjoys watching hockey and cricket and going for gentle walks.

Tony Morris, President, Niagara Energy Products

Tony Morris is the newly appointed President of Niagara Energy Products Inc. a fabricator of large, heavy, and nuclear grade components for the North American reactor and waste management markets. Tony is a Chartered Chemist, Graduate and Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Tony started his career in the Chemical and Polymer Industry in the United Kingdom before joining a predecessor company of British Energy in 1975 and has remained in the Nuclear Industry since that time working in the United Kingdom, France, Ukraine, United States, South Africa, and Canada.

During his early career he was responsible for the chemical control of operational nuclear reactors and implemented new managerial systems, ISO9000 quality programs and software systems supporting nuclear unit high performance operation.

In the early-90’s he managed the business activities on a twin Advanced Gas Reactor site and in the mid-90’s he moved to Scotland becoming responsible for British Energy’s commercial consultancy business. During this time he was the EU Nuclear Advisor to the Ukrainian Government and led financial due diligence on Rovno-4 and Khmelnitsky-2 Nuclear Power Plant construction for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

On arrival in Canada in 1997 he developed an investment proposal for a public/private partnership in the nuclear assets of Ontario Hydro which eventually led to the formation of Bruce Power. He was involved in the due diligence on nine nuclear sites in North America and the acquisition and disposal of Bruce Power and three US nuclear power plants.

In the mid-2000’s Tony worked with Shaw, Westinghouse and PBMR on development of a process heat and a nuclear steam supply solution for the Alberta oil sands involving extensive interaction with oil companies and potential investors in nuclear technologies. Tony joined Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in 2010 working on nuclear new build proposals for Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and the UK. Upon leaving Candu Energy in 2019 Tony joined the team at Niagara Energy Products looking to expand their product range and grow the business to the point that it has now been acquired by NAC International with the intention to lead the company to the forefront of the spent fuel storage, waste management, and primary pressure boundary component business for both large reactors and small modular reactors.

Narinder Bains, Vice-President of Sales - Nuclear, ATS Automation Systems

Narinder graduated from Warwick University in 1985 with MSc. Manufacturing Systems.

In 1987 Narinder joined Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. as a Robotics engineer and implemented automation for nuclear reactor inspection and maintenance. In 1990 he joined SPAR Aerospace as a senior engineer and worked on the design and configuration of multi- degree of freedom programmable manipulators to service the Space Station Freedom.

Narinder re-joined AECL in 1992 and became the manager of the development and test services and in 1996 Narinder was promoted to the position of Director of Inspection and Maintenance services group. During this time he was responsible for major projects at almost every Candu site in the world. In 2005 Narinder, as the Director, Retube Systems, was responsible for developing all the automated tooling from concept to commissioning for the refurbishing of the Candu 6 nuclear reactors.

In 2008 Narinder along with four partners created Promation Nuclear Ltd. and established Promation as a key nuclear supplier to the Canadian utilities.

In 2012 Narinder joined ATS Automation as the General Manager, Nuclear, developing automation for reactor outages, refurbishment programs, decommissioning and SMR’s.

Narinder is now the vice president of sales, nuclear responsible for global sales and developing ATS as a world class nuclear automation and services company.

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Speakers:

• Joe Mancinelli, International Vice-President and Canadian Director, LiUNA
• Jeff Parnell, President, Power Workers' Union
• Laurie Reid, Secretary Treasurer, The Society of United Professionals

Moderator:

• Rob Blackstein, Partner, BLG & Chair, TRBOT Energy & Climate Committee

Joe Mancinelli, International Vice-President and Canadian Director, LiUNA

Joseph S. Mancinelli is the International Vice President and Central and Eastern Canada Regional Manager and Canadian Director of the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), the most progressive and fastest growing union representing over 140 000 members across Canada and half a million strong across North America who build and better our communities and strengthen our economy.

Mr. Mancinelli leads many of LiUNA’s entities including serving as Chair of the LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada (LPF), which under his leadership, has grown to over $12 Billion in assets including leadership public-private (P3) partnerships and a diverse portfolio from infrastructure, energy, transit and many more.

Joe is an advocate of community building and a champion of benevolent causes.He is a dedicated advocate for community building which extends beyond brick and mortar, raising millions of dollars for philanthropic causes locally and nationally. He is committed to the health and safety of Canada’s workforce and is always working to achieve greater opportunities for them.

He is an ardent supporter of the arts, is passionate about the restoration of historical sites and is an accomplished artist in his own right.

Over the years he has served on numerous committees including serving on McMaster University’s Board of Governors, the Province of Ontario’s Invest Ontario Committee and the Co-Chair of the Toronto Region Board of Trade’s Housing Affordability Committee, serving as a founding director of the Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation, and on the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation Board of Directors.

Joe has also been a leader in community advocacy and fundraising initiatives for the building of inclusive futures, including children’s charities and causes, hospitals and health care centres, Make A Wish Canada, Camp Trillium, Easter Seals, the United Way, Mt. Sinai, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, the ALS Society, Down Syndrome Research Foundation, Larger than Life, as well as natural disaster relief and cultural inclusiveness initiatives. He exemplified tremendous leadership throughout the pandemic, on behalf of the industry and members he serves, working collaboratively with all levels of government and employer partners to ensure that the health, safety and wellbeing of the members of LiUNA remained highest propriety.

His leadership has been acknowledged by countless organizations including receiving the Paul Harris Fellow from the Rotary Club, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, being inducted into Hamilton’s Gallery of Distinction, the Italian Walk of Fame, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce lifetime achieve recipient and has been bestowed an honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from McMaster University.

Joe is a lifelong Hamiltonian. He and his wife Enza have been married for 37 years, they have five children and two grandsons.

Jeff Parnell, President, Power Workers' Union

Jeff Parnell is an electrician by trade and has been employed with Ontario Power Generation (OPG)/Ontario Hydro for 30 years.

His activism with the PWU began in 1991 when he was elected as a Shop Steward. Over the years Jeff has fulfilled the roles of Health and Safety Representative, Health and Safety Accident Investigator and was the Chief Steward in Unit 2-12 for seven years before his election as Executive Officer of the PWU in September of 2016. He swore his Oath of Office on June 22, 2017 at the PWU Election Convention.

Jeff has worked hard for the membership of this sector. He fought to keep the doors of the machine shops open in New Liskeard and Niagara. Jeff is currently working with the communities in Northwestern Ontario, to help stimulate the emerging bio-economy. He remains focused on ensuring PWU members receive the highest quality of representation.

Jeff is married to his wife Giovanna, and they make their home in North Bay, Ontario. Together, they have raised two children, Gina & Jack who are currently attending the University of Western Ontario.

Laurie Reid, Secretary Treasurer, The Society of United Professionals

Laurie Reid was elected Secretary-Treasurer in July, 2021. Prior to this role, Ms. Reid was Vice President of the Society's Ontario Energy Board Local, served on the Society's Executive Committee and continues to serve as Executive Board sponsor and member of the union's Pride & Solidarity Committee.

Ms. Reid received her Bachelor of Applied Science from Queen's University and is a Professional Engineer.

Rob Blackstein, Partner, BLG & Chair, TRBOT Energy & Climate Committee

Rob is a seasoned business and transactional lawyer who has expertise in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, financings, private equity and venture capital.

He advises corporations, investment funds and other clients across a range of sectors, including energy and infrastructure.

In the energy sector, Rob works on matters involving generation (solar, wind, hydro, gas and nuclear), transmission and distribution, as well as projects for investors, lenders, retailers, marketers and other industry participants across Canada’s electricity sector.

On infrastructure projects, he acts for public authorities, developers and design-builders, with a focus on:

• public-private partnerships including social infrastructure (hospitals, universities, courthouses and detention facilities)
• transportation (toll roads, rail and ports)
• large infrastructure projects in the energy sector (transmission lines and hydro facilities)

Rob has also acted on the formation and structuring of various project and investment vehicles, including energy and infrastructure funds, and has represented fund sponsors and institutional investors in connection with such transactions.

Rob is a member of the Toronto Board of Trade Energy Committee and is involved in a number of energy and infrastructure industry associations.

He has presented at numerous client seminars and webinars and has also authored client bulletins, newsletters and updates on various legal matters. Rob is also a member of the firm’s Private Equity Steering Committee.

Panelists:

• Ehren Cory, CEO, Canada Infrastructure Bank
• Nicolle Butcher, Chief Operating Officer, Ontario Power Generation
• Mike Rencheck, President and CEO, Bruce Power

Moderator:

• Rod Phillips, Former Ontario Minister of Finance

Ehren Cory, CEO, Canada Infrastructure Bank

Ehren Cory is the CEO of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), an impact investor deploying $35 billion to develop the next generation of infrastructure Canadians need. He is a recognized leader in sustainable finance and infrastructure investing in Canada.

Ehren joined the Canada Infrastructure Bank in 2020, bringing his strong leadership approach, infrastructure expertise, and a track record of delivering results by partnering with the private and public sectors. He is focused on the CIB’s strategic direction including implementing the $10B Growth Plan to accelerate infrastructure investment in Canada and building the CIB as a results-oriented organization.

Prior to joining the CIB in November 2020, Ehren was the president and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, a provincial Crown Agency responsible for financing, building, and enhancing the value of the province’s infrastructure and real estate assets. He became CEO in 2017 after spending four years with the Agency in executive roles responsible for the successful transaction structuring, tendering, and delivery of billions of dollars in infrastructure projects.

Between 2001 and 2012, Ehren was a partner at McKinsey & Company in Toronto, where he served as a leader in the Public Sector and Capital Projects practices, advising clients in both the private and public sectors.

Ehren is involved in a number of Canadian and international organizations tackling sustainability in relation to finance and the development of infrastructure, including the Sustainable Finance Institute at Queen’s University and the Toronto Region Board of Trade Financial Innovation committee. He also serves on the Board of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships.

Ehren is a graduate of the MBA program at INSEAD in Fontainebleau France, where he graduated with distinction. He also received an Honours degree in Business Administration (HBA) from the University of Western Ontario.

Nicolle Butcher, Chief Operating Officer, Ontario Power Generation

Nicolle Butcher is OPG’s Chief Operations Officer. Nicolle is responsible for all of OPG's generating fleet with a capacity of over 15,600 MW consisting of 10 nuclear units, 66 hydro stations, two thermal stations and a solar facility. She is also responsible for the engineering function, integrated fleet management and the energy-related commercial business functions including energy trading, commercial contracting, and market affairs at OPG.

In addition, Nicolle is the Chair of the Board of both Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, OPG’s US hydro subsidiary and Atura Power, OPG’s fleet of combined cycle gas plants.

In her previous role as Senior Vice President, Renewable Generation and Power Marketing, Nicolle was accountable for the operation of hydroelectric and thermal generation in Ontario.

In her 22 years with OPG, Nicolle held a wide range of roles in OPG, including OPG’s Corporate Business Development and Strategy team, focusing on implementing OPG’s long-term strategic plan, including executing on $5B of acquisitions, building an electrification strategy and driving an innovation culture at OPG. She also worked with Canadian Nuclear Partners (now Laurentis Energy Partners), leading a corporate-wide business transformation and developing the Portlands Energy Centre in Toronto.

In 2021, Nicolle was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and named Women of the Year by WIRE (Women in Renewable Energy) and APPRO (Association of Power Producers of Ontario).

She sits on the Board of Directors of WaterPower Canada and the MaRS-Advanced Energy Centre Advisory Board of Directors. Nicolle holds an MBA from McGill University, is a Chartered Business Valuator, and has earned an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Mike Rencheck, President and CEO, Bruce Power

Michael W. Rencheck is President and Chief Executive Officer of Bruce Power. Bruce Power provides over 30% of the electricity for Ontario, and produces medical grade isotopes that help to sterilize 40% of the single-use medical devices around the world, while also treating cancer. Bruce Power provides electricity from eight nuclear reactors, and a five-turbine wind energy facility. We believe in our social responsibility and have award-winning economic development and community betterment initiatives.

Over the last 36 years, Mike has served in a number of roles. Prior to joining Bruce Power in 2016, he served as the Deputy Chief Operating Officer for AREVA Group, overseeing its extensive global capital portfolio of nuclear and renewable projects. Prior to this, he served as President and CEO of AREVA Inc. in North America, leading its diverse nuclear manufacturing and services business in Canada and the United States with a workforce of about 5,000 people.

Prior to joining AREVA, Mike was the Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer at American Electric Power (AEP). AEP is a major investor-owned electric utility in the United States, delivering electricity to more than five million customers in 11 states, with 38,000 megawatts of generation assets.

After joining AEP in 1998 as VP of Nuclear Engineering, Mike held various positions during his tenure, including Senior Vice President of Engineering, Projects and Field Services, where he led an extensive capital expansion program and strategic initiatives; Senior VP of Engineering, Technical and Environmental Services; and President of AEP ProServ, a wholly-owned engineering and field services subsidiary responsible for major power generation projects and outage management.

Before joining AEP, Mike worked for Florida Power Corporation serving as Director, Nuclear Engineering and Projects, for Crystal River Nuclear Station. Earlier in his career, Mike worked at Public Service Electric & Gas Company Salem Nuclear Generating Station as Director of System Engineering and Duquesne Light Company’s Beaver Valley Power Station.

In 2014, Mike was recognized by the National Safety Council for his leadership demonstrating a personal commitment to worker safety and health as part of “CEO’s who get it.” He was designated by the U.S. Department of Energy as a STEM ambassador, and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority. Mike currently sits on the board of directors of the Nuclear Energy Institute.

He also has demonstrated a commitment to many organizations that make a difference in people’s lives including Habitat for Humanity and the United Way.

He is a Professional Engineer and certified senior reactor operator and currently serves on the Advisory Councils of several small modular reactor companies.

Rod Phillips, Former Ontario Minister of Finance

Rod Phillips is a business and public policy leader and lifelong community volunteer. In 2018, he was elected as the Member of Provincial Parliament representing the suburban community of Ajax. During his time in government, Rod served as the Minister of Finance, the Minister Long Term Care and the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks. Prior to his public service, Rod was the President and CEO of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and the health and productivity company Morneau-Shepell (Lifeworks).  He served as the Chair of the Board of Postmedia Network Inc., Canadian Chair and Global Advisory Board member of AI unicorn Afiniti and served on the corporate boards of Data Communications Management, Top Aces, and the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. He is currently a member of the board of Canaccord Genuity. Rod began his career as a management consultant with KPMG. He also worked with Goodmans LLP and as Chief of Staff to the first Mayor of the amalgamated city of Toronto.

An active community volunteer Rod served as the Chair of Civic Action and the TELUS Community Fund. He was the founding Chair of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Transforming Lives Gala and a member of the Boards of the Toronto International Film Festival, the Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation, the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health, the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, Bridgepoint Health, and the Toronto Community Foundation.  He is a past President of the Canadian Club of Toronto.

Rod was selected as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 and as one of the “Best of the Best “on the 10th Anniversary of that award.  In 2009, with investment partner the Clairvest Group, he was awarded the Canadian Venture Capital Association Deal of the Year in the Private Equity category.  In 2010 he was appointed Honorary Lieutenant Colonel, 32^nd Combat Engineers Regiment headquartered at Downsview Base, Toronto.

A graduate of the MBA program at Wilfrid Laurier University Rod also holds an Honours BA in Political Science and English from Western University.  He is a graduate of the Rotman School of Management Directors Education Program with Institute of Corporate Directors designation, ICD.D.

Speaker:

• Faisal Kazi, President & CEO, Siemens Canada & Vice-Chair, TRBOT Energy & Climate Committee

Faisal Kazi, President & CEO, Siemens Canada & Vice-Chair, TRBOT Energy & Climate Committee

Faisal Kazi is the President and CEO of Siemens Canada. Mr. Kaziis responsible for leading the overall strategic management, direction and leadership of Siemens activities in Canada.

In addition to his role as President and CEO, Mr. Kazi is responsible for the leadership of the Smart Infrastructure business and serves as a board member of multiple Siemens affiliates in Canada.

Mr. Kazi joined Siemens in 1990 and has worked in various areas ofthe organization, including Siemens Energy, Industry, IT and Infrastructure businesses in Germany, The Netherlands, Brazil and the United States. In 2011, he joined Siemens Canada as the regional and sales head of the Transformers business in North and South America. He has also led the Siemens Transmission division for North America.

Mr. Kazi is on the Board of Directors for the Business Council of Canada, the Toronto Board of Trade and the Canadian German Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Business Administration.

A passionate champion of Siemens Canada’s corporate social responsibility programs, Mr. Kazi takes pride in giving back to the community.

He lives in Oakville, Ontario where he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children.

‎Speaker:

• Giles Gherson, EVP and Chair, Economic Blueprint Institute, Toronto Region Board of Trade