Disclosure Requirements: Women on Boards and in Senior Management

Presented in partnership by:

         

Please join the Association of Women in Finance (AWF) and Women in Capital Markets (WCM) at The Vancouver Club on October 1, 2015 for an informative luncheon and engaging panel discussion. Our distinguished panelists will comment on how new public company gender diversity disclosure rules adopted in Canada are driving governance, decision making and the representation of women on boards and in senior management.

Location

The Vancouver Club

915 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC

Time

• 11:30am – 11:45am - Open for Registration and Networking
• 11:45am – 2:00pm – Luncheon and Panel discussion

Panelists 

Michelle de Cordova 

Director, Corporate Engagement & Public Policy, NEI Investments

For the last seven years, Michelle has worked within the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Services team at NEI Investments, home of Ethical Funds, where she is responsible for the Corporate Engagement program. NEI’s comprehensive Corporate Engagement program integrates targeted, in-depth dialogues with around 50 selected companies each year on a wide range of ESG issues, including diversity; engaged proxy voting according to detailed guidelines promoting sustainability and good governance; responding to proactive requests from leading companies and industry associations for an investor perspective on sustainability; public policy engagement on corporate regulations and standards to create sector and economy-wide change; and participation in multi-stakeholder initiatives to find practical solutions to sustainability problems. She has authored and co-authored a variety of publications and submissions on responsible investment topics, including NEI’s contributions to recent consultations on board diversity disclosure requirements. Before joining NEI Investments, Michelle served as a diplomat and worked as a staff member and consultant for environment and social development organizations in Canada, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Neil de Gelder 

Director of Pan American Silver Corp.

Mr. de Gelder joined Stern Partners as Executive Vice President in 2005, and is involved in all aspects of the group's activities.  Prior to joining Stern Partners, he practiced law with a leading Canadian law firm for almost 25 years, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, financing, corporate governance and financial services matters. Mr. de Gelder is a past Executive Director of the British Columbia Securities Commission.  He also serves, or has served, on a variety of corporate and community boards, including the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, Pan American Silver Corp., Discovery Fund (VCC) Ltd., the Vancouver Board of Trade and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

 

James Munro

Partner, McMillan LLP

Mr. James Munro is a partner in McMillan LLP's Capital Markets group in Vancouver. His practice focuses on securities, corporate finance, and mining law.As part of his securities and corporate finance practice, James advises private and public clients in a range of industries in connection with venture capital financings, initial public offerings, private placements, public equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, stock exchange listings, corporate governance, securities regulatory matters, contested shareholder meetings and proxy contests, and general corporate and securities law matters.

James completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of British Columbia in 2000, and went on to graduate from the Faculty of Law at Queen's University in 2004. He was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 2005.

Moderator

Jennifer Reynolds

President & CEO, Women in Capital Markets

Jennifer Reynolds is the President and CEO of Women in Capital Markets and has been an active advocate and supporter of the advancement of women in the industry over her career. Prior to joining WCM, Jennifer spent 15 years working in the capital markets industry, most recently as a Managing Director and Head of the Diversified Industries Investment Banking group with Stonecap Securities. Jennifer has also held senior roles in investment banking with BMO Capital Markets and in the venture capital industry with OMERS Ventures.

Jennifer is a Director on the Board of the Canada Development Investment Corporation (“CDEV”), and is a former Member of the Ontario Venture Capital Fund Advisory Committee, Chair of the Board of Advisors of the Microskills Business Incubator,  and Director on the Board of Studio 180, an independent,  aToronto based theatre company. Jennifer is also active in her community as the Honorary Chair of the Princess Margaret Hospital Weekend Walk to End Women's Cancers and a Member of the YWCA Women of Distinction Committee.

Jennifer is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Women's Leadership program, and she received her MBA from McGill University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Economics and Political Science from McGill University.