B7 Summit: Get to Know Our Speakers

Vivian Abdelmessih
Board Chair, Export Development Canada (EDC)

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Vivian Abdelmessih was appointed Chairperson of EDC’s Board on March 31, 2023, for a term of four years. Vivian is a highly experienced professional in the financial services sector, having spent more than 30 years working for RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) and TD (Toronto Dominion Bank) in Canada and the US.

In her final role as Chief Risk Officer, Canadian Banking, Auto Finance, Insurance and Global Wealth Management, TDBG, she was responsible for the strategic management of risk across all of TD’s Canadian Businesses with oversight over all risk types. During her career, she has also held senior management positions in the front office and key operational roles, driving strategy, growth and transformation. She is well-versed in Financial and Capital markets, with diverse experience across a broad array of industries and segments. Vivian has also served on numerous corporate and not-for-profit boards, including First Nations Bank of Canada, The Canadian Business Growth Fund and Greenwood College, and served as past Chair of TD’s Women in Leadership Committee and United Way campaigns.

Vivian currently sits as the Lead Independent director of Scientific Games and chairs the Audit and Risk committee. She also sits on the Advisory Board of The Equity Opportunity: Advancing Women’s Economic Well-being, launched by LEAP|Pecaut Centre for Social Impact to address long-standing barriers preventing women from achieving full economic well-being.

Vivian holds an Honors BA in Political Science and English from the University of Toronto and an MBA from The Richard Ivey School of Business and completed the Wharton Business School Advanced Risk Management Executive Education program. She is a graduate of the Rotman School of Management Institute of Corporate Directors and holds the ICD.D designation.

Kevin Allison
Founder & President, Minerva Technology Advisors

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Kevin Allison is the president and founder of Minerva Technology Advisors, a geopolitical consultancy focused on the technology sector. Kevin launched Minerva in 2023 after nearly a decade of pioneering the geopolitical analysis of critical and emerging technologies in the private sector, first at Eurasia Group, where he led the company’s geotechnology practice, and later at Albright Stonebridge Group. Earlier in his career, Kevin was a correspondent and columnist for the Financial Times, where he covered Silicon Valley, and at Thomson Reuters. Kevin is a globally recognized expert on the role of technology in geopolitical statecraft and teaches about AI, National Security, and Innovation at the Wilson Center’s AI Policy Lab.

Meni Anastasiadou
Policy Manager for Digital Economy, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

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Meni Anastasiadou is a Digital Policy Manager for the Global Policy Department (Digital Economy Commission) at the International Chamber of Commerce. In her role she manages the work of ICC’s Global Digital Economy Commission, and its policy contributions on areas including AI, Cybersecurity, Connectivity and Data Governance.

Previously, she has occupied positions in the private sector as a consultant for Meta and has also worked as a policy coordinator in cloud policy and critical infrastructure for Microsoft CELA. She has also acquired experience in the public sector at the government and external affairs department of the European Banking Authority (EBA), where she focused on communications and public affairs engagement for cross-cutting issues on financial innovation, including digital operational resilience. In the beginning of her career, she worked as a journalist, a social researcher and public affairs assistant for a public interest law organisation.
Meni Anastasiadou is a Greek National and holds a BSc in Law, a Master’s in Business Law, a BA in Political Science, and an Associate’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Media Communications.

Lisa Baiton
President & CEO, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)

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Lisa Baiton is the sixth CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP). CAPP represents the Canadian upstream oil and natural gas industry, and CAPP’s member companies operate from coast-to-coast and are responsible for nearly three quarters of Canada’s annual oil and natural gas production and approximately 450,000 jobs in nearly all regions of Canada. Since her appointment in 2022, Lisa has overseen the strategic realignment of CAPP’s priorities and advocacy efforts, re-establishing CAPP as a non-partisan evidence-based research advocacy organization and authoritative resource on energy industrial policy.

Prior to joining CAPP, Lisa spent a third of her career through three CEO tenures on the global leadership team of one of the ten largest retirement funds in the world (CPP Investments) as its first Managing Director & Head of Global Public Affairs. Lisa built a new global geopolitical risk management function as the Fund expanded its international footprint, including into emerging markets, and had responsibility for strategy development and program execution covering 56 countries.

Lisa has held other leadership roles including as Vice President & Practice Lead at a North American public affairs firm, and within three federal and provincial governments in Canada.

She has a BA in Political Science from the University of Saskatchewan, an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management (Northwestern University) and Schulich School of Business (York University), with global electives completed at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. Lisa has an Institute of Corporate Directors ICD.D certification (University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management) and has served 20+ years on various boards of directors.

Whitney Baird
President & CEO, United States Council for International Business (USCIB)

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Whitney Baird is President and CEO of the US Council for International Business (USCIB), an organization dedicated to powering the success of American businesses.

Baird’s international affairs experience gives her perspective on the complex challenges and opportunities facing American businesses in today’s global economy. Prior to USCIB, Baird served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the US State Department, leading efforts to promote American economic interests abroad. Baird also led the US Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as Chargé d’Affaires from 2020-2022.

During her diplomatic career, Baird was appointed Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at U.S. Embassy London, Director of Multilateral Trade, Director of European Union Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for West Africa and Security Affairs, and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Europe and European Union and Regional Affairs. She also served at US embassies in Madrid, Dakar, Lome, and Yaoundé, earning distinction as the recipient of the Secretary’s Career Achievement Award and multiple Superior Honor Awards.

Baird holds an MS in International Security Studies from the National Defense University and a BS in Political Science from the University of North Carolina.

Ian Anderson
Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Teck Resources Ltd.

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Ian Anderson was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer in 2024, with responsibility for driving Teck’s commercial success and margin optimization.

With over 20 years at Teck, Ian has extensive experience across commercial and operational functions. He has held key roles such as General Manager of both Line Creek and Fording River Operations, Vice President, Logistics and Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. In his role, Ian is responsible for market and procurement strategies and performance, market and economic analysis and external partnerships to achieve the company’s strategic objectives.

Ian holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

Alex Benay
Associate Deputy Minister, Enterprise Pay Coordination of Canada

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Alex Benay became Associate Deputy Minister of Enterprise Pay Coordination in June 2023.

Prior to this appointment, Alex was a senior partner with Levio Business and Technology and Vice Chair of the National Arts Centre. From 2020 to 2022, he served as the Global Lead of Government Azure Strategy at Microsoft where he helped governments around the world adopt cloud technologies.

From 2019 to 2020, Alex was a partner with KPMG where he led the digital transformation of governments and Fortune 500 companies in the areas of technology, people and strategy.

Alex was a Deputy Minister at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat from 2017 to 2019 where he served as Chief Information Officer. In this role, he oversaw key information technology initiatives in service modernization, legacy system management, good governance, and open and transparent government.

Alex was also the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation (Ingenium) where he oversaw the transformation of the country’s national museums. In addition, he is a former Global Affairs Canada executive.

Alex is the author of 2 books: Canadian Failures and Government Digital. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Ottawa.

Emily Benson
Head of Strategy, Minerva Technology Futures

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Emily Benson is Head of Strategy at Minerva Technology Futures, where she advises technology clients on geopolitical risks that affect trade and investment decisions. She previously served as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Commerce in a unit focused on geopolitical risk in critical supply chains. She also directed the Project on Trade and Technology at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. and worked in legislative affairs and international trade law in the transatlantic context. Her work has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal, and on television, including the BBC, Bloomberg, and CNN. She received her joint BA in international affairs and political science from the University of Colorado and her MA in political science from the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Fluent in French, Emily has lived abroad in France, Indonesia, and Switzerland.

Sophie Bergeron
Managing Director for Rio Tinto Iron, Titanium & Diamonds, Rio Tinto

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Sophie Bergeron was appointed Managing Director, Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium (RTIT) and Diamonds, in October 2022. With a bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering from École Polytechnique de Montréal, Ms. Bergeron began her career in Northern Quebec over twenty (20) years ago and has held various engineering and management positions throughout the Americas, from Nunavik in Northern Quebec to the Santa Cruz Province in Southern Argentina. Back in Quebec since December 2017, she was general manager of a mining complex before joining Rio Tinto, in 2020.

Throughout her career, she has consistently focused on leveraging her technical and continuous improvement skills for health and safety. She obtained her Six Sigma certification and a certificate in Business Optimization from the University of Melbourne in Australia. She also served as a board member of the Québec Mining Association in 2018 and 2019, and currently serves on the NYSE Board of Directors as a non-executive director.

Ms. Bergeron is a passionate manager with a commitment to Health, Safety, Environment, Communities, Innovation and Value Creation, she is proud to contribute to a sustainable and responsible mining industry with Rio Tinto as Managing Director, RTIT and Diamonds and to bring her vision to foster a collaborative and responsible environment.

Markus Beyrer
CEO, BusinessEurope

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Markus J. Beyrer has been Director General of BUSINESSEUROPE since late 2012.

Prior to this he held the positions of CEO of the Austrian Industry Holding ÖIAG, Director General of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) and Director for Economic Affairs of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.

Before this Mr Beyrer served as Chief Economic Advisor to the Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, Dr. Wolfgang Schüssel.

Mr Beyrer read Law and Commercial Sciences in Vienna, graduating in law at the University of Vienna. Later he completed postgraduate studies in European Law at the Danube University in Krems (Austria) and the Stanford Executive Program at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.

Mr Beyrer is married and has two children.

Benjamin Brake
Director General, Digital and Data Policy | German Federal Ministry, Digital and Transport

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Ben Brake has been head of the new Digital and Data Policy directorate-general at the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) since 1 March 2022. In this position, the sociologist reports directly to State Secretary for Digital, Stefan Schnorr. Before joining the Ministry, Brake spent roughly ten years at the head of the Berlin office of IT service provider IBM, where he represented the company’s policy interests. His early career included positions at the German Bundestag and as private secretary to the then Federal Minister of Justice, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger (FDP).

Elizabeth Boylan
Director, External Affairs North America, FMC Corporation

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Elizabeth Armstrong Boylan is a government affairs leader with deep expertise in the chemical and innovation sectors. She currently leads North American External Affairs at FMC Corporation, a US-based global agricultural sciences company and is an appointed advisor on an Industry Trade Advisory Committee for USTR and the US Department of Commerce.

A proven leader with a strong foundation in policy, innovation, and stakeholder engagement in the petrochemical industry, Elizabeth plays a pivotal role in advancing policies that support science-based regulation and R&D investment for emerging technologies. She specializes in navigating complex international dynamics helping multinational companies optimize global operations, mitigate risk and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

She enjoys exploring the outdoors with her family and supporting their favorite philanthropic organizations serving on several boards and championing global diplomacy, education, and youth development.

Kevin Buckley
Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Supply Chain, Johnson & Johnson

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Kevin Buckley, the Vice President Global Government Affairs Supply Chain, Technical Operations and Risk for Johnson & Johnson. In this position he oversees the team responsible for developing and executing legislative, regulatory, and government solutions and strategies that maximize supply chain agility and resiliency, while minimizing risk. Kevin and his team provide geopolitical analysis on issues that can impact company operations, people or patients. Kevin engages with governments worldwide on the establishment, expansion, and retention of J&J facilities. In addition, he is responsible for spearheading initiatives on workforce development, energy security, advanced manufacturing, and economic growth policies. He serves on the Supply Chain Management Committee, Corporate Crisis Management Team and Global Leadership Team for Worldwide Government Affairs & Policy (WWGA&P). Kevin’s career has spanned more than 25 years in government affairs, including 15 years with Johnson & Johnson.

Gerald Michael Butts
Vice Chairman, Eurasia Group

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As vice chairman and a senior advisor at Eurasia Group, Gerald works closely with CEO MaziarMinovi and President Ian Bremmer on strategic initiatives across all areas of the firm. Withexperience on a multitude of public policy and geopolitical issues, he has developed deep expertiseon climate change, trade, energy, sustainable finance, and artificial intelligence and advises EurasiaGroup clients across these areas.Gerald has successfully led Canadian and global organizations in the public and private sectors for20 years. As the principal secretary to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from 2015–2019,Gerald was responsible for providing executive direction on the development, implementation, andcommunication of the government’s agenda. This work included overseeing economic policy, thenegotiation of the Paris climate accord, and the creation of Canada’s first national climate changeplan—which included an economy-wide price on carbon. Gerald played a major role in managingrelations with the US administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, as well as in therenegotiation of NAFTA.

Prior to his work with the prime minister, Gerald served as policy secretary and principal secretaryto the premier of the province of Ontario, where he led the implementation of the government’s$100 billion core agenda. Gerald was also the CEO of WWF-Canada, where he was responsible forinternational engagement and global projects to decarbonize the supply chains of multinationalcompanies.A successful leader in politics as well as public policy, Gerald designed the strategies for the LiberalParty’s 2015 and 2019 national election campaigns, as well as Trudeau’s bid to win the party’sleadership in 2013. The 2015 campaign, widely recognized as one of Canada’s most innovative andsuccessful, allowed the Liberal Party to move from third place in parliament to forming a majoritygovernment. Its gain of 148 new seats was the largest in Canadian history.In addition to his work with Eurasia Group, Gerald leads New Climate Group, a private consultancythat advises global financial firms, educational institutions, and philanthropists on strategicinvestments in climate mitigation and resilience, and artificial intelligence. He holds undergraduateand graduate degrees from McGill University.

Alessandro Cattaneo
Ambassador of Italy to Canada, Embassy of Italy

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Alessandro was originally appointed as a career Diplomat, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), following a public competition recruitment process through a training course at the Diplomatic Institute of the MFA, Rome. He then became Second Secretary, Deputy Head for Italian language courses abroad, and Directorate General for migration issues, MFA. Alessandro when on to become the General Secretariat, Coordination Unit, MFA, and later the Head, Economic, Commercial and Scientific Office, Embassy of Italy, in Tel Aviv. He was appointed First Secretary, then Permanent Delegation of Italy to NATO, Brussels (covering, at different times: Political Committee, NATO-Ukraine Commission, NATO-Georgia Commission, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, Mediterranean Dialogue, Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Public Diplomacy, Spokesperson, Chief of Staff). He became a Counsellor, and lastly worked in the Diplomatic Affairs Office, Presidency of the Italian Republic, Rome, covering Middle East, pol-mil issues and NATO.

Barbara Cimmino
Vice President for Export and Investment Attraction, Confindustria | Co-Chair of the B20 Task Force on Trade & Investment

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Born in Naples on September 23, 1969, and living in Busto Arsizio, she is married and a mother of three.

Her career is distinguished by a steadfast commitment to innovation and sustainability in the textile, fashion, and retail industries. As co-founder of Yamamay in 2001, she played a pivotal role in the adoption of best ESG practices, helping to position the brand as a benchmark in its sector.

Her leadership extends to her involvement in key industry associations, where she holds strategic roles. Since 2024, she has served as Vice President of Confindustria, with a mandate for internationalization and investment attraction, and in the same year, she was appointed Vice President of EURATEX (the European Apparel and Textile Confederation), with a focus on sustainability. Within Sistema Moda Italia, she participates in the Presidency Committee.

She also serves as President of ABIE (Advisory Board of Foreign Investors), Vice President of the Leonardo Committee, and is a board member of UNI Italia. Previously, she held the position of Vice President of Confindustria Varese, where she chaired the Textile and Clothing group. She is a member of the Executive Committee of Confimprese.

On an academic level, she has collaborated with institutions such as the IED Institute – Accademia Galli in Como, the IULM University of Milan, and the Vanvitelli University of Naples. She is also actively involved in educating future generations by promoting sustainable practices through numerous lectures and presentations.

Since 2018, she has been the founder and president of DIANA ODV and an active member of the One Ocean Foundation, reflecting her strong commitment to social and environmental causes.

Among the awards she has received, the Asfor-Isvi “Excellence Innovation” Award in 2023, the LILT Commendation in 2021, and the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2017 in the Fashion & Design category stand out.

She holds a degree in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations from the Federico II University of Naples and completed studies in Fashion Merchandising at the American University of London.

Suzanne Clark
President & CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

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Suzanne Clark is President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—the world’s largest business organization, representing employers of every size and sector in Washington, D.C., across the country, and around the globe. Clark has led a multiyear effort to strengthen the Chamber’s well-known influence, advocacy, and impact, while modernizing its work and attracting new members from the fastest growing and most innovative sectors of the U.S. economy. Under her leadership, the Chamber is a champion for bipartisan solutions, building coalitions and driving advocacy on the issues most important to the business community, such as infrastructure, workforce, legal reform, global trade, energy, and tech policy. Clark is a vocal proponent for policies that enable businesses to innovate, invest, and grow and helps lead the fight against government proposals that undermine America’s economic strength and competitiveness.

Clark’s commitment to free enterprise and understanding of the challenges facing America’s businesses stem from her experience creating and running a growing company. Prior to rejoining the Chamber in 2014, she acquired and led the prominent financial information boutique—Potomac Research Group. Before that, Clark was President of the National Journal Group. Earlier in her career, Clark served as the Chamber’s COO, and as Chief of Staff at a major transportation association.

Clark serves on the boards of public companies AGCO and TransUnion as well as The Economic Club of Washington, D.C.

A proud Hoya, Clark earned her B.A. and M.B.A. from Georgetown University.

Catherine Clark
Co-Founder, Honest Talk

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Catherine Clark is a nationally respected broadcaster and emcee, as well as co-founder of The Honest Talk, a leading podcast and digital platform for women which includes The Women’s Summit.

Catherine is also the President of Catherine Clark Communications and Special Advisor to Syntax Strategic, providing communications counsel to individuals and corporations.

Deeply committed to community service, Catherine has served on numerous boards of directors, and currently sits on the Board of Governors of The Ottawa Hospital and the Board of Directors of Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.

Davide Cichero
Chief of Staff, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

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Davide Cichero is the Chief of Staff at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris. In this capacity, he coordinates the Secretary General’s strategic external engagement activities.

Prior to joining ICC, Mr. Cichero worked for high-profile government entities across Europe and the Middle East, leading the design and delivery of public policy, international affairs, and capacity building projects.

Most recently, he was an Associate Partner at Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) in Dubai, where he helped Gulf-based organizations develop policy solutions.

Previously, Mr. Cichero was an advisor to senior decision-makers at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi, on economic development, foreign direct investment attraction, and engagement with target countries and organizations.

Before that, he was an advisor at the G20 Saudi Secretariat in Riyadh, where he provided policy advice and capacity building ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Presidency of the G20 in 2020, focusing on international trade and investment.

In the past, Mr. Cichero worked at the Italian Prime Minister’s Office in Rome, focusing on the policy design and delivery of Italy’s G7 Presidency in 2017.

Mr. Cichero holds a Master’s in International Economics from The Graduate Institute in Geneva and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Bocconi University in Milan. He also received training from SciencesPo in Paris and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore.

Sabina Ciofu
Associate Director – International, techUK

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Sabina Ciofu is Associate Director – International at techUK, running the International Policy and Trade Programme. Based in Brussels, she leads techUK’s work on key markets, including the EU, North America, APAC and the Gulf. She is an expert on digital trade policy and the intersection of economic security, industrial strategy and the geopolitics of technology.

Previously, she worked as Policy Advisor to a Member of the European Parliament for almost a decade, where she specialised in tech regulation, international trade and EU-US relations.

She sits on the Advisory Board of the University College London European Institute, Café Transatlantique, a network of women in transatlantic technology policy and The Nine, Brussels’ first members-only club designed for women.

Sabina holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge.

Antony Cook
Corporate Vice President &

Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft

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Antony Cook has over 30 years of experience in the technology sector and more than 20 years at Microsoft. He has gained deep experience in providing legal, regulatory, and public affairs counsel to businesses around the world.

Antony leads Microsoft’s Customer and Partner Solutions group (CPS), a team comprised of more than 380 legal and government affairs professionals located in over 50 countries around the world. He oversees all the legal support for Microsoft’s worldwide commercial sales organization, while also helping to ensure Microsoft’s business is conducted in a trustworthy and compliant manner. The CPS organization also pioneers new legal and corporate affairs solutions that advance business goals to benefit consumers, industry partners, and communities.

Before coming to the Microsoft headquarters based in Redmond, WA, Antony was based in Singapore, leading the team providing legal and government affairs support for the Microsoft Asia sales business. Prior to that, he was in Istanbul and then Dubai as Associate General Counsel, Legal and Corporate Affairs, Middle East, and Africa.

In addition to his work at Microsoft, Antony is Chair of the National Center for APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and a Board member of the World Justice Project Rule of Law. He is also on the Advisory Board for the Singapore Management University School of Law.

Christian Diemer
Chairman, External Economic Policy Committee, The Federation of German Industries (BDI) | Managing Director, FMC Industrial

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Christian Diemer was born in 1964 in Essen, Germany. A seasoned business leader, Mr. Diemer currently serves as Managing Director of FMC Industrial GmbH in Bremen, a holding company overseeing subsidiaries in metal processing and engineering with annual sales of €170 million.

In addition to his executive role, Mr. Diemer chairs several influential advisory boards. Since 2015, he has chaired the Advisory Board of Altenloh, Brinck & Co. Group in Ennepetal, a family-owned manufacturer of screws and medical components with €362 million in sales. In 2024, he assumed a similar role at Carl Stahl Group, a leading provider of lifting technology and cable systems, generating €297 million in revenue.

He also contributes to External Economic Policy from a European Perspective as Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Trade of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) since 2019.

Mr. Diemer spent nearly three decades with the Heitkamp & Thumann Group in Düsseldorf, a global supplier of metal and plastic components. Rising through the ranks from 1993 to 2021, he served in various roles, including CEO from 2014. From 2004 to 2010, he led the H&T Battery Components Division in the U.S. as Chairman of the Managing Board.

Mr. Diemer holds a Master´s degree in international Business Management from the University of Passau. He is married and the father of two daughters.

Justin D’Agostino
CEO, Herbert Smith Freehills

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Justin D’Agostino is the global CEO of Herbert Smith Freehills, leading a 6,000-person international law firm.

He is also an Executive Board member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which represents 45 million companies in more than 170 countries.

Justin has a market-leading reputation in international arbitration – as a thought leader, practitioner and arbitrator.

John Denton
Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

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John W.H. Denton AO is the Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). He is a global business leader and international advisor on policy and a legal expert on international trade and investment.

In 2022, John was appointed by the United Nations (UN) Secretary General to represent the global private sector on the Steering Committee of the UN Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance.

John serves on World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General’s Business Advisory Group and the World Health Organization (WHO) Foundation Strategic Advisory Group. He is also a member of the IEA Global Commission on People-Centered Clean Energy Transitions and the OECD Blue Dot Network Executive Consultation Group.

In 2024, he was appointed Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of Business Interlocutors of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4).

John is a board member of the UN Global Compact, the UN Business and Human Security Initiative, and the UNDP Sustainable Development Goals Impact Investing Steering Group. He is also a member of the Global Leadership Council of UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited (GenU).

John is a founding member of the Business 20 (B20), of which he co-chairs the Finance and Infrastructure Task Force; Co-founder of the Australia–China CEO Roundtable; and Patron of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Australia.

He is Chair of the ICC Merchants of Peace Foundation and the Moeller Institute Advisory Board at the University of Cambridge. He is a board member of IFM Global Investors, Veracity, the African Green Infrastructure Investment Bank (AfGIIB), and the World Trade Board by Finastra.

A former diplomat, John co-led the Australian Government’s 2012 White Paper on “Australia in the Asian Century” and previously chaired the APEC Finance and Economics Working Group. Prior to his appointment as ICC Secretary General, John served on the ICC Executive Board from 2015-2018. He was also Partner and CEO of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Australia’s leading independent law firm, for two decades.

In 2015, John was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to the business community, the arts and the rights of refugees, including as a founder of Human Rights Watch (Australia) and Teach for Australia.

Tim Figures
Partner & Associate Director, EU and Global Trade & Investment, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

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Tim Figures is a senior expert on geopolitics and trade impact within Boston Consulting Group’s Global Advantage practice. He is also a member of the BCG’s Center for Climate and Sustainability Policy and Regulation. He works with private and public sector clients globally to analyze and explain changes to trade conditions and trade patterns, assess impact, and recommend actions to maintain competitiveness and value. Tim is an expert on EU trade, economics, and regulations, with a particular focus on manufacturing, professional, and business services, as well as network industries. His current focus is the implications for clients of shifting global trade patterns due to COVID-19, climate change, technology, and market decoupling.

Tim joined the firm in September 2020, following a long career in public service in London and Brussels, that focused on trade, business regulation, and economic policymaking. Most recently he was a senior adviser on EU affairs and trade to the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy; and policy director at the UK’s main trade association for the manufacturing sector, where he helped members address the twin geopolitical challenges of COVID-19 and the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Bianca Freedman
Chief Executive Officer, Edelman Canada

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Bianca Freedman is the Chief Executive Officer of Edelman Canada, where she leads strategic client relationships and drives key initiatives across five offices and more than 280 employees. Known for her inclusive leadership and clear vision, Bianca fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and transparency that continues to redefine the communications marketing landscape in Canada.

Since becoming CEO in late 2022, Bianca has led Edelman Canada through a period of exceptional growth, delivering double-digit, year-over-year business performance. Under her leadership and with an exceptional senior bench, the firm has earned recognition as one of the top agencies in Canada by PRovoke Media, was named one of North America’s top agencies by The Drum and Strategy magazine and continues to be celebrated as a workplace of choice. Edelman Canada has been named a Best Place to Work for 14 consecutive years and was recognized in 2025 as a Best Workplace Managed by Women.

Edelman also ranked fourth in the country for Cannes Lions wins in 2024, which is unheard of for an agency known for PR (vs. advertising). The firm has also received multiple global creative accolades during her tenure.

Bianca is the youngest regional CEO in Edelman’s global network. Her ascent through the organization includes previous roles as Chief Operating Officer, General Manager of Edelman Calgary, and Vice President of the Toronto Corporate Practice. Throughout her career, Bianca has partnered with leading brands to transform how they engage employees, customers, and stakeholders, consistently driving outstanding results.

Bianca serves on Humber College’s PR Advisory Board, The Globe and Mail Cannes Lions Advisory Board, and mentors youth-focused organizations dedicated to eliminating barriers to employment and accelerating high-potential talent.

Before joining Edelman in 2013, Bianca held senior roles at Walmart in both Canada and the San Francisco Bay Area, where she helped drive innovation across internal communications, marketing, and e-commerce for the retailer’s global operations.

In her spare time, you can catch Bianca running, cycling or swimming.

Nevin French
Vice President, Public & Government Affairs, Edelman

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Nevin French is a Vice-President at Edelman Government and Public Affairs. Based in Toronto, he leads the Technology Practice and works with several multinational clients to engage all levels of government on technology-related issues, including digital government, procurement and policy.

Previously, Nevin served as Vice-President of Policy at TECHNATION, Canada’s leading technology industry association. Before that, he spent over a decade as a civil servant with the Federal Government and the Government of Alberta. His work focused on international relations, including the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) at Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Energy Strategy at Alberta Energy.

Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Nevin holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of King’s College and a Master’s degree in European and Russian Studies from Carleton University. Outside of work, he serves on the Board of Governors for the University of King’s College and enjoys spending time outdoors running, skiing, and cycling.

Aidan Gomez
Co-Founder & CEO, Cohere

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Aidan Gomez is a co-founder & CEO at Cohere, the leading security-first enterprise AI company. Prior to Cohere, Aidan worked at Google Brain, where he co-authored the seminal paper “Attention is All You Need,” which introduced the groundbreaking Transformer architecture that underpins large language models (LLMs). During his time at Google Brain he collaborated with a number of AI luminaries, including Geoffrey Hinton and Jeff Dean, where the teams focused on large-scale machine learning. Based in Toronto and London, Aidan holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Toronto, and a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Oxford.

Richard Craighead
Vice President of Engineering, Cisco

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Richard Craighead is the VP of Engineering for Platform Engineering within Cisco’s Security Business Group. His team is responsible for delivering common capabilities across engineering so that our products can deliver a unified experience for our customers and bring the platform vision to life.

Among his 20 years in software development and quality engineering, Richard has innovated for companies such as Cytracom, McAfee, Calpont (InfiniDB), Citadel Security Software, NFR Security, Insider Software, and Intuit. He notably spent 15 years at McAfee leading engineering teams focused on client platform, platform engineering and security vulnerability research.

Richard brings to the role a track record of building high-performing, geographically distributed teams, and delivering differentiated value on critical projects within aggressive timelines.

Ramon Pinero
General Manager of BlackBerry AtHoc

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Ramon Pinero is the General Manager of BlackBerry AtHoc, bringing critical event management expertise to the forefront of organizational resilience. With over two decades of experience in technology development, Ramon has been at the cutting edge of creating solutions that enable organizations to communicate effectively and decisively during critical events.

His work at BlackBerry AtHoc develops technology to enhance operational resilience, business continuity, public safety, organizational preparedness, and rapid, coordinated response. As a technology professional, Ramon has dedicated his career to developing technologies that empower the emergency response community to communicate and act more effectively.

Specializing in critical communication technologies, Ramon is recognized for his insights into how advanced technological solutions can transform crisis management, business continuity, and protect critical infrastructure across industries.

Pierre Petelle
President & CEO, CropLife

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Pierre Petelle is the president and CEO of CropLife Canada, the trade association that represents the Canadian manufacturers, developers and distributors of pest control products and plants with novel traits. Pierre joined CropLife Canada in 2008 and is now responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of the association.

CropLife Canada’s goals include improving public confidence in our members’ technologies, facilitating a positive regulatory environment, ensuring proper stewardship of our industry’s products and building collaborative stakeholder relationships.

Prior to joining CropLife Canada, Pierre worked in the policy office at Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency where he worked on a wide range of issues relevant to Canada’s plant science industry. Pierre holds degrees from Carleton University and the University of Guelph.

Marc-Etienne Ouimette
Global Lead, AI/ML Policy at Amazon Web Services (AWS)

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Marc-Etienne Ouimette is AWS (Amazon Web Services) global lead for AI policy. He has advised organisations and governments on R&D, scale up support, and technology governance policy, both domestically and internationally. He sits on the AI advisory board of Tortoise Media, is board chair of the MTL Centre of Expertise – Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) and was a prior deputy board member of the World Economic Forum’s Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He has given numerous talks on AI and data policy, notably for the Rockefeller Foundation, the Global AI Summit, and MozFest, Mozilla’s annual gathering. Before AWS, he served as the Head of Public Policy at Element AI, a global AI product company headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Farsad Nasseri
Canada Country Manager, Google Cloud, Google

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Farsad Nasseri is the Country Leader and Managing Director of Sales for Google Cloud Canada, one of the fastest growing businesses within Google. Farsad joined Google in 2014 and his mission is to empower Canadian businesses to compete on a global scale by leveraging the same computing and technology infrastructure which powers Google today.

Prior to Google, Farsad worked at a number of startups, including NexJ Systems and Camilion Solutions, focusing on market development and technical sales in emerging verticals across North America. Farsad started his career as a software developer and has a Computer Engineering degree from the University of Waterloo.

Rain Newton-Smith
CEO, Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

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Rain Newton-Smith is the CBI’s Chief Executive. Before taking up the role, she was Managing Director, Strategy and Policy, Sustainability and ESG at Barclays.

From August 2014 until March 2023, Rain was Chief Economist at the CBI where she led its economic policy, analysis and survey teams and the CBI’s work with HM Treasury. She also led the international team, focused on global business leadership around the B7 and B20, and championed the CBI’s work to support the transition to a low carbon, sustainable economy. Rain was instrumental in shaping the CBI’s work to help business navigate through the Covid pandemic.

Prior to joining the economics team at the CBI, Rain was Head of Emerging Markets at Oxford Economics, where she was the lead expert on China.

Rain’s earlier career included nine years at the Bank of England, where her responsibilities included preparing global forecasts for the Monetary Policy Committee. During her time at the Bank, Rain was seconded to the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC.

Michael Oberreiter
Head of Global Access, Roche

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Michael Oberreiter is Head of External Affairs, International at Roche, based in Basel. He is an economist by training and completed a post-graduate diploma and master studies in International Politics and Communications. Michael has been involved in the field of health policy, patient access, capacity building and health economics for over 25 years. His experience spans across different therapeutic areas, countries – including Austria, Germany, China and Asia Pacific (APAC) where he was responsible for driving the development of sustainable Policy, Access and System Capacity solutions to strengthen the Healthcare system and improve access to innovative treatments.

Laura Gutierrez
Vice President & Global Head of Public Affairs & Key Markets, Sanofi

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Laura Gutierrez is the Vice President, Head of Global Corporate Public Affairs and Policy at Sanofi since March 2020. Laura and her team oversee and define Sanofi’s position on key healthcare issues where Sanofi can have a positive impact. She is responsible for driving Sanofi’s voice and engagement with key international organizations, regional institutions, and trade associations. Her team’s key priorities include the positive contribution to global health issues, the promotions of diversity and inclusion in the healthcare system, the coordination of an integrated patients’ engagement strategy for the company and the support for a sustainable environment for biopharma innovation. Laura was also Head of European Public Affairs at Sanofi from 2018 until 2020.

Prior to Sanofi, Laura worked for Celgene and held the positions of Head of Market Access and Corporate Affairs in the UK and Ireland and Head of Government Relations Europe. Laura also has 8 years of experience at Novartis, working in the functions of Public Affairs Europe and in the Market Access team in Spain.

Nikki Haley
Vice-Chair, Public and Government Affairs, Edelman; Senior Consultant

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In 2010, at age 38, Nikki Haley was elected the 116th governor of South Carolina. She was the youngest governor in the country and first minority female governor in America. She is the only female governor in South Carolina history.

During Governor Haley’s tenure, South Carolina was a national leader in economic development. Known as the “Beast of the Southeast,” the state’s unemployment rate hit a 15-year low, it saw over $20 billion in new capital investment, and her administration announced new jobs in every county in the state.

In 2013, her husband Michael, a combat veteran, deployed to Afghanistan making her the first governor in U.S. history to have their spouse deployed.

The people of South Carolina decisively reelected Haley in 2014. Two years later, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

In 2016, at age 45, President Donald Trump nominated Haley as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. In that role, she served as a member of the President’s Cabinet and on the National Security Council.

As ambassador, she ensured the American people saw value for their investment, defended U.S. interests, kept our country safe, and championed human rights. For her work at the UN, Forbes named her one of the world’s 100 most powerful women.

After serving in the Trump administration, she founded Stand For America and Stand For America PAC.

At age 51, Haley ran as a Republican candidate for president while her husband was deployed to Africa. In 2024, she outlasted thirteen other candidates and became the first Republican woman to win a presidential primary. She continues to fight for limited government, fiscal responsibility, and a strong foreign policy that keeps America safe, has the backs of our allies, and holds our enemies to account.

She currently serves as the Walter P. Stern Chair of the Hudson Institute and as the Vice Chair of Edelman Public and Government Affairs. Nikki is married to Major Michael Haley and has two children.

She is a two-time New York Times best-selling author for With All Due Respect and If You Want Something Done.

Keith Halliday
Partner & Associate Director, Global Trade & Investment, Boston Consulting Group

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Keith Halliday is a core member of the Boston Consulting Group’s Global Advantage, Climate & Sustainability and Public Sector practices.

For over 25 years, Keith has advised global corporate and government leaders on trade, finance, and diplomacy in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. He led the firm’s Global Corporate Banking expert team in London, Chicago and Delhi for ten years, and the BCG Centre for Canada’s Future for seven. At the Centre, he directed BCG’s thought leadership in Canada on the climate transition and green industrial policy. He authored Beyond the Big Three: Green Industrial Policy in Mid-sized Markets as well as reports on climate tech, carbon capture, hydrogen and net-zero agriculture. His most recent publication is Tariffs Are Coming, Here’s How to Prepare.

Outside BCG, he served as a Canadian Foreign Service Officer at the Canadian Mission to the European Union as well as a senior political advisor to a Canadian premier with a focus on energy, mining and economic development.

Keith holds a MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics as well as a BA in Economics and History from the University of Victoria.

Hila Hanif
Principal, Cybersecurity Public Policy, AWS

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Hila Hanif is a Principal for Cybersecurity and Data Protection Public Policy at Amazon Web Services (AWS). She leads a variety of security policy issues for AWS, focused primarily on software supply chain security, open-source software security, cloud security and resilience, cybersecurity regulatory harmonization and workforce development. Prior to joining AWS, she served in various positions in the U.S. Department of Defense, including Director for Cyber Strategy, Defense and Capabilities, Director for Afghanistan Strategy and Policy, Director for Cooperative Threat Reduction Policy and Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense.

Prior to her government service, she worked in the international development field on various ICT for Development projects in Africa and the Middle East. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Georgetown University and M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University. She lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter and beagle.

Cynthia Hansen
Executive Vice President & President, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Enbridge

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Cynthia Hansen is Executive Vice President and President, Gas Transmission and Midstream. In this role, she has responsibility for Enbridge’s natural gas pipeline and midstream business across North America.

Ms. Hansen, based in Houston, has a wealth of experience in the natural gas industry and a long track record of accomplishments at Enbridge. She has more than 25 years of experience working in leadership roles within Enbridge, most recently as Executive Vice President and President, Gas Distribution and Storage. Cynthia is also Executive Sponsor for the Asset and Work Management Transformation across Enbridge, and chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee. Prior to joining Enbridge, she worked as a Principal for PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Ms. Hansen currently serves on the board of FuelCell Energy Inc., Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), United Way Greater Houston, and Greater Houston Partnership. In the past, she has served on the boards of DCP Midstream, LLC, Energir Inc., American Gas Association, Ontario Energy Association, Canadian Gas Association, Canadian Energy Council, Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, and University of Alberta School of Business Advisory Council, among others.

Ms. Hansen was named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 by the Women’s Executive Network and is a current Hall of Fame member. She was also recognized as a Canadian Business Leader by Catalyst Canada. At

Bettina Hamelin
President, Innovative Medicines Canada

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Dr. Bettina Hamelin, PharmD, EMBA, is a globally renowned researcher and esteemed life sciences executive, who brings over 30 years of experience in academia, industry, and not-for-profit organizations to her current role as President of Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC).

In this role, Dr. Hamelin is dedicated to enhancing access to innovative medicines for Canadians, while advancing Canada’s position as an attractive destination for life sciences investments, high-value jobs, and new clinical trials. Driven by her unwavering commitment to improving the health and well-being of all Canadians, Dr. Hamelin firmly believes collaboration and partnership are essential to the future of healthcare innovation in Canada. Having acquired an Executive MBA in Healthcare from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British

Columbia, she is uniquely positioned to work alongside health system stakeholders to find novel solutions to complex challenges.

Prior to joining IMC, Dr. Hamelin was the President and CEO of Ontario Genomics for over six transformative years. Here, she not only established the organization as Canada’s preeminent force in engineering biology on the world stage, but also cultivated an ecosystem that was conducive to the development and commercialization of cutting-edge Canadian innovations.

Dr. Hamelin’s illustrious career includes serving as the Vice-President of Research Partnerships at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), where she led a 130-member team to spearhead a robust research and innovation investment strategy. She also held pivotal leadership roles at BioChem Pharma and Pfizer Inc., pioneering novel public-private partnership models that propelled research and innovation forward, and was a tenured professor at Université Laval.

Dr. Hamelin is fluently trilingual and holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky, US.

With her wealth of expertise, purpose-driven leadership, and passion for driving positive change in the pharmaceutical, health, and life sciences sectors, Dr. Hamelin stands as a trusted leader, poised to make enduring contributions to the health of Canadians and the vibrancy of Canada’s research and innovation ecosystems.

Shauna Hemingway
Senior Special Advisor, Boston Consulting Group

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Shauna Hemingway is a strategic policy and business development consultant, as well as an experienced leadership coach, based in Mexico. She currently serves as Senior Special Advisor for the Business Council of Canada, Board Director of SkillsWave (an upskilling tech platform based in Kitchener-Waterloo) and VP of Programs (Mexico) for Pourquoi Pas Coaching International.

Before launching her private consultancy in September 2024, Shauna served for over two decades as a diplomat, most recently as Ambassador to the Dominican Republic and as the deputy ambassador in Mexico. Over the course of her career, she has led and supported international negotiations and business development on five continents. She has also been actively engaged in G7/G20 and B7/B20 Summits since 2010.

Prior to her public service career in Canada, Shauna was the Deputy Head of Communications for the Kent Police in the UK and a staT reporter at the Toronto Star. She cut her teeth in journalism at the Varsity Newspaper while majoring in economics and history at the University of Toronto. Shauna Hemingway Strategic Policy and Business Consultant

Bettina Hamelin
President, Innovative Medicines Canada

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Columbia, she is uniquely positioned to work alongside health system stakeholders to find novel solutions to complex challenges.

Dr. Hamelin is fluently trilingual and holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky, US.

Matt Harrington
Global President and Chief Operating Officer, Edelman

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Matt Harrington oversees global operations for Edelman, including the firm’s operating regions – the United States, Canada & Latin America, Asia Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa – as well as our People, Citizenship and Sustainability efforts. He also supervises our Solutions team, including Digital, Creative, Strategy & Planning and DxI, as well as our financial communications advisory, Edelman Smithfield.

A trusted C-suite adviser, Matt is a specialist in corporate positioning and reputation management, working with some of the world’s largest and most complex organizations. His expertise includes crisis communications, merger and acquisition activity and IPOs.

He speaks regularly on Trust in Institutions and the nature of today’s multi-stakeholder business environment and has been a participant of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos for more than a decade.

Matt’s previous roles with Edelman include president of the U.S., and president of the Eastern and Western regions. He also led Edelman’s initiative to create a Code of Conduct, a first of its kind in the sector.

Matt is a graduate of Denison University, where he serves on the Board of Trustees. He is an advisory member of the Marketing 50 and serves on the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School of Communication’s Board of Advisors. He also serves on The Picturehouse Regional Film Center and Classic Stage Company’s boards.

Laura Hewitt
Senior Vice President & Head, Global Government Affairs and Public Policy, Sun Life

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Laura Hewitt is the Senior Vice-President & Head of Global Government Affairs and Public Policy at Sun Life. Laura is a seasoned public affairs professional with experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. In her current role, she is responsible for Sun Life’s government affairs activities globally and leads the organization’s work on public policy and geopolitical risk.

Laura joined Sun Life in 2018 to head Government and Regulatory Affairs for Sun Life Canada. Since then, she has taken on various roles in the organization, including leadership of sustainability, and held the role of AVP of Pharmaceutical Benefits and Innovation.

Prior to joining Sun Life, Laura worked in government relations, corporate outreach and strategy at Export Development Canada, a federal crown corporation responsible for supporting Canada’s exporters. She has also held positions with the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada, in a variety of subject matter areas, including economic development, tourism and national defence.

Laura is currently a Board Member with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian American Business Council. She holds a Master’s degree from Toronto Metropolitan University’s Public Policy and Administration program and a Bachelor’s of Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University, as well as an executive development program certificate from Cornell.

Toshiaki Higashihara
Vice Chair, Keidanren

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Toshiaki HIGASHIHARA, is Director, Executive Chairman, Representative Executive Officer of Hitachi, Ltd. As Executive Chairman of Hitachi, Ltd. after serving as Executive Chairman & CEO since June 2021 and President & CEO since 2016, Higashihara leads a global organization of over 800 companies and 350,000 employees worldwide. Under Higashihara’s leadership, Hitachi is positioning itself as an innovation leader and partner for the IoT era, with the goal of growth as a company and sustainable development of society as a whole. He has been directing the global organization to focus in Social Innovation in three sectors (Green Energy & Mobility, Digital System & Service, and Connective Industries) to ensure that Hitachi delivers intelligent societal infrastructure, and to work with stakeholders through collaborative creation for the development of digital solutions that will raise quality of life in societies and values for customers. Prior to his current position, Higashihara has held several executive leadership positions in Hitachi business units and affiliated companies, including President of Hitachi Power Europe GmbH, President of Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd. and Chief Operating Officer of Hitachi’s Information & Telecommunications Systems Group. Higashihara holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from Tokushima University and a Master of Science in Computer Science from Boston University.

Masayuki Hyodo
Vice Chair, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) | Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sumitomo Corporation

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Masayuki Hyodo is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sumitomo Corporation. Before assuming this position, he served as President and CEO from April 2018 to March 2024. He started his career in the Power Project Dept. and has more than 30 years of experience in the global power infrastructure industry, particularly in the Middle East and Asia, where he had overseas assignments in Jordan, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. Apart from his role as the Chairman, Mr. Hyodo serves as Vice Chair of Keidanren (Japan Business Federation). Mr. Hyodo has a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Engineering of Kyoto University.

Sumitomo Corporation is one of the world’s leading investment/trading companies. With its global network and based on trust from companies in various industries and from consumers, Sumitomo Corporation engages in multifaceted business activities by making the most of its integrated corporate strength. These business activities include sales of a variety of products and services, import and export, trilateral trade, and domestic and international business investment.

Abigail Hunter
Executive Director of the Ambassador Alfred Hoffman Jr. Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE)

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Abigail Hunter is the Executive Director of SAFE’s Ambassador Alfred Hoffman Jr. Center for Critical Minerals Strategy (Minerals Center). Previously, Abigail served as Director of International Affairs and Partnerships within the Minerals Center. In this role, she nurtured existing and new SAFE partnerships to advance sustainable and ethical supply chains amongst allies and like-minded countries.

Before joining SAFE full time, Hunter headed federal government affairs for Quebec for nearly three years as the senior attachée in Washington, D.C. Her mandate focused on the energy, environment, and trade relationship between the province and United States. Hunter started her career at the National Governors Association, where she led the association’s international work.

Hunter completed her Masters in Sustainable Energy at the Johns Hopkins University School of
Advanced International Studies. Her four-part capstone on aluminum’s clean energy paradox
was published by the SAFE Center for Strategic Industrial Metals. She received her Bachelor of
Commerce from McGill University with a double major in International Management and
Managing for Sustainability.

Rick Johnston
Executive Board Vice Chair, Business at OECD (BIAC)

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Charles R. Johnston (Rick) is responsible for geopolitical analysis, issue advocacy and management of Citi’s relationships with governments and political figures in more than 100 countries around the world.

Mr. Johnston is an internationally-recognized expert in international trade and investment, and has advised both U.S. and foreign-government leaders as well as major multinational corporations on a broad array of commercial and strategic transnational issues. He has provided commentary and analysis for television and press interviews worldwide as well as authoring numerous books and articles on the subject of international law and economic relations.

While practicing law, Mr. Johnston was voted by his peers as among “The Best Lawyers in America” in the field of international trade and finance. He has served as the founder and as an officer and board member of several bilateral business associations during his career.

Mr. Johnston served as an attorney adviser to a Commissioner at the U.S. International Trade Commission from 1976-78. He then served as International Trade Counsel to the Finance Committee of the United States Senate, advising senators and their staffs on international trade and investment issues as well as representing the U.S. Senate in the conduct of Congressional oversight of international trade negotiations performed by the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government. In 1980 he entered the private practice of law, forming a partnership to specialize in international commercial and government relations issues. In 2008, Mr. Johnston joined Citi Global Government Affairs in Washington, DC.

Mr. Johnston earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1970 and a Juris Doctorate degree from California Western School of Law in 1973. He received a Diploma in International Law in 1974 from Cambridge University (Fitzwilliam College), England, and was a scholarship award recipient at The Hague Academy of International Law in the Netherlands.

Mr. Johnston has served as an adjunct professor on the subjects of international trade and international law at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and at the George Washington University National Law Center. He has written extensively on the subject of international trade and investment including the three-volume set entitled Law and Practice of United States Regulation of International Trade. He has served on the editorial advisory committee of the American Society of International Law’s “International Legal Materials” and the Board of Advisers to the George Washington International Law Review. Mr. Johnston has also served as a member of the Commercial Diplomacy Advisory Group of the American Academy of Diplomacy. Mr. Johnston currently serves as Chairman of the Executive Board of the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC); Vice Chairman of the Board of the US Council for International Business (USCIB); Chairman of the Trade and Investment Committee of USCIB; and is a member of the International Policy Committee of the US Chamber of Commerce. He also has served as Chairman of the US Section of the US-Turkey Business Council (by appointment of the US Government); Co-Chair of the International Policy Committee of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association; and as Chairman or Co-Chair of various business task forces and coalitions supporting Citi and its customers’ interests in international trade and investment issues.

Yuliya Kovaliv
Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada

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Yuliya Kovaliv was appointed Ukraine’s Ambassador to Canada and arrived to Ottawa on March 29, 2022.

Yuliya Kovaliv has almost ten years of experience in executive positions in public administration and Ukraine’s investment promotion.

Prior to joining the Embassy Ambassador Kovaliv held the position of the Deputy Head of Office of the President of Ukraine in charge of economic policy development and IFIs coordination. She also served as the Deputy Chair of the Supervisory Board of National State-Owned oil&gas company “Naftogaz of Ukraine” (2019-2021), the Deputy Secretary of the National Investment Council of Ukraine under the President Ukraine and the Member of the National Reform Council. In 2017- 2019 Ambassador Kovaliv served as the Head of the Office of the National Investment Council of Ukraine under the President of Ukraine, advisory platform, which included global business leaders and IFIs, where she was in charge of investment promotion, policy dialog and FDI attraction.

In 2015 – 2016 Ambassador Kovaliv served as the First Deputy Minister for Economic Development and Trade overseeing reforms of privatisation, corporate governance of state-owned enterprises, investment policy, liberalization of the energy sector and IP. In 2016-217 she served as a Chairwomen of a newly-launched Supervisory Board of National State-Owned oil&gas company “Naftogaz of Ukraine”, aimed to bring governance of the biggest state-owned company to the OECD standards, open access to global financial markets and strengthen Ukraine’s energy security. In 2014-2015 Ambassador Kovaliv served as the Commissioner of the National Regulatory Commission for Energy and Utilities. Before joining the Regulator, Yuliya Kovaliv was in charge of public administration and energy sector reform coordination at the Coordination Center of Economic Reforms.

Prior to her career in public sector Ambassador Kovaliv spent 6 years working in the private sector.

Yuliya Kovaliv was born in Ivano-Frankivsk. She holds a Master of Economics from the National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” and a Master of Public Administration from the National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine.

Michael Kovrig
Senior Advisor, Asia-Pacific for International Crisis Group (ICG)

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Michael Kovrig is Senior Adviser, Asia for the International Crisis Group and Chief Executive of Kovrig Group. His writing, research, analysis and advocacy deals with the intersections of geopolitics, geoeconomics, global security, human rights and strategic communications, with a geographic focus on China and the Indo-Pacific region. A former Canadian diplomat who previously served in Ottawa, at the United Nations and in China, his prior experience includes strategy, communications and change management for the UN system, journalism and research on China. He has a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University and is fluent in French and Mandarin Chinese. Michael lived in China from 2014–2021 and is now based in Europe.

Shachi Kurl
President, Angus Reid Institute

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Shachi Kurl is President of the Angus Reid Institute, Canada’s non-profit foundation committed to independent research. She works with public opinion data to further public knowledge and enhance the national understanding of issues that matter to Canada and the world.

Kurl is often found offering analysis on CBC’s “Power and Politics”, in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Globe and Mail, and on the editorial pages of the Ottawa Citizen, among other places. In October 2020, she moderated BC’s only televised provincial election debate, presented by the British Columbia Broadcast Consortium.

She spent the first part of her career as political reporter and holds a degree in Journalism and Political Science from Carleton University. She returned to Carleton University as an Adjunct Research Professor in the School of Journalism and Communication in 2022.

Kurl is a recipient of the prestigious Jack Webster Award for Best TV Reporting. Along with former Australian and UK Prime Ministers Julia Gillard and Margaret Thatcher, she is an Alumnus of the US State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program. She is a national co-chair of the Canadian Cancer Society.

Kurl moderated the 2021 English language leaders debate during the 44th federal election. She also won the Industry Marvel Award from Darpan Magazine in October of that year.

Candace Laing
President & CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

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Candace Laing is an executive leader with progressive leadership experience in multiple sectors, including mining, manufacturing, agriculture, education, and healthcare.

Candace’s career spans over two decades, encompassing roles in both private and public sector organizations. She also has a strong entrepreneurial background with a focus on strategic business initiatives that foster long-term value and high-performance cultures. Most notably, Candace worked for more than ten years with Nutrien, leading both the Sustainability and Human Resources functions and serving as a member of the Executive Leadership Team. She played a pivotal role in launching Nutrien’s environment, social, and governance (ESG) efforts and, through her most recent role as the organization’s Chief Human Resources Officer, focused on ensuring people strategies and inclusion initiatives were aligned with business strategy.

She first joined the Canadian Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2019 and served as Vice-Chair from 2021 to 2022, assuming the role of Chair of the Board of Directors in 2022. She was on the Board when the Chamber developed its Chamber 2025 Strategic Plan—a transformational mandate to create a reimagined and renewed Canadian Chamber.

Candace is passionate about ensuring healthy organizations support a strong economy that can serve societal needs. She is proud to have grown up in Saskatchewan, where her family maintains a longstanding farming operation.

Candace is a Fellow of Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (FCPHR). She holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction and a Graduate Certificate in Public Policy Analysis from the University of Saskatchewan. Additionally, she has a Graduate Certificate in Corporate Sustainability and Innovation from Harvard University and a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University.

Jonathan Lang
Practice Head, Trade & Supply Chains, Eurasia Group

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As head of Eurasia Group’s Trade & Supply Chains practice, Jon Lang manages coverage of global efforts to diversify supply chains, emerging industrial policies, and trends in and policy tools for international trade. Jon also leads the firm’s coverage of infrastructure investment in support of supply chains, of logistics trends, and of the national security dimensions of supply chain policy. Jon previously served as Director for International Economic Affairs at the White House National Economic Council and National Security Council. In this role, Jon led government interagency processes on issues such as trade, international infrastructure investment, debt sustainability, and policymaking related to multilateral development banks and international financial institutions as well as drafted communique language for the G7, G20, and APEC. Jon also previously served as Senior Director for Global Markets at the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. Prior to government service, Jon worked in commercial strategy consulting.

Jon has served as a subject matter expert and source on issues of trade policy and international supply chain logistics for both on-air and print media including for CNN, the BBC, Politico, the Financial Times, and Reuters, among others outlets.

Jon holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, a master’s of science degree from the London School of Economics, and a master of business administration from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

Fabrice Le Saché
Vice-President of Mouvement des Enterprises de France (MEDEF)

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Fabrice Le Saché, born on September 1, 1982, in Paris, is a prominent figure in entrepreneurship and business representation in France and Europe. A legal scholar by training, he holds an LLM in Comparative International Law from the University of San Diego School of Law, a Master’s degree in Public International Law from Paris II Panthéon-Assas University, and a diploma in International Relations from the Institute of Advanced International Studies at Paris-Sorbonne University.

In 2015, he co-founded Aera Group, a pioneering carbon finance company operating across the African continent, and has served as its Executive President ever since. Under his leadership, Aera Group has become a leading player in the sector, structuring and closing carbon credit contracts—both spot and forward—worth over €500 million in total. He has established a commercial presence in more than 20 African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, Mauritius, Burundi, and Morocco. The company now serves over 150 clients, including major oil and gas corporations, banks, commodity traders, and investment firms across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Alongside his entrepreneurial career, Fabrice Le Saché holds several high-level representative positions. He serves as Vice President for Europe and Spokesperson of the French Business Confederation (Medef), where he also sits on the Executive Council and the Board of Medef International. At the European level, he chairs the SME and Entrepreneurship Committee of Business Europe, the employers’ organization representing business interests before European Union institutions. He is also President of Immobilière 3F, France’s largest social housing organization, providing housing for more than 300,000 employees and households.

At the intersection of economic action, social commitment, and diplomatic influence, Fabrice Le Saché represents a new generation of leaders dedicated to building a more responsible and globally engaged economy.

The Hon. David Lametti
Counsel, Fasken | Former Minister, Justice and Attorney General of Canada

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David Lametti is currently Counsel at Fasken and an Adjunct Professor at McGill University, Faculty of Law. As the most recent former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada he has a unique blend of legal acumen and political insight following over 25 years of experience as a Professor and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Law at McGill University, Parliamentary Secretary to both the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Member of Parliament for LaSalle-Émard-Verdun and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

From a young age his interest in politics and the law was strong. His educational background in economics and political science (Toronto 1985) and and law (McGill 1989) culminated in the completion of a Master of Laws degree from Yale Law School in 1991 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in law at Exeter College, Oxford in 1999. He served as a Clerk to Supreme Court Justice Peter deCarteret Cory in 1989- 90. During his political career he developed both a strength and a passion for Indigenous Relations and the regulatory and ethical considerations of technologies such as AI and blockchain. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development David was a key contributor to establishing AI and technology law policy. As Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada he played a critical role in bringing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into Canadian law. His subsequent development of an action plan in 2023, crafted in collaboration with Indigenous leadership, was a transformative step towards a fairer and more prosperous future for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians alike.

At Fasken, David’s practice extends nationally and he works closely with the Indigenous Legal Matters group and the Government Relations and Political Law group, dividing his focus between Indigenous matters and advising on the development, governance and use of cutting-edge technology. He is widely recognized for his integrity, trustworthiness and keen intellect, and is pivotal in helping clients navigate the complexities faced by governments and corporations alike amidst rapid societal and technological change. When he steps away from his legal and political endeavours, David tunes into his love for vinyl records, curating a collection that echoes his diverse interests and rich taste in music. He was even known on the Hill for having turn tables in his office.

Duncan Melville
Managing Director & Partner, Calgary, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

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Duncan Melville is a core member of Boston Consulting Group’s Industrial Goods and Corporate Finance & Strategy practices. His client work focuses on all aspects of natural resources, including oil and gas, metals and mining, and utilities and infrastructure. He has experience in mined commodities including copper, gold, metallurgical coal, potash, and zinc.

Duncan has experience in a broad set of functional topics. He has supported finance, HR, and technical functions, with an emphasis on strategy, shareholder value creation, and office of the CFO topics. He also has experience working with clients on operations and large capital projects, both pre-sanction and post-project reviews.

Outside of BCG, Duncan is equally committed to his involvement in the community as the current Sports & Major Events Committee Chair for Tourism Calgary, and a Board Member of YMCA Calgary. He was previously Board Chair of Distress Centre Calgary.

He is a CFA Charterholder and a member of the New York State Bar. Before joining the firm, Duncan worked in infrastructure private equity.

Josh Meltzer
Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Brookings Institute

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Dr. Meltzer is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution where he works on international economic relations with a focus on the intersection of digital technology and international trade and investment. At Brookings, Meltzer leads the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) initiative which focuses on how USMCA can strengthen international economic cooperation in North America. He also co-leads the Forum on Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence – a track 1.5 dialogues amongst officials, industry and civil society aimed at building international cooperation on AI governance. Meltzer has testified before the U.S. Congress, the U.S. International Trade Commission and the European Parliament. He was an expert witness in the Schrems II litigation in Europe on data flows and privacy and a consultant to the World Bank. He is a member of the OECD Expert Community on Data Free Flow with Trust. Meltzer is also a senior fellow at Melbourne University law School where he teaches digital trade law and has taught digital trade law at the University of Toronto Law School and McGill University Law School. He has also taught E-commerce and Digital Trade course at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office diplomatic academy. Before Brookings, Meltzer was a diplomat at the Australian Embassy in Washington D.C. and prior to that an international trade negotiator in Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Meltzer has appeared in print and news media, including the Economist, the New York Times, CNN, Bloomberg the Asahi Shimbun and China Daily. Meltzer holds an S.J.D. and LL.M. from the University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor and law and commerce degrees from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

Michael McAdoo
Partner & Director, Global Trade & Investment, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

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Michael returned to Boston Consulting Group in 2017. He is a core member of the firm’s Global Advantage practice and a member of the Industrial Goods practice.

For more than 25 years, Michael has worked at the nexus of corporate strategy, public policy, and international geopolitics. He has been a member of the senior staff of the prime minister of a G7 country; a BCG principal; and a C-suite executive responsible for strategy, international trade, and international business development. He has successfully resolved trade disputes and/or market access barriers in the US, the EU, Russia, China, and Brazil. He has lived and worked in all three NAFTA countries, including running a Mexican manufacturing site with 225 unionized employees. Michael is a board member of the ICICI Bank Canada.

Michael began his career as a staffer in the Parliament of Canada, where he rose to become executive assistant to the prime minister. In this role, he participated in trade and diplomatic missions to 22 countries. He first joined BCG in 1995, working in the Toronto and Monterrey offices, and serving clients primarily in manufacturing. In 2001, he became a senior executive of Bombardier Inc., where he held leadership and C-suite roles in strategy, operations, international trade, and industrial services.

Michael is also fluent in French and Spanish.

Leslie Madden
Head of Canada Government Affairs & Policy, Moderna

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Leslie Madden is an experienced senior director in regulatory science and quality assurance, currently leading efforts in Canada at Moderna since May 2021. Previously, Leslie held roles at Elvium as Director of Regulatory Affairs and at Biogen, where responsibilities included Global Regulatory Lead for the Multiple Sclerosis Franchise and leadership in commercial strategy for SPINRAZA. Early career experiences include positions at Galderma and GlaxoSmithKline, focusing on regulatory affairs. Leslie holds a Global Professional Master of Law (LLM) from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Science in Biology from York University, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Regulatory Affairs and Quality Control from Seneca Polytechnic.

Michel Miraillet
Ambassador of France to Canada, Embassy of France

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Born in April 1960, Michel Miraillet is the Ambassador of France to Canada since 22 September 2022. Before that, he was the Director general for Global affairs of the French ministry of Foreign Affairs and the G7/G20 sous-sherpa from March 2020 to September 2022. He was previously from September 2017 the French Ambassador to Brazil and to the United Arab Emirates from 2013 to 2017, after six years spent from August 2007 to August 2013 as the Director for strategic affairs and the defence policy director of the French Ministry of Defense.

A career diplomat, M. Miraillet, before joining the Ministry of Defense, served as the Director for International and Strategic Affairs of the Secretariat General for National Defense, an agency attached to the Prime minister’s office conducting the coordination of governmental action on issues concerning France’s internal and external security. As a member of the French diplomatic service, Michel Miraillet held various posts abroad: deputy head of mission in Israel (2001-2004), political advisor to the French mission to Nato (1997-2000), Political counsellor in Cairo (1995-1997) and counsellor to the French mission to the United Nations in New York, in charge of security, disarmament and UNSCOM affairs (1992-1995).

He served from 1988 to 1992 in Paris as the desk officer for Iraq/Iran issues and as the deputy head of the MFA’s body in charge of the control of armament exports. From 2004 to 2006, he joined the Administration directorate of the Quai d’Orsay as the deputy head of the staff department. Michel Miraillet was appointed in 2007 and in 2013 as a member of the commission drafting the French white papers on defence and national security issued in 2008 and 2013.

He is graduated from ENA, France’s school for public administration, the Paris Institute for Political Sciences and various Paris universities (Masters in law and economics, Bachelor in Arts).

Olga Mironenko Stampfer
Vice President, International Relations, UnitedHealth Group | Chair of the Health Committee, Business at OECD (BIAC)

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Olga Mironenko Stampfer serves as Vice President International Relations at UnitedHealth Group and Chair of the Health Committee at Business at OECD. She is also a member of the DigitalEurope Executive Council for Health and is on the steering committee of the OECD.AI Expert group on health.

In her role at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune 4 health and wellness company, Olga leads on the company’s government affairs and public policy agenda in the EU and multilaterals. As Chair of the Health Committee at Business at OECD, Olga drives the focus on health resilience as a key for economic resilience and competitiveness as well as on harnessing the power of health data. Olga joined UnitedHealth Group in 2018 and is based in London.

Before UnitedHealth Group, Olga spent 13 years at Diageo, a FTSE10 consumer goods company, working in various global and regional corporate affairs roles, including in Europe, Africa, and Australia. Prior to that she worked at a global consulting and executive search firm Egon Zehnder and in academia. She earned an MBA from London Business School and MA Linguistics.

Marc Mondesir
Managing Director & President, Equinix Canada

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Marc’s career in Tech spans over 28 years and includes senior positions at Xerox, Microsoft & Dell Technologies. Currently, Marc holds the position of Managing Director & President at Equinix Canada.

Prior to Equinix, Marc spent 3 years at Microsoft as the head of Microsoft Canada’s Consulting Services Business Unit and 20 years or so at Dell Technologies, where he held multiple Regional & National Senior Leadership roles.

Two things describe Marc in business: He has a knack for uncovering market opportunities and bringing them to Market. His focus on equitable leadership and having an impact on people, beyond business through D&I initiatives and community involvement.

Marc studied Communications at Ottawa U and York University and he holds an MBA from the Smith School of Business at Queens University.

Christina von Messling
Foresight Advisory Partner, Foresight Factory

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Christina von Messling is a foresight advisory partner at Foresight Factory. She has been working in technology and innovation for the past decade, most recently as the Head of Europe at the Future Today Strategy Group, where she led the group’s health, climate, and entertainment verticals. Prior roles include management consultant in automotive and senior leadership in media and communications. Current areas of focus include collaborative AI, meshed realities, and synthetic biology. Christina holds a Masters in Law from the Freie Universität Berlin and splits her time between New York, Berlin, and London.

The Hon. Erin O’Toole | President & Managing Director, ADIT North America | Former Leader, Conservative Party of Canada

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Erin O’Toole is the President and Managing Director of ADIT North America and serves on the executive committee of ADIT Group. ADIT Group is a Paris-based business intelligence firm that provides global investment due diligence, operational support and economic diplomacy services around the world. He assumed this role after having served as the Leader of the Conservative Party and a Member of Parliament for a decade. In 2021, Erin ran to be the Prime Minister of Canada in the general election held amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenging circumstances of the election, Mr. O’Toole won the popular vote and advanced a series of policies that continue to resonate in Canadian politics today.

First elected in a 2012 by-election. Mr. O’Toole was quickly promoted to Parliamentary Secretary for International Trade, where he helped the Canadian government finalize trade agreements around the world. He was also responsible for corporate social responsibility efforts for the resource sector and regulatory cooperation with the United States. Promoted to cabinet a year later, Erin modernized the Veterans Affairs department and was a leading voice for the Conservative government on defence and national security issues. In opposition he served as Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs before becoming Leader of the Opposition.

Erin is one of Canada’s most respected thought leaders on economic and foreign policy issues because of his public service, his private sector experience and his service in uniform. A graduate of the Royal Military College, Erin served as an officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force flying on the Sea King helicopter in support of naval operations. A graduate of Dalhousie Law School, Mr. O’Toole practiced law at Stikeman Elliott and Heenan Blaikie in Toronto and spent five years as in-house counsel for Procter & Gamble.

Erin and his wife Rebecca live in Toronto and are the proud parents of Mollie and Jack. He continues to comment on geopolitical and economic competitiveness issues in Canada and hosts the popular Blue Skies podcast exploring these issues.

The Hon. Nazak Nikakhta
National Security and International Trade Attorney & Partner, Wiley Rein LLP

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The Honorable Nazak Nikakhtar brings over two decades of experience in international trade and national security to help clients succeed in the domestic and global marketplace. Through leadership roles in the U.S. government and private sector, Nazak has leveraged her valuable insights into the expansive range of U.S. and international laws, regulatory and policy processes, and federal agency resources to achieve clients’ business objectives.

From 2018 to 2021, with unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Nazak served as the Department of Commerce’s Assistant Secretary for Industry & Analysis at the International Trade Administration (ITA). Nazak also fulfilled the duties of the Under Secretary for Industry and Security at Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). In these roles, Nazak was the agency’s primary liaison with U.S. industry and trade associations, and she shaped major initiatives to strengthen U.S. industry competitiveness, promote innovation, and accelerate economic and job growth.

As one of the key national security experts in the U.S. government, she developed and implemented innovative laws, regulations, and policies to safeguard strategically important technologies, strengthen the U.S. industrial base, and protect the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. As the Department’s lead on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), she played a key role in shaping U.S. investment policy.

As the head of the agency’s trade policy office, she advised the U.S. government on legal and economic issues impacting critical technologies, advanced manufacturing, financial services, e-commerce, data privacy, cybersecurity, critical minerals/rare earths, and energy competition. Finally, as the federal agency’s lead on supply chain assessments, Nazak spearheaded the United States’ first-ever whole-of-government initiative to evaluate and strengthen supply chains across all strategic sectors of the economy.

Fredrik Persson
President, BusinessEurope

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Fredrik Persson has been President of BusinessEurope since July 2022. Fredrik is also currently President of Sweden’s leading distribution network operator Ellevio AB, the construction company JM AB and the International Chamber of Commerce Sweden. In addition, he is member of several boards, including the ICA group and Industrivärden – a holding company with sizable ownership in AB Volvo, Sandvik, Ericsson and others.

From 2017 to 2022 he was President of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, Sweden’s largest business federation representing around 60,000 companies.

Besides being an experienced chairman, Fredrik has substantial business experience acquired in a range of industrial sectors. During his 15-year career with the Axel Johnson Group, he held the positions of President and CEO between 2007 and 2015. He also held a number of positions within ABB Financial Services and Aros Securities.

Fredrik was born in 1968 and holds a MSc Econ from the Stockholm School of Economics.

Michael Punke
Vice President of Public Policy, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative & U.S. Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO)

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Michael Punke joined AWS in 2017 as Vice President of Global Public Policy. Before that, Punke served from 2010 to 2017 as Deputy US Trade Representative and US Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva. Punke led negotiations including those resulting in the 2013 Trade Facilitation Agreement, the first fully multilateral agreement in the WTO’s twenty-year history, and the 2015 Information Technology Agreement, the first WTO tariff reduction agreement in seventeen years.

Punke served previously in government as Senior Policy Advisor at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (1995-1996); Director for International Economic Affairs at the White House National Security Council/National Economic Council (1993-1995); and International Trade Counsel to Senator Max Baucus (1991-1992).

Punke is the author of several screenplays and books. His novel, The Revenant, was basis for the Academy Award-winning film. The Revenant has been translated into more than twenty languages and was an international bestseller, including four weeks as a #1 New York Times bestseller. Punke appeared recently in the Ken Burns series, The American Buffalo.

Punke received his BA with distinction in International Relations from George Washington University and his JD from Cornell Law School.

Mark Schaan
Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Artificial Intelligence, Government of Canada

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Mark Schaan was appointed Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet – Artificial Intelligence in July of 2024. In this role, he supports the overall AI agenda, seeking to position Canada for leadership in its responsible development and use. Prior to this, Mark served as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister for Strategy and Innovation Policy at the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED). In this role he led on the overall micro-economic and innovation agenda, including supporting the development of the department’s horizontal policy and strategic priorities, including in international affairs, telecommunications, economic security, and all aspects of marketplace frameworks.

Mark’s career has been highlighted by this cross-cutting policy and framework effort, including leading major consultations and reforms, including for telecommunications, investment review, intellectual property, bankruptcy and insolvency, privacy and AI. Mark’s public service career has included roles across the policy spectrum, as well as leading on revitalizing the public service through innovative recruitment models.

Mark earned his BA (Honours) from the University of Waterloo in Political Science with an Honours Option in Peace and Conflict Studies in 2002, where he studied as a Loran Scholar. Mark earned his MPhil in Comparative Social Policy, conferred in 2004, and his DPhil in Social Policy, conferred in 2010 from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. Mark is also actively involved in his community: chairing the board of the Ottawa Art Gallery,
continued involvement with the Loran Scholars Foundation, and previous leadership at the Ten Oaks Project for 2SLGBTQ+ youth and families.

Justin Shepherd
Managing Director, Corporates, Eurasia Group

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Justin Shepherd leads Eurasia Group’s corporates business, engaging with corporate and government clients around the world on key strategic macro and political issues. His work includes projects in strategic planning, market assessment and prioritization, risk management, scenario planning, strategic foresight, and competitiveness.

Prior to joining Eurasia Group, Justin was an engagement manager with A.T. Kearney, based in Washington and Dubai. He joined as a member of the firm’s Global Business Policy Council, a unit focusing on strategic macroeconomic and political issues, and later was a member of the Government and Economic Development Practice. Justin was also a project manager at the World Economic Forum (on secondment from A.T. Kearney), working on personal data and privacy issues.

He earned a Master of Business Administration degree, with a concentration in international
business, and a master’s degree in international relations, both from George Washington
University. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and classics from St. John’s College. When not with his two young children, Justin spends his free time pursuing his culinary interests.

Pamela Snively
Chief Data & Trust Officer, TELUS

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Pamela Snively is the Chief Data & Trust Officer at TELUS. She leads the team responsible for privacy governance and data ethics, along with data management and a number of compliance functions, including the Anti-bribery & Corruption and Competition Law programs. Pam approaches overall data governance through the lens of customer trust, leveraging TELUS’ Customer First principle to drive the organization’s commitment to privacy and data ethics. Pam is a lawyer but has dedicated most of her career to developing and operationalizing privacy best practices, either as a consultant or in-house. Under Pam’s leadership, TELUS has significantly transformed its approach to transparency about its data handling practices. This has included a refresh of the TELUS Privacy Centre to include layered information on TELUS’ data management practices, as well as some best practices to help our customers protect their information. Pam has also published the framework for her privacy management program online, encouraging TELUS’ customers to more fully understand what responsible private sector organizations do to protect privacy. Pamela was the recipient of the 2017 Ontario Bar Association’s Karen Spector Memorial Award for Excellence in Privacy Law. She participates in a number of national and international think-tanks and governance bodies related to privacy and data governance, including serving as a Board member for the Information Accountability Foundation and on the Privacy and Data Advisory Committee for the Canadian Marketing Association. She is also a founding member and Chair of Canada’s Business Privacy Group, a working group made up of some of Canada’s leading privacy professionals and industry associations focused on building trust in Canada’s digital ecosystem and legislative regime. Pam is a frequent speaker on privacy and data ethics and she actively encourages other organizations to join her in her mission to earn and elevate consumer trust in our digital ecosystem.

Dev Saxena
Director, Eurasia Group | Senior Advisor, Global Affairs, OpenAI

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Dev Saxena is a Director in the technology practice at Eurasia Group, a geopolitical risk consultancy. He is also a senior advisor at OpenAI, the artificial intelligence (AI) research and deployment company. Dev focuses on issues that sit at the intersection of corporate strategy, global public policy, and innovation.

Previously, he was a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Dev has served as a senior policy advisor to Canada’s Finance Minister, and before that, a senior policy advisor to Canada’s Innovation Minister. In these roles, he helped develop and implement policies and programs focused on innovation and emerging technologies, including AI. Dev has a background in venture capital.

John Stackhouse
Senior Vice President, Office of the CEO, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

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John Stackhouse is a nationally bestselling author and one of Canada’s leading voices on innovation and economic disruption. He is Senior Vice-President in the Office of the CEO at Royal Bank of Canada, leading the organization’s research and thought leadership on economic, technological and social change. Previously, John was editor-in-chief of the Globe and Mail and editor of Report on Business. He is a senior fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute and the Munk School for Global Affairs and Public Policy, and sits on the Board of the Canadian International Council. John’s latest book, Planet Canada: How Our Expats Are Shaping the Future, explores the untapped resource of the millions of Canadians who don’t live in Canada but exert their influence from afar.

Eric Sullivan
Canada Public Sector Lead, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

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Eric Sullivan is a core member of Boston Consulting Group’s Public Sector and Travel, Cities & Infrastructure practices. Since joining BCG in 2012, he has led many strategy and large transformation efforts in both the public and the private sector.

Eric primarily supports clients in the infrastructure and transportation industries, including private sector corporations, crown corporations, and governments. He has deep experience leading strategy definition and planning efforts, as well as leading larger operating model transformation programs to drive lasting change at scale across a variety of functional topics including sourcing and procurement, organizational effectiveness, and cost excellence.

Chris Tait
Partner, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

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Chris is a core member of Boston Consulting Group’s Public Sector and Health Care practice areas.

Chris has over a decade of experience in the healthcare sector, with a particular focus on health systems, biopharma. More recently, he spent a year advising clients in the social impact and healthcare sectors in Nairobi, Kenya.

Chris holds a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Toronto, an MPH in Epidemiology from Columbia University, and a BSc in Human Biology, Health & Society from Cornell University.

Carlene Todd
Vice President of Access, Roche

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Carlene Todd is Vice President, Access at Roche Canada. Since January 2020 Carlene has been a member of the Canadian Leadership Team and responsible for overseeing Market Access & Pricing, Policy and Health Ecosystems and Patient Services teams, as well as two cross-functional teams focused on health system transformation in the areas of Value and Data. She sees Access as not a function but as an outcome for patients.

Carlene is also an active member of the Resilient Healthcare Coalition, a multi-stakeholder collaborative of representatives from the healthcare industry, patient groups and research institutions across Canada, with a shared mission around access to innovative technologies and data-enabled health systems to inform better decisions.

She has extensive access experience over nearly 25 years at Roche (Pharmaceuticals). From 2012 to 2019 she led the Market Access & Public Policy team at Roche Australia. In Australia, Carlene was an active member within the industry association, including Co-Chair of the Access to Medicines Working Group Pathways subgroup, comprising members of Medicines Australia and the Department of Health co-creating reimbursement process improvements. With a strong understanding of health systems, reimbursement principles, policies, methods and processes in Australia, New Zealand, Asia-Pacific, Canada and multiple international jurisdictions, Carlene has a passion for learning, sharing and executing across borders so patients have timely access to the best innovations in healthcare regardless of where they live in the world.

Carlene moved from New Zealand to Australia to join Roche in July 2000 as a Health Economist whose role was primarily to develop reimbursement dossiers for Roche medicines. Prior to joining Roche Australia, Carlene worked in New Zealand as a pharmaceutical sales representative as well as an editor and in various medical writing roles, primarily in the area of

pharmacoeconomics, for an international medical publisher.

Carlene has a Bachelor of Commerce & Science (Marketing, Biochemistry & Pharmacology) from Auckland University and a Diploma in Health Economics from Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand.

Outside of work, Carlene and her musician husband spend much of their time ‘running around’ after their two boys who are both passionate about soccer. They also enjoy exploring the world, and its different cuisines, wines, cultures and landscapes.

Geneviève Tuts
Ambassador of the European Union to Canada

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Her Excellency Genevieve Tuts began her tenure at the helm of the Delegation of the European Union to Canada in September 2024. As the EU Ambassador to Canada, Geneviève Tuts leads the EU Delegation in its work to strengthen ties between the European Union and Canada, drawing on her extensive expertise in European policy and international relations.

She has extensive experience gained in several EU institutions, the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the legal profession. She served as the Head of Cabinet for European Commissioner Didier Reynders between December 2019 and August 2024.The portfolio included Justice, Rule of law, data protection, and consumer law.

Ambassador Tuts started her career as a lawyer specializing in EU law before becoming a magistrate with the Belgian Ministry of Justice. In 2002, she transitioned to the cabinet of the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, where she held key roles focused on European and external policies. As Belgium’s Representative in COREPER I in the EU Council of Ministers, she addressed a wide range of EU policies, including energy, environment, climate, and digital. She also served 13 years as Director in the Council of Ministers, leading the work of 3 Directorates: Transport, Telecom, Energy- inter institutional affairs and Legal service’s Directorate Quality of legislation.

The Ambassador holds a Master’s in European Law and a Law degree. She has been an assistant at Liege University at the law faculty and Master of Conference at ENA. She speaks French, English, and Dutch. She has practised improvisational acting and has a deep appreciation for diverse music genres, playing both piano and guitar. Passionate by cinema she is also an outdoor enthusiast, she enjoys running along rivers, lakes, and coastlines.

Karen Swager
Executive Vice President – Operations, The Mosaic Company

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Karen Swager was named Executive Vice President – Operations effective November 1, 2023. In this role, Swager is responsible for the company’s enterprise-wide operations, including the Environment, Health and Safety organization, and the North America Supply Chain organization. Previously, Swager held various leadership positions at Mosaic including Senior Vice President – Supply Chain, Senior Vice President – Potash, Vice President, Minerals – Phosphates, Vice President, Mining Operations – Phosphates, and General Manager. She also led the mine planning and strategy group for the Phosphates business.

Swager serves on the board of directors for SSR Mining and is a member of SSR Mining’s Technical, Safety, and Sustainability Committee. Swager is a licensed professional engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in metallurgical engineering and a Master of Science in metallurgical engineering from Michigan Technological University, where she is a member of the Department of Chemical Engineering’s Distinguished Academy. In addition, Swager holds an MBA from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

Christine Wurzbacher
Managing Director & Partner Montreal, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

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Christine Wurzbacher is a core member of Boston Consulting Group’s Industrial Goods practice and leads the firm’s Montreal office. She is currently the leader of Women@BCG in Montreal. She has been with the firm since 2004.

Christine’s work focuses on large transformations often with a digital or data analytics component. She has led several comprehensive transformation programs of industrial goods companies in the manufacturing, engineering services, and mining industries, driving significant change and margin improvement.

Scott Young
Director, Strategic Initiatives, Eurasia Group

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Scott Young is the director of strategic initiatives at Eurasia Group, where he works closely with clients, partners, and friends of the firm to develop and deliver innovative programming and strategic partnerships in a variety of formats. He was previously a senior analyst with the geo-technology team, where he focused on the intersection of advanced technologies and geopolitics. Scott continues to advise Eurasia Group clients on the geopolitics of tech supply chains, data governance, key policy and regulatory developments, and critical emerging and frontier technologies.

Scott also co-leads the firm’s critical minerals working group, where he advises clients on the geopolitical complexities underpinning critical mineral supply chains, including rare earth metals. He is an associate with the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue and a juror for the Balsillie Prize for Public Policy with the Writers’ Trust of Canada. He is the former director of ideas and insights at the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Scott has been a BMW Foundation Responsible Leader since 2018. He holds degrees from Simon Fraser, Warwick (where he studied as a Chevening scholar), and Oxford universities.

Events / B7 Summit: Get to Know Our Speakers

Vivian AbdelmessihBoard Chair, Export Development Canada (EDC)

Kevin AllisonFounder & President, Minerva Technology Advisors

Meni AnastasiadouPolicy Manager for Digital Economy, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Lisa BaitonPresident & CEO, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)

Whitney BairdPresident & CEO, United States Council for International Business (USCIB)

Ian AndersonExecutive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Teck Resources Ltd.

Alex BenayAssociate Deputy Minister, Enterprise Pay Coordination of Canada

Emily BensonHead of Strategy, Minerva Technology Futures

Sophie BergeronManaging Director for Rio Tinto Iron, Titanium & Diamonds, Rio Tinto

Markus BeyrerCEO, BusinessEurope

Benjamin BrakeDirector General, Digital and Data Policy | German Federal Ministry, Digital and Transport

Elizabeth BoylanDirector, External Affairs North America, FMC Corporation

Kevin BuckleyVice President, Global Government Affairs, Supply Chain, Johnson & Johnson

Gerald Michael ButtsVice Chairman, Eurasia Group

Alessandro CattaneoAmbassador of Italy to Canada, Embassy of Italy

Barbara CimminoVice President for Export and Investment Attraction, Confindustria | Co-Chair of the B20 Task Force on Trade & Investment

Suzanne ClarkPresident & CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Catherine ClarkCo-Founder, Honest Talk

Davide CicheroChief of Staff, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Sabina CiofuAssociate Director – International, techUK

Antony CookCorporate Vice President &

Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft

Christian DiemerChairman, External Economic Policy Committee, The Federation of German Industries (BDI) | Managing Director, FMC Industrial

Justin D’AgostinoCEO, Herbert Smith Freehills

John DentonSecretary General, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Tim FiguresPartner & Associate Director, EU and Global Trade & Investment, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Bianca FreedmanChief Executive Officer, Edelman Canada

Nevin FrenchVice President, Public & Government Affairs, Edelman

Aidan GomezCo-Founder & CEO, Cohere

Richard CraigheadVice President of Engineering, Cisco

Ramon PineroGeneral Manager of BlackBerry AtHoc

Pierre PetellePresident & CEO, CropLife

Marc-Etienne OuimetteGlobal Lead, AI/ML Policy at Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Farsad NasseriCanada Country Manager, Google Cloud, Google

Rain Newton-SmithCEO, Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

Michael OberreiterHead of Global Access, Roche

Laura GutierrezVice President & Global Head of Public Affairs & Key Markets, Sanofi

Nikki HaleyVice-Chair, Public and Government Affairs, Edelman; Senior Consultant

Keith HallidayPartner & Associate Director, Global Trade & Investment, Boston Consulting Group

Hila HanifPrincipal, Cybersecurity Public Policy, AWS

Cynthia HansenExecutive Vice President & President, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Enbridge

Bettina HamelinPresident, Innovative Medicines Canada

Shauna HemingwaySenior Special Advisor, Boston Consulting Group

Bettina HamelinPresident, Innovative Medicines Canada

Matt HarringtonGlobal President and Chief Operating Officer, Edelman

Laura HewittSenior Vice President & Head, Global Government Affairs and Public Policy, Sun Life

Toshiaki HigashiharaVice Chair, Keidanren

Masayuki HyodoVice Chair, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) | Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sumitomo Corporation

Abigail HunterExecutive Director of the Ambassador Alfred Hoffman Jr. Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE)

Rick JohnstonExecutive Board Vice Chair, Business at OECD (BIAC)

Yuliya KovalivAmbassador of Ukraine to Canada

Michael KovrigSenior Advisor, Asia-Pacific for International Crisis Group (ICG)

Shachi KurlPresident, Angus Reid Institute

Candace LaingPresident & CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Jonathan LangPractice Head, Trade & Supply Chains, Eurasia Group

Fabrice Le SachéVice-President of Mouvement des Enterprises de France (MEDEF)

The Hon. David LamettiCounsel, Fasken | Former Minister, Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Duncan MelvilleManaging Director & Partner, Calgary, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Josh MeltzerSenior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Brookings Institute

Michael McAdooPartner & Director, Global Trade & Investment, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Leslie MaddenHead of Canada Government Affairs & Policy, Moderna

Michel MirailletAmbassador of France to Canada, Embassy of France

Olga Mironenko StampferVice President, International Relations, UnitedHealth Group | Chair of the Health Committee, Business at OECD (BIAC)

Marc MondesirManaging Director & President, Equinix Canada

Christina von MesslingForesight Advisory Partner, Foresight Factory

The Hon. Erin O’Toole | President & Managing Director, ADIT North America | Former Leader, Conservative Party of Canada

The Hon. Nazak NikakhtaNational Security and International Trade Attorney & Partner, Wiley Rein LLP

Fredrik PerssonPresident, BusinessEurope

Michael PunkeVice President of Public Policy, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative & U.S. Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Mark SchaanDeputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Artificial Intelligence, Government of Canada

Justin ShepherdManaging Director, Corporates, Eurasia Group

Pamela SnivelyChief Data & Trust Officer, TELUS

Dev SaxenaDirector, Eurasia Group | Senior Advisor, Global Affairs, OpenAI

John StackhouseSenior Vice President, Office of the CEO, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

Eric SullivanCanada Public Sector Lead, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Chris TaitPartner, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Carlene ToddVice President of Access, Roche

Geneviève TutsAmbassador of the European Union to Canada

Events /
B7 Summit: Get to Know Our Speakers

Vivian Abdelmessih
Board Chair, Export Development Canada (EDC)

Kevin Allison
Founder & President, Minerva Technology Advisors

Meni Anastasiadou
Policy Manager for Digital Economy, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Lisa Baiton
President & CEO, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)

Whitney Baird
President & CEO, United States Council for International Business (USCIB)

Ian Anderson
Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Teck Resources Ltd.

Alex Benay
Associate Deputy Minister, Enterprise Pay Coordination of Canada

Emily Benson
Head of Strategy, Minerva Technology Futures

Sophie Bergeron
Managing Director for Rio Tinto Iron, Titanium & Diamonds, Rio Tinto

Markus Beyrer
CEO, BusinessEurope

Benjamin Brake
Director General, Digital and Data Policy | German Federal Ministry, Digital and Transport

Elizabeth Boylan
Director, External Affairs North America, FMC Corporation

Kevin Buckley
Vice President, Global Government Affairs, Supply Chain, Johnson & Johnson

Gerald Michael Butts
Vice Chairman, Eurasia Group

Alessandro Cattaneo
Ambassador of Italy to Canada, Embassy of Italy

Barbara Cimmino
Vice President for Export and Investment Attraction, Confindustria | Co-Chair of the B20 Task Force on Trade & Investment

Suzanne Clark
President & CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Catherine Clark
Co-Founder, Honest Talk

Davide Cichero
Chief of Staff, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Sabina Ciofu
Associate Director – International, techUK

Antony Cook
Corporate Vice President &

Christian Diemer
Chairman, External Economic Policy Committee, The Federation of German Industries (BDI) | Managing Director, FMC Industrial

Justin D’Agostino
CEO, Herbert Smith Freehills

John Denton
Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Tim Figures
Partner & Associate Director, EU and Global Trade & Investment, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Bianca Freedman
Chief Executive Officer, Edelman Canada

Nevin French
Vice President, Public & Government Affairs, Edelman

Aidan Gomez
Co-Founder & CEO, Cohere

Richard Craighead
Vice President of Engineering, Cisco

Ramon Pinero
General Manager of BlackBerry AtHoc

Pierre Petelle
President & CEO, CropLife

Marc-Etienne Ouimette
Global Lead, AI/ML Policy at Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Farsad Nasseri
Canada Country Manager, Google Cloud, Google

Rain Newton-Smith
CEO, Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

Michael Oberreiter
Head of Global Access, Roche

Laura Gutierrez
Vice President & Global Head of Public Affairs & Key Markets, Sanofi

Nikki Haley
Vice-Chair, Public and Government Affairs, Edelman; Senior Consultant

Keith Halliday
Partner & Associate Director, Global Trade & Investment, Boston Consulting Group

Hila Hanif
Principal, Cybersecurity Public Policy, AWS

Cynthia Hansen
Executive Vice President & President, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Enbridge

Bettina Hamelin
President, Innovative Medicines Canada

Shauna Hemingway
Senior Special Advisor, Boston Consulting Group

Bettina Hamelin
President, Innovative Medicines Canada

Matt Harrington
Global President and Chief Operating Officer, Edelman

Laura Hewitt
Senior Vice President & Head, Global Government Affairs and Public Policy, Sun Life

Toshiaki Higashihara
Vice Chair, Keidanren

Masayuki Hyodo
Vice Chair, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) | Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sumitomo Corporation

Abigail Hunter
Executive Director of the Ambassador Alfred Hoffman Jr. Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE)

Rick Johnston
Executive Board Vice Chair, Business at OECD (BIAC)

Yuliya Kovaliv
Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada

Michael Kovrig
Senior Advisor, Asia-Pacific for International Crisis Group (ICG)

Shachi Kurl
President, Angus Reid Institute

Candace Laing
President & CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Jonathan Lang
Practice Head, Trade & Supply Chains, Eurasia Group

Fabrice Le Saché
Vice-President of Mouvement des Enterprises de France (MEDEF)

The Hon. David Lametti
Counsel, Fasken | Former Minister, Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Duncan Melville
Managing Director & Partner, Calgary, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Josh Meltzer
Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Brookings Institute

Michael McAdoo
Partner & Director, Global Trade & Investment, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Leslie Madden
Head of Canada Government Affairs & Policy, Moderna

Michel Miraillet
Ambassador of France to Canada, Embassy of France

Olga Mironenko Stampfer
Vice President, International Relations, UnitedHealth Group | Chair of the Health Committee, Business at OECD (BIAC)

Marc Mondesir
Managing Director & President, Equinix Canada

Christina von Messling
Foresight Advisory Partner, Foresight Factory

The Hon. Nazak Nikakhta
National Security and International Trade Attorney & Partner, Wiley Rein LLP

Fredrik Persson
President, BusinessEurope

Michael Punke
Vice President of Public Policy, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative & U.S. Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Mark Schaan
Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Artificial Intelligence, Government of Canada

Justin Shepherd
Managing Director, Corporates, Eurasia Group

Pamela Snively
Chief Data & Trust Officer, TELUS

Dev Saxena
Director, Eurasia Group | Senior Advisor, Global Affairs, OpenAI

John Stackhouse
Senior Vice President, Office of the CEO, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

Eric Sullivan
Canada Public Sector Lead, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Chris Tait
Partner, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Carlene Todd
Vice President of Access, Roche

Geneviève Tuts
Ambassador of the European Union to Canada

Karen Swager
Executive Vice President – Operations, The Mosaic Company

Christine Wurzbacher
Managing Director & Partner Montreal, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Scott Young
Director, Strategic Initiatives, Eurasia Group