GRI Business Strategy Committee

Our Business Strategy Committee (BSC) provides input to management on members’ needs, GRI’s competitive landscape and new product development. It essentially acts as a sounding board for the executive team on business plans and new initiatives. The BSC is comprised of a cross-section of senior industry and government leaders. 
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Alyson Bailey-Flynn

Global Head & Managing Director Capital Markets, Internal Audit, RBC

Alyson is the Global Head & Managing Director Capital Markets, Internal Audit at RBC. She is responsible for the global audit activities covering planning, execution, and reporting for the Capital Markets business, including trading, corporate and investment banking, operations, compliance and technology. 

Prior to joining RBC, Alyson held various positions at another financial institution where she was most recently SVP, Operational Risk overseeing operational risk methodology, oversight and third party risk management. She was previously SVP, GRM Data and Analytics, where she led data and artificial intelligence risk management, and held positions in GRM as well as Regional Chief Auditor, for UK and Europe for a number of years. Alyson started her career in Capital Markets in financial engineering, where highlights include implementation of a new counterparty credit risk model and technology, credit derivatives front office technology build out, and analytics coverage across a number of businesses including interest rate and equity derivatives.  

Alyson earned her Masters of Mathematical Finance from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Math from St. Mary’s University. 

 
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Brad Crombie

Chief Executive Officer, Alquity

Brad Crombie is Chief Executive Officer of Alquity, a specialist Global Emerging Market ESG investment manager. Previously Mr. Crombie was responsible for all Fixed Income and LDI investing as Global Head at Aberdeen Asset Management, now a part of Standard Life Aberdeen PLC, a FTSE 100-listed asset management company. In this role, he served on the company’s executive committee as well as a director of its principal UK operating subsidiaries. 

Prior to joining Aberdeen, Mr. Crombie was Managing Director and Head of EMEA Non-Financials Credit Research at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He started his investing career in European High Yield.

In addition to the GRI, Mr. Crombie also serves on the Advisory Group on McGill University in the UK and Europe. From 2015 to 2018, Mr. Crombie was a founding member of the Advisory Council of the FICC Market Standards Board (FMSB), the body created following the UK’s Fair and Effective Markets Review (FEMR), and served on its Conduct & Ethics Sub-Committee.

He graduated from McGill University with a BA Degree in History and Political Science and an MA Degree in History and went on to read History in the PhD. programme at the University of Cambridge.

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Dwight Duncan

Senior Strategic Advisor, McMillan LLP

Dwight Duncan serves as a Senior Strategic Advisor at McMillan LLP, one of Canada’s largest and most respected full service law firms. At McMillan, Mr. Duncan is, or has been engaged, by some of Canada’s largest and most influential pension funds, private equity firms, insurers and gaming companies.

Mr. Duncan currently serves on the Board of Travelers Insurance Canada, The Dominion General Insurance Company, Crown Crest Trust, The Global Risk Institute, the MS Society of Canada Scientific Research Foundation, the Management Advisory Board of the Odette School of Business at the University of Windsor, and is Chair of the Board of the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority.

Prior to joining McMillan, Mr. Duncan had a distinguished career in public service that spanned close to 25 years. During his time as a Member of the Ontario Legislature he served as Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet, Chair of Cabinet, Government House Leader, Minister of Energy, Minister of Revenue, Minister of Government Services and Opposition House Leader. Mr. Duncan delivered six budgets and authored historic reforms to Ontario’s tax, pension, insurance, and energy regimes. He played a leadership role in formulating the Province’s response to the economic recession of 2008.

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J. Michael Durland

President & CEO, Melancthon Capital

Mike is the President and CEO of Melancthon Capital, a private company which provides capital and advisory services to socially purposeful emerging Canadian companies. Mike also holds the position of Professor of Practice at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, is the Chair of the Board of Directors of DeepLearni.ng, and is a founding principal in Cabot Links.

Mike is a member of various boards including:
• Member of the Board of Directors of TruLeaf Sustainable Agriculture
• Member of the advisory board of Riipen Networks Inc.
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation
• Member of the Board of Capitalize for Kids
• Member of the Business Strategy Committee for the Global Risk Institute
• Member of the Advisory Board of the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University
• Member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Social Impact at Queen’s University and the Master of Management Analytics Program at Queen’s University.

Mike is a former Group Head and CEO, Global Banking and Markets for Scotiabank. Mike holds a B Comm degree from St. Mary’s University, a PhD in Finance and Operations Research from Queen’s University and an honorary Doctorate from St. Mary’s University.

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Janet L. Ecker

Corporate Director

Janet L. Ecker is the former President and CEO of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance (TFSA), a concept she turned into a growing and influential public-private partnership dedicated to building Toronto as an international financial services centre. With government and industry support, she also established the Global Risk Institute in Financial Services to leverage the sector’s global reputation for stability, as well as the Centre of Excellence in Financial Services Education to capitalize on the region’s talent advantages.

Ms. Ecker was formerly the Minister of Finance for Ontario and was the first woman to deliver a budget in the province. During her political career, she delivered significant public policy reforms as Minister of Education, Minister of Community and Social Services and Government House Leader. Before entering public life, Ms. Ecker was the Director of Policy for the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the doctors’ regulatory body, the first non-physician to hold the position. She currently sits on a wide range of public and private sector boards, agencies and government advisory committees.

In 2016 she received the Order of Canada for public service, in recognition of her public service contributions in the financial sector and in her political life.  A frequent public speaker and media commentator, she received the “Excellence in Leadership” award from the Transformation Institute for Leadership and Innovation in 2014, a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for public service in 2012 and was recognized as one of the “Most Influential People in the World’s Financial Centres” by Financial Centres International in 2010.  She also received one of “Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award” from the Women’s Executive Network and the Richard Ivey School of Business in 2003.  Ms. Ecker is one of the founders of Equal Voice, a national, multi-partisan organization working to elect more women.

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Stephen Forbes

Executive Vice President, Banking Centres, CIBC

Mr. Forbes is Executive Vice President of Banking Centres for CIBC. Previously, he was Executive VP & Chief Commercial Officer for CIBC. In this role, he was responsible for the bank’s brand strategy; key corporate client and partner relationships; as well as bank-wide marketing, communications and public affairs. He also had lead responsibility for the bank’s goal of becoming the leader in client relationships by enhancing their experience and satisfaction at every interaction.

Prior to that role, Mr. Forbes was Executive Vice President of Brand, Corporate and Client Relationships. He has also held a series of progressive management positions since joining CIBC in 2001, including serving as Executive Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs.

Prior to joining CIBC, Mr. Forbes was Vice President of Communications at Moore Corporation from 1997 to 2001. He also held management positions at Rogers Communications.

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Paul C. Genest

Senior Vice President, Power Corporation of Canada

Mr. Genest was appointed Senior Vice-President of Power Corporation and Power Financial in 2016. His background includes government, academia and business. He served in a number of portfolios as a Deputy Minister in the Ontario Government, including Intergovernmental Affairs and Francophone Affairs. 

Mr. Genest was Deputy Minister responsible for oversight of the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games held in Toronto in 2015. He has served in the federal government as Director of Policy and Research in the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. He held executive positions with the Council of Ontario Universities and Bell Canada and has served as Adjunct Professor at Glendon College, York University.

A Fellow at the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Ryerson University, Mr. Genest is an active volunteer with a number of organizations including Pine River Institute which provides residential rehabilitation for teenagers, The Nature Conservancy of Canada – Ontario Region, Business for the Arts and the Alliance Française de Toronto. A champion of diversity, he has been honoured for his advocacy for the rights of the LGBTQ community. He is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Mr. Genest holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours (graduating cum laude) in English and Philosophy from the University of Guelph, a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Ottawa, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He is also a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and has completed the Rotman School of Management, Institute of Corporate Directors – Directors Education Program (ICD.D).

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Richard Frank Goulding

Former Chief Risk Officer, Standard Chartered PLC

Mr. Richard Frank Goulding serves as the Chief Risk Officer of Standard Chartered PLC. Mr. Goulding is responsible for managing Credit, Market and Operational Risk across at Standard Chartered PLC. He served as Group Chief Risk Operating Officer of Standard Chartered PLC. He served as Chief Operating Officer of Wholesale Banking of Standard Chartered Bank Australia, a subsidiary of Standard Chartered PLC. He served as the Chief Operating Officer for the Wholesale Bank, and was responsible for managing and overseeing various functions including strategy development, research, legal & compliance, technology & operations, risk, finance, human resources, and portfolio management.

He joined in 2002 and previously worked with the Old Mutual Group in the USA and with UBS Warburg in the UK, where he served as a Member of the Global Executive Board of UBS investment banking division, chaired the operating committee and took responsibility for programme and regional management.

Immediately preceding that, he served as the Chief Credit Officer of the investment banking division and also Group Head of Risk Policies and Systems. He joined UBS from Bankers Trust where he was their European Treasurer. Mr. Goulding joined Standard Chartered from the Old Mutual Group where he was Chief Operating Officer of their global financial services division based in London and Boston. He has been a Director of Standard Chartered Bank since January 14, 2013 until July 1, 2015. He qualified as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen and Company, having previously obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a postgraduate degree in finance from the University of Natal in South Africa.

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Ozench Ibrahim

Partner, KPMG

Ozench serves some of KPMG’s largest clients in the financial institutions industry, auditing and advising Canadian as well as global financial institutions. For almost two decades, Ozench has audited and advised Canadian and global financial institutions. As audit partner for clients in banking, capital markets, wealth management, brokerage and other segments of the financial institutions industry, Ozench has been closely involved in some of the challenges and issues facing the financial services industry during the most recent financial crisis.

As KPMG’s designated IFRS champion for the financial services practice during the years leading up to the adoption of IFRS in Canada, Ozench assisted clients and engagement teams on complex accounting issues, led KPMG’s workshop series IFRS for Investment Dealers, spoke at various seminars including those of OSFI and IIROC. As Deputy Lead Partner on a Schedule 1 Banking client, Ozench leads a large multi-disciplinary team of KPMG partners and professionals in serving the bank across all business lines with audit, tax and advisory services, building and maintaining relations with key executives, bringing global insights and expertise and ensuring delivery of quality service and value add.

Ozench is a mentor and sponsor for KPMG’s top talent in our Women in Line for Leadership program. Her community involvement includes service on the Board of Governors of York University as Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee; Business Strategy Advisory Committee – Global Risk Institute; Advisory Council – Women in Capital Markets and the Advisory Board of Schulich School of Business – Center of Excellence in Accounting and Society.

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Isabelle T. Jacques

Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch Department of Finance

Ms. Jacques was appointed to the position of Assistant Deputy Minister, Financial Sector Policy Branch at the Department of Finance on August 23, 2021. Prior to her appointment, Isabelle served as Assistant Deputy Minister for the Central Agencies Portfolio at Justice Canada starting in March 2017 where she was the principal legal advisor to the Deputy Minister of the Department of Finance on a wide range of areas including financial institutions, tax policy, trade issues, securities and capital markets regulation, financial administration and Crown corporations, as well as the development and implementation of the federal budget. 

She also oversaw the provision of legal advice to Portfolio clients through six legal services including Finance Canada, the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and the Public Service Commission.

Ms. Jacques joined the Department of Justice in 1999 and held successive positions at Environment Canada Legal Services, Transport Canada Legal Services, Global Affairs Canada Legal Services, and as the Deputy Assistant Deputy Minister for the Business and Regulatory Law Portfolio.

Ms. Jacques holds a Bachelor of Biochemistry, a Bachelor of Economics and an L.L.B. from the Faculty of Common Law from the University of Ottawa. She was called to the Law Society of Upper Canada in 1993.

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Sharon Ludlow

Board Member, Lombard International

Sharon Ludlow has more than 25 years of experience in both the life & health and property & casualty re-insurance industries. During the course of her career, Ms. Ludlow served as President & CEO of the Canadian operations of Swiss Re and as President of Aviva Insurance Company of Canada.

Ms. Ludlow also advised OMERS, one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans, on its global investment strategy in the insurance sector. During her tenure in the life insurance industry, Sharon played a key role in the demutualization and IPO of Canada Life Financial (now owned by Great West Life). In addition, Ms. Ludlow, along with her co-founders, launched Kanetix, Canada’s first online insurance marketplace.

Ms. Ludlow served the insurance industry as a director on the boards of Insurance Bureau of Canada, Canadian Life & Health Association, Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction and as Chair of the board of the Reinsurance Research Council.

Ms. Ludlow currently serves on the boards of Green Shield Canada and EIS Group. Ms. Ludlow joined the Lombard International Board of Directors in January 2019 and chairs the Audit and Risk Committee.

Ms. Ludlow is a Chartered Professional Accountant/Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA Canada) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto. She is also a graduate of the Corporate Directors program at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto and holds an Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D).

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Gadi Mayman

CEO, Ontario Financing Authority

As CEO of the Ontario Financing Authority (OFA), Gadi is responsible for the Province’s capital market activities, including borrowing and debt management, corporate and electricity finance projects, and its banking and investor relationships. He is also CEO and Vice-Chair of the Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation.

Prior to joining the Ontario Ministry of Finance, Gadi worked at Export Development Canada in Ottawa and in the International Division of the TD Bank. He received a Bachelor of Applied Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto in 1981, and a Master of Business Administration from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario in 1988.

Gadi is on the boards of Infrastructure Ontario and the Ontario Capital Growth Corporation, and is Co-Chair of the Joint Nuclear Funds Investment Committee, a joint OFA and Ontario Power Generation Committee.