Week 5: ESG: Looking Ahead
The ESG space is continuing to evolve and more issuers, investors and other key stakeholders are taking action. To wrap up CIRI’s ESG Seminar Series, we will explore new developments in ESG and their impact on issuers including the collaboration between standard setters and framework providers; investor views on IFRS’ Consultation Paper on Sustainability Reporting; and capital raising opportunities in sustainable finance.
Registration for this event is now closed. Click here to purchase the archive webcast.
Date: Wednesday, May 12
TIme: 12:00 - 1:15pm ET
By registering for this CIRI event, you agree to comply with CIRI's Code of Conduct. Please contact Kaitlin Davis with any questions about the event.
Speakers
Lisa French, Chief Technical Officer, International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC)
Prior to joining the IIRC, Lisa served as Technical Director at the Global Reporting Initiative and Principal, Guidance and Support at the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. Her industry experience includes work at 3M, Metso Minerals and Ford Motor Company. Lisa has also consulted to the International Finance Corporation on investment strategies, training programs and external communications. Lisa has an MBA in Finance and Business & Sustainability from the Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto. She holds an Engineering Chemistry degree with an Environmental specialization from Queen’s University, Kingston. Lisa is a licensed professional engineer.
Catherine McCall, Executive Director, Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (CCGG)
Catherine was named as Executive Director as of July 1, 2018. Prior to that she was Director of Policy Development of CCGG from November of 2012. Prior to joining CCGG, she was a principal at Hugessen Consulting and head of their corporate governance practice. Catherine also has worked as a Vice-President and director of ISS Canada Corp., the Canadian division of RiskMetrics, and as a partner with Fairvest Corporation, ISS’ predecessor firm. Catherine began her career practicing law with Davies Ward & Beck in Toronto. Catherine has written and spoken widely on issues of corporate governance and executive compensation. She is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and received the ICD.D designation in 2017.
As Executive Director of CCGG, Catherine develops CCGG’s agenda and strategy, oversees board and member relationships and acts as CCGG’s public spokesperson. Catherine also participates in CCGG’s private meetings with the board chairs as well as the chairs of the governance and compensation committees of public companies across Canada in order to encourage them to improve their governance practices and disclosure.
Siddharth Samarth, Executive Director, Sustainable Finance, CIBC Capital Markets
Siddharth Samarth has a banking career spanning over 14 years. He is currently responsible for CIBC’s Sustainable Finance franchise.
His focus is on advising clients on fixed income green and sustainable finance products and has been involved in the execution of a number of green and sustainability-linked financings including those for the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto, Enbridge and TransAlta Corporation. He is a member of the team working with the Canadian Standards Association to develop a Transition Standard for Canada. He is also a part of the Climate Transition Working Group under the auspices of the International Capital Markets Association.
Prior to this role, Mr. Samarth was a part of the Power, Utilities and Project Finance team where he was responsible for the relationship development and management of clients in investor-owned Power & Utilities, Infrastructure Funds and Pension Funds. He has worked on closing and executing over $14 billion of non-recourse bank financings which includes over 4.5GWs of renewable and conventional power financings, acquisition of infrastructure assets such as ports and airports and energy infrastructure.
Mr. Samarth received his MBA from the University of Western Ontario and his BE in Mechanical Engineering from Pune University.