CONSEIL D’ADMINISTRATION DU CCBC

M. Desmarais est premier vice-président de Power Corporation depuis 2017. Il est le moteur de Power Sustainable, celui qui inspire la vision et le positionnement de l’organisation comme gestionnaire d’actifs alternatifs dans le développement durable.

Il préside le Conseil d’affaires Canada-Chine (CCBC) et siège également sur les conseils d’administration de la Canada Vie, de IG Gestion de patrimoine, de Mackenzie et de Lumenpulse.

Très engagé socialement, il est également membre du conseil de l’Institut canadien de recherches avancées.

M. Desmarais détient un baccalauréat en droit de l’Université d’Ottawa et un baccalauréat en sociologie et sciences politiques de l’Université McGill. Il est membre du Barreau du Québec depuis 2009.

Pendant plus de 25 ans, M. Shantz a travaillé pour la fonction publique du Canada en fournissant des conseils au gouvernement canadien, principalement sur la gestion des relations canadiennes avec l’Asie. M. Shantz a vécu et travaillé en Asie pendant plus de douze ans, dont six en Chine. À Ottawa, M. Shantz occupait des postes de haute direction chez Affaires mondiales Canada, au ministère des Finances et au Bureau du Conseil privé. En 2000-2001, il a été le négociateur en chef du Canada pour les accords sur la protection des investissements étrangers (APIE). 1996-1997, il fut négociateur-chef adjoint de l’équipe canadienne lors des discussions sur l’adhésion de la Chine à l’OMC. Au cours des décennies précédentes, M. Shantz a pris part à de nombreuses visites bilatérales importantes entre les leaders canadiens et chinois.

M. Shantz a été membre du conseil d’administration de la Fondation Asie Pacifique du Canada (2013-2016) et du conseil d’administration du Centre for International Governance Innovation (2006-2009). Il a occupé le poste d’ambassadeur auprès du Royaume d’Espagne (2009-2012) et a terminé sa carrière de fonctionnaire en occupant des postes de haute direction au sein de la Direction générale de l’Asie chez Affaires mondiales Canada.

M. Shantz parle le mandarin et a développé son intérêt envers la Chine lors de ses études en économie au Goshen College, en Indiana. Il est titulaire d’une maîtrise ès arts en commerce international de la Norman Paterson School of International Affairs de l’Université Carleton. Il a également poursuivi des études en langues et en économie en Chine, y compris à l’Université de Beijing et à l’Université de Xiamen, dans le cadre du programme d’échanges académiques Canada-Chine.

Avant de se joindre à DS Avocats S.E.N.C.R.L., Martin Cauchon a connu une carrière remarquable. Élu député fédéral pour la première fois en octobre 1993, il a occupé de nombreux postes au sein du gouvernement de Canada. Il fut notamment secrétaire d’État (Agence de développement économique du Canada pour les régions du Québec), ministre du Revenu national ainsi que ministre de la Justice et procureur général du Canada. En 2013, il a été candidat officiel lors de la course à la direction du Parti Libéral du Canada. De 2015 à 2019, il a aussi été actionnaire et président exécutif de Groupe Capitales Médias, ce qui lui a permis de mieux comprendre les défis que doit surmonter la presse écrite dans l’univers numérique.

L’expérience unique de Me Cauchon auprès du gouvernement et du secteur privé lui a donné une connaissance approfondie sur une grande variété d’enjeux. Au sein de l’équipe de DS Avocats, il avise les sociétés sur les nombreux défis posés par l’économie du savoir et la mondialisation des marchés, en tenant compte des facteurs géopolitiques. Me Cauchon facilite également la création de partenariats à l’échelle provinciale, nationale et internationale.

Ayant établi des relations avec plusieurs interlocuteurs en Chine, Me Cauchon a acquis une solide connaissance de ce marché, ce qui lui permet d’intervenir dans des projets qui s’inscrivent dans le cadre de la relation Canada-Chine.

Après avoir obtenu une licence en droit à l’Université d’Ottawa, Me Cauchon est devenu avocat membre du Barreau du Québec en 1985 et a complété en 1991, une maîtrise en droit des affaires internationales à l’Université d’Exeter, en Angleterre. Il a été récipiendaire en 2004 de l’International Role Model Award remis par le Equality Forum. En 2015, il a reçu la distinction honorifique « Advocatus emeritus » et « Le Mérite » du Barreau du Québec. Il est également vice-président du conseil d’administration du Conseil d’affaires Canada-Chine et président de la section du Québec. Il siège au conseil d’administration de plusieurs sociétés.

Dr. Fung is the co-founder, Board Chair and CEO of the ACDEG Group of companies, a global technology integrator. Over the past 34 years, he has founded, co-founded or restructured over 25 business ventures/corporations in agri-food, manufacturing, wholesale distribution and clean technologies in North America, Europe and Asia. Dr. Fung was a venture advisor of Cycle Capital Management Inc., one of the largest clean technology venture capital funds in Canada.

Dr. Fung is the co-inventor of 35 issued or allowed patents with 32 patent applications pending on a variety of chemical technologies including a highly disruptive discovery on the disproportionate responses of the physicochemical properties of liquids to minute external stimuli.

Besides the ACDEG Group of companies, his board experience includes Chair of the Chemical Institute of Canada, Co-chair of the Members of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, National Board Chair of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Association, Chair of China Committee of International Science & Technology Partnership Canada, Vice-chair of the national boards of Canada China Business Council, the Canadian Standards Association Group and the Management Board of National Zero Waste Council of Canada. He was the Chancellor and a member of the Board of Governors and the Senate of Capilano University of British Columbia, the President of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, a member of the Steering Committee of the Metro Vancouver Regional Prosperity Initiative, a Senior Fellow of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and a member of the Advisory Board of the McGill School of Religious Studies.

He was awarded the Canadian Asian of the Year (Business and Public Service), 2009 by Asia Network Canada, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2012 by the Governor General of Canada, the honorary Doctor of Law degree by Capilano University (BC) in 2014, the honorary Doctor of Science degree by Concordia University (Quebec) in 2020 and the Award of Merit by the McGill Alumni Association in 2022.

M. Paul Blom est forestier professionnel inscrit (Ret.) et biologiste professionnel inscrit. Il a étudié le mandarin à l’Université nationale normale de Taïwan. Au cours de son mandat de 5 ans en Asie, il a travaillé auprès de la Zhejiang Forest and Agriculture University à Zhejiang, ainsi qu’auprès du bureau commercial de la Colombie-Britannique à Taïwan.

M. Blom a coordonné le développement des plans et stratégies des Premières Nations qui suivent, à l’échelle de la province, lesquels forment le fondement du mandat du First Nations Energy and Mining Council, une organisation politique défendant les droits des 203 communautés des Premières Nations en C.-B. :

– Stratégie Premières Nations – Chine : partenariats novateurs
– Plan d’action sur l’énergie des Premières Nations de la C.-B.
– Plan d’action sur l’exploration minière et l’exploitation minière des Premières Nations de la C.-B.

M. Blom a été impliqué dans diverses missions indigènes, provinciales et fédérales en Chine, visant le développement d’occasions de commerce et de connaissances culturelles pour les Premières Nations. Elles comprennent la coordination de la mission du Chef national de l’Assemblée des Premières Nations en Chine pour y ériger un totem à Beichuan, en souvenir des victimes du tremblement de terre de Wenchuan.

M. Blom est également impliqué dans d’autres projets, dont les suivants :
– Négociateur à la table de réconciliation du Conseil tribal Carrier Sekani/Nation Tl’azt’en avec la Colombie-Britannique et le Canada,
– Conseiller des Premières Nations lors des négociations d’entente sur les bénéfices des répercussions du pipeline de gaz naturel,
– Conseiller relativement au cadre de réconciliation de la Première Nation Musqueam avec le Canada,
– Négociateur des Premières Nations dans le cadre de plusieurs ententes d’exploration minière dans le nord de la Colombie-Britannique.

En décembre 2012, Sam Boutziouvis a été nommé vice-président, Relations avec le gouvernement et les institutions de développement multilatéral, pour le Groupe SNC-Lavalin. Son supérieur immédiat est Michael Novak, vice-président exécutif, Gouvernement mondial, affaires autochtones et économiques.

Dans le cadre de son poste qu’il exerce à Ottawa, M. Boutziouvis est responsable de la gestion des relations principales de SNC-Lavalin avec le gouvernement du Canada. En collaboration avec la haute direction de SNC-Lavalin et avec ses unités fonctionnelles de produits, il s’efforce d’assurer le soutien politique, diplomatique, et lié à la fonction publique et aux agences de la couronne (EDC, CCC) qui est essentiel pour soutenir l’expansion du marché national et des marchés d’exportation de la société. Il représente la société en entretenant des relations continues avec des institutions de développement multilatéral et avec des associations d’industrie à l’échelle nationale et internationale.

M. Boutziouvis possède plus de vingt ans d’expérience au sein du Conseil canadien des affaires (une organisation de défense des droits en matière de politique publique dont les membres sont des chefs de la direction), ce qui l’aide à remplir ses tâches. Pendant sa carrière auprès du Conseil, M. Boutziouvis a occupé des postes à responsabilités croissantes. Pendant plusieurs années, il a occupé le poste de vice-président, Politiques, qui était centré sur des questions internationales et fiscales. Avant cela, M. Boutziouvis était analyste principal pour la division d’exportation de gaz du ministère alors appelé de l’Énergie, des Mines et des Ressources du gouvernement du Canada.

M. Boutziouvis est diplômé de l’Université Carleton (maîtrise en administration publique), de l’Université d’Ottawa (diplômes de premier cycle en économie et en biochimie) et de l’Université Western Ontario (programme exécutif).

In addition to realizing numerous commercial and institutional projects in Canada, Karen Cvornyek has practiced architecture throughout Asia, as well as the U.S., England, Japan, Italy, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. Her strengths include design and project management; setting the project design concept; and directing architectural, consultant and client teams from development to the realization of the project.

After practicing domestically and internationally for 15 years, Ms. Cvornyek joined B+H Architects as a Partner in 2002 and led the firm’s practice in Asia from 2003-2023, adding a new Montreal Studio to the practice in 2020. In 2008, she was appointed President, Asia, overseeing B+H’s operations in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam with their professional staff of more than 280 architects, interior designers, landscape architects and urban planners. Furthermore, she was elected to the B+H Management Committee from 2005 to 2023.

Ms. Cvornyek has an extensive educational background, having earned a Bachelor of Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Waterloo. Her professional qualifications encompass memberships in the Ontario Association of Architects (O.A.A.), Ordre des Architectes du Quebec (O.A.Q.), and she holds the distinction of being a Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada.

Ms. Cvornyek has been involved in various notable endeavours and has received numerous accolades. In 1991, she was recognized with the Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Embassy Redevelopment Project in Tokyo by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Canada, and in 2014, she received the Governor General’s Medal for advancing ties between Canada and China. She honoured as the Executive of the Year in Architecture by Singapore Business Review in 2017, and in 2018, she served as the Chair of the Canada-ASEAN Business Council’s Women’s Leadership Forum in Singapore. Most recently she served as the International Women’s Forum, Toronto Chapter, in 2022.

Ms. Cvornyek’s leadership expertise extends to architectural education. She has taught at esteemed institutions such as the University of Waterloo, School of Architecture in Waterloo and Rome; the Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture, and has been a Guest Critic at the University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, and Carleton University’s School of Architecture.

The Honourable David C. Dingwall was installed as the seventh President and Vice-Chancellor of Cape Breton University on April 6, 2018.

Under his direction, Cape Breton University has achieved many significant milestones including the establishment of new strategic, research and academic plans, a new CBU brand, unprecedented enrolment growth, a revitalized campus including a major renovation to the Canada Games Complex (the future home of Female and Para Hockey in Canada), a Centre for Discovery and Innovation, a medical campus, a new School of Nursing, and several new programs including a Bachelor of Social Work.

President Dingwall is a member of the King’s Privy Council and is an active member of Universities Canada, Universities Canada International Committee, the Association of Atlantic Universities, the Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents (Chair), M Square Media International Advisory Board and the Canada China Business Council, to name a few.

Mr. Dingwall is also a former Cabinet Minister and is highly regarded for his substantial, in-depth experience in both the private and public sectors, at both the national and international level. He also has extensive corporate governance experience and is the author of “Negotiating So Everyone Wins” – Secrets you can use from Canada’s top business, sports, labour and political negotiators.

Mr. Dingwall holds degrees in commerce and law from Dalhousie University, has studied Corporate Governance at Harvard Law School and is also a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D), Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. In 1997, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Cape Breton University.

He has been an extraordinary mentor to many Cape Bretoners and Canadians from coast to coast, helping them establish their own careers and make a mark across our country and beyond. He is the proud father of three children and grandfather to four grandchildren.

Victor Gomez serves as Assistant Vice President & Head (International) of Global Government Affairs and Public Policy at Sun Life. In this role, he supports Sun Life’s global operations spanning Canada, the United States, Asia and beyond. He provides strategic analysis and advice on international affairs, country risk and geopolitical risk to the CEO, the Executive Team, and the Board of Directors.

Prior to this role, Mr. Gomez also held responsibility for Government Affairs encompassing a range of public policy issues impacting Sun Life’s operations, including financial sector regulation, taxation, privacy, fintech, AI, sustainability, and infrastructure investment.

Before joining Sun Life in 2017, Mr. Gomez worked for seven years in government relations for Scotiabank, where he had similar responsibilities and covered a broad range of financial policy areas, including housing finance, payments, deposit insurance, retirement savings and macro-prudential regulation.

He also worked for nine years as a journalist in Eastern Europe, reporting and editing for a number of media outlets, including Bridge News, two power and energy supplements of the Financial Times, Radio Free Europe and the Open Media Research Institute.

Mr. Gomez holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University as well as a Master of Arts and PhD in Political Science from the University of Toronto.

Yan HAI has over 25 years of experience in the government, public affairs, and financial industry. Since joining Manulife in 2021, Ms. Hai has been leading Manulife Asia’s regulatory and public affairs strategy and execution across 13 markets, as well as providing counsel to the Global Board and Executive Leadership Team on geopolitical and regulatory issues critical to the Asia business.

Previously, Ms. Hai led Public Affairs APAC at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, where she initiated, negotiated, and implemented a three-year cooperation MOU with the NDRC, China’s top economic planner, addressing demographic challenges. The MOU, signed in the presence of Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Li, contributed significant policy insights to China’s first/highest-level national policy on population aging.

Prior to this, Ms. Hai held senior roles at Brunswick and Albright Stonebridge, advising C-suites of multinational corporations and international financial institutions on public affairs, financial communications, and crisis management. Ms. Hai also worked for China International Capital Corporation, where she was responsible for marketing and regulatory affairs supporting IPOs, M&A transactions, and business development.

Ms. Hai started her career in civil and diplomatic services as Attaché in the Chinese Embassies in the Netherlands and Indonesia and as Deputy Director for East European and Central Asian Affairs in the Ministry of Culture.

Ms. Hai holds an MPhil in Contemporary European Studies from the University of Cambridge and an LLB in Diplomacy from China Foreign Affairs University.

Constantine Karayannopoulos, a Professional Engineer, is President and CEO of Neo Performance Materials Inc. (“NEO”), a Canadian public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:NEO). He was appointed to this position in July 2020, after serving as NEO’s Chairman since September 2016. As one of the longest serving executives in the rare earth industry, he has worked with multiple governments in Europe, North America and Asia to converge public policy and industrial economics, over the past three decades.

Constantine began the Rare Earth phase of his career in 1994, under the leadership of Peter V. Gundy, who founded Advanced Material Resources Limited (“AMR”) in Toronto the prior year. AMR was the first foreign company allowed into China’s Rare Earth industry with two majority owned operating joint ventures. Constantine moved from Business Development Manager to North American Sales Manager, Global Sales Manager/Chairman of the JVs, VP/General Manager of AMR’s Rare Earth Business Unit and eventually to Chief Operating Officer responsible for both AMR’s divisions, Rare Earths and Magnetic Materials. In 2005, following AMR’s acquisition of Magnequench, Constantine became CEO of the combined company, being renamed to Neo Material Technologies Inc. (“Neo”). Neo established itself as a unique global rare earth specialty value-added materials company and, with strong cash flow and a pristine balance sheet, grew to 11 plants and 1,500 employees globally. In June 2012, Neo was acquired by Molycorp (NYSE-MCP) for Cdn$1.3 billion. Constantine joined the Board of Molycorp in July 2012 as Vice-Chairman. He became interim CEO of Molycorp in December 2012 and Chairman in December 2013. In September 2016, select strategic assets of Molycorp emerged as the distinct business entity Neo Performance Materials, of which Constantine was first appointed Chairman and now serves as CEO. He is also a Director of NEO and serves on the Health, Environment, Safety and Sustainability (HESS) Committee.

Constantine was also co-founder and non-executive Chairman of the Board of Neo Lithium Corp., from 2016 until January 2022.

Constantine is a member of the Advisory Board at the University of Toronto’s Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, a Director of the Canada China Business Council and a director on the Board of Lithium Royalties Corp., a fund investing in battery materials royalties and streams.

He holds Bachelor and Master of Applied Science degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto.

Constantine directs most of his charitable work towards education, one of his passions. He is married with three sons and resides in Toronto, Canada.

Joyce Lee est une associée du groupe de droit des affaires à Vancouver et préside le groupe Asie. Sa pratique est axée sur les finances d’entreprise et les lois sur les valeurs mobilières, les offres publiques d’achat, les fusions et acquisitions, les restructurations d’entreprise, les opérations commerciales, les placements et le financement d’entreprise. Mme Lee offre des services aux sociétés ouvertes, aux sociétés d’État, aux grandes entreprises privées, aux coentreprises, aux investisseurs en capital de risque et à certains investisseurs privés.

Elle apporte une perspective unique à sa pratique, dans le cadre de laquelle elle met habilement en relation des entreprises canadiennes qui cherchent des investisseurs chinois avec des organisations chinoises qui souhaitent étendre leurs activités en Amérique du Nord. De plus, elle offre régulièrement des conseils aux dirigeants de grandes entreprises du secteur financier relativement aux occasions d’affaires à exploiter et aux risques à gérer.

Stuart Mercier is a Managing Partner, Asia Pacific, responsible for expanding Brookfield’s Real Estate activities and partnerships across Asia Pacific and the Middle East and is the Country Head for Singapore. He has held several roles across the organization including as the inaugural Head of Asia where he lead the establishment of Brookfield’s Chinese, Korean and Japanese real estate businesses.

Prior to joining Brookfield in 2012, Mr. Mercier held various investment roles within a boutique Asia real estate investment and advisory firm. He also held several positions at Oxford Properties, the global real estate platform of the OMERS pension fund.

Mr. Mercier holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Hong Kong and London Business School, where he was the recipient of the Haitong Securities “New Generation of Leaders” scholarship, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bishop’s University. Mr. Mercier serves on the board of the Canada China Business Council and is a Global Governing Trustee and APAC Executive Committee member of the Urban Land Institute.

Ian Michael is a corporate partner at Bennett Jones LLP in Toronto. Mr. Michael’s practice is focused on corporate and securities law with an emphasis on mergers & acquisitions and infrastructure investments by private equity and strategic investors. He regularly works with international investors in connection with their Canadian investments and acquisitions including extensively with China-based investors. Mr. Michael works with boards of directors, senior executives and private equity investors in a range of industries including aviation, real estate, technology and automotive.

Mr. Michael previously served as a member of the Securities Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC). SAC provides advice to the Commission on a variety of matters including legislative and policy initiatives and important capital markets trends and is former member of the Mergers & Acquisitions team at the OSC.

Mr. Michael has been recommended by The Legal 500 Canada and the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in the areas Corporate Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity and Transport – Aviation, in addition to being noted by Lexpert as a leading infrastructure lawyer in Canada for his extensive work with aviation infrastructure consortia at most international airports in Canada. Mr. Michael has taught mergers & acquisitions for the advanced securities law program at Queen’s University, Western University and the University of Windsor. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of St. Andrew’s College, in Aurora, Ontario.

The Honourable James Moore is a Senior Business Advisor at the multinational law firm Dentons, a Public Policy Advisor at the global firm Edelman and sits on a number of corporate boards with extensive experience in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.  He is a regular public affairs contributor on CBC, CTV, Global National and BNN Bloomberg. 

Previously, he served as Canada’s Minister of Industry, Minister of Canadian Heritage & Official Languages and Secretary of State for the Asia Pacific Gateway and Minister for the 2010 Olympics over a 5-term, 15-year career as a Member of Parliament. He was the senior regional minister for the province of British Columbia and the is the youngest cabinet minister and Member of Parliament in B.C.’s history. 

Mr. Moore earned an outstanding reputation over his years spent in government, most notably as Minister of Industry from 2013 to 2015, where he oversaw a wide range of Canada’s public policy decisions and led a team responsible for Canada’s productivity, investment, digital and intellectual property policies.  He was responsible for the Investment Canada Act, the Canada Space Agency, the Canada Tourism Commission, the Business Development Bank of Canada, Statistics Canada, the National Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Radio-television & Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the Canada Foundation for Innovation and more.

Recently he served as national vice-chair of the Canadian Cancer Society, a member of the NAFTA Council for the Government of Canada and was the 6th Chancellor of the University of Northern British Columbia. He holds a BA from the University of Northern BC and an MA from the University of Saskatchewan. 

Miles advises clients involved in energy sector transactions and project proponents on acquisitions and divestitures, corporate transactions, and project structure and development.

He has led significant transactions in the upstream, midstream and oilfield service sectors, and has advised on virtually all aspects of the Liquefied Natural Gas value chain.

He has particular expertise in transactions involving engineering companies.

He has dealt extensively with alcohol regulation in Alberta.

He has played a lead role in significant restructuring transactions both within Canada and internationally. Miles is the leader of BLG’s Asia Pacific initiative.

James Rausch est Chef, Couverture clientèle – Canada et chef mondial, Banques, courtiers et bourses chez RBC, Investisseurs & services trésoriers et aussi un membre du Comité d’opérations du secteur Investisseurs & services trésoriers. Il est basé à Toronto.

En tant que Chef global des Banques, courtiers et échanges, James est responsable du processus complet des ventes, services, et livraisons des produits des services en dollars canadien à aux institutions financières partenaires de RBC, globalement. James dirige aussi le Programme rotationnel pour gradués de RBC et est très impliqué dans le mentorat de nouveaux employés à fort potentiel.

James s’est joint à RBC en 2014 et est un leader prouvé, avec plus de 25 ans d’expérience en marchés financiers, incluant 12 ans chez Powerex et, précédemment, chez Infoware Software, l’Échange commercial de Toronto et la Banque Toronto Dominion. Son expérience importante inclut des opérations bancaires courantes, la couverture client, la gestion de risque, le commerce des marchandises et la finance corporative.

James est devenu un analyste financier agréé (CFA) en 1999 et détient un MBA de l’École de commerce Joseph L. Rotman de l’Université de Toronto et un Baccalauréat ès Sciences de la même institution. Il a récemment complété un certificat en Fondement de méditation en pleine conscience appliquée, est un facilitateur certifié du programme Mindfulness Without Borders, et est un coach professionnel poursuivant une accréditation ACC (Associate Certified Coach). James militant pro-diversité, dirigeant le Conseil de leadership diversité au Canada et est commanditaire exécutif du programme prochaine génération. En tant que leader LGBTQ+ visible, James a récemment donné le discours inaugural de la conférence Out on Bay Street.

James a précédemment été co-président divisionel de la campagne RBC United Way Giving et est membre du Conseil d’administration du Conseil d’affaires Canada-Chine et de DAREarts. Il a été membre du conseil d’administration de l’Association des banquiers pour la Finance et le Commerce (BAFT) et a co-présidé le Conseil nord-américain.

David Rheault est vice-président – Relations avec les gouvernements et les collectivités à Air Canada. Avocat de formation, il s’est joint à Air Canada en 2007 à titre d’avocat-conseil – Litiges.

M. Rheault a représenté Air Canada en cour et devant les tribunaux administratifs et a informé la Société de divers dossiers de litiges au Canada et à l’étranger.

Dans son rôle actuel, M. Rheault est responsable des relations de la Société avec tous les paliers de gouvernement du Canada ainsi que du programme de partenariats communautaires d’Air Canada. Il a participé à bien des dossiers complexes de réglementation et de politiques.

Avant de se joindre à Air Canada, il a été conseiller en politiques au Bureau du premier ministre du Québec et au ministère du Développement économique et régional et de la Recherche.

Après avoir obtenu son diplôme de la Faculté de droit de l’Université Laval, il a été admis au Barreau du Québec en 2000. Il a exercé le droit dans le domaine des litiges commerciaux et des transports chez Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg et Fasken Martineau.

M. Rheault siège au Conseil national des lignes aériennes du Canada et à plusieurs conseils, notamment le Conseil d’affaires Canada-Chine et la Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec.

Tom Timmins (谭民思) is a senior projects lawyer based in Canada focused primarily on renewable energy projects and the global energy transition. He leads the Energy Sector Practice at Gowling WLG Canada. Named a ‘Leading Lawyer’ by The Legal 500 Canada and Who’s Who Legal, Mr. Timmins serves as a Board member of the Canadian Ditchley Foundation, as an advisor at the Centre for Urban Energy at Metropolitan Toronto University, as a member of the Legal Committee of Transparency International and on several public and private boards. He also teaches Infrastructure and Project Finance Law and serves as an adjudicator under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. Mr. Timmins served as the Leader of Gowling WLG Canada’s highly successful China Practice between 2016-2024.

As the Founder and Chairman of CND Canada Food Group Ltd., Mr. Chengyi WEI runs three businesses lines: grocery chain stores, warehouses and distribution centers, and real estate developments.

Mr. Wei is known as a successful entrepreneur who immigrated from China to Canada in 2001. In the same year, he established Canada FengTai Group. Mr. Wei is the chairman and founder of FengTai Group, which owns Foody-Mart Supermarket Chain and Foody World Supermarket Chain, with existing operating space of over 300,000 SF in six stores and two warehouses, with annual revenue over $300 million.

The two distribution centres are in Toronto and Vancouver with over 300,000 square feet of warehouse operation area.

In addition, Mr. Wei is actively involved in real estate developments. Projects include residential developments with over 130 acres of land under development in the GTA and 4,000 residential units in the construction pipeline. Commercial real estate development projects include developing Shop & Play Lifestyle plazas combining grocery stores, restaurants, and other entertainment & recreation outlets.

Furthermore, Mr. Wei is a leader of Chinese Community in Canada. He is the honorable President of the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations and President of Min Business Association of Canada. He was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. He was also nominated for and awarded The Senate of Canada 150 Medal Program on Nov. 29, 2017.

Jack Yu (于华洲) is an experienced business lawyer, with a focus on private mergers & acquisition and cross-border transactions. Mr. Yu has advised clients on over several billion dollars of M&A, private equity, corporate reorganization, and complex commercial transactions, spanning across multiple industries and sectors.

As Co-Leader of the firm’s China Practice Group, Mr. Yu regularly travels to China and is actively involved in the Asian legal community in Canada. He is often relied on by Chinese clients both from overseas and in Canada for sophisticated transactions and day-to-day legal issues. Mr. Yu also has experience in the foreign investments review process in Canada.

Prior to attending law school, Mr. Yu earned an undergraduate degree in biochemistry and philosophy from the University of Toronto. He is on the Board of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers, Ontario Chapter. Born and raised in Jinan, Shandong, Mr. Yu is fluent in Mandarin.

Paul Desmarais a été parmi les premiers dirigeants d’affaires d’Amérique du Nord à reconnaître et à appuyer les efforts de la Chine pour transformer son économie et améliorer le niveau de vie de son imposante population. Encouragé par le premier ministre canadien de l’époque, Pierre Trudeau, M. Desmarais a orchestré une importante délégation commerciale en Chine, où il s’est rendu en compagnie de chefs de direction de certaines des plus grandes entreprises du Canada. Grâce à sa vision et à son énergie, il a grandement contribué à la création du Conseil d’affaires Canada-Chine (CCBC) en 1978, et a été son premier président pendant une période de 15 ans. Éclairé par son sens du devoir civil, M. Desmarais a mené par la suite de nombreuses missions commerciales en Chine et a lui-même accueilli des représentants chinois lors de leurs propres visites au Canada. Power Corporation, la société de M. Desmarais, a été l’une des premières entreprises étrangères à investir en Chine. Quarante ans après sa première visite au pays, Power Corporation continue de détenir d’importants investissements en Chine, où le nom Desmarais est encore vu chaleureusement par les communautés d’affaires et de placement.

M. Desmarais a pris le contrôle de Power Corporation du Canada en 1968 et en est demeuré l’actionnaire de contrôle jusqu’à son décès en 2013. Il a dirigé Power Corporation à titre de président et de chef de la direction de 1968 à 1996, puis a continué d’agir comme administrateur et président du comité de direction du conseil jusqu’en 2013. Lors de son décès, il était également président du conseil d’administration et directeur général de Pargesa Holding SA, de même qu’administrateur de Corporation Financière Power et du Groupe Bruxelles Lambert. M. Desmarais était membre du Conseil privé de la Reine pour le Canada, Compagnon de l’Ordre du Canada, Officier de l’Ordre national du Québec, grand-croix de l’ordre national de la Légion d’honneur (France) et Commandeur de l’Ordre de Léopold II (Belgique).

Mr. Desmarais is Deputy Chairman of Power Corporation, a position he has held since 2008. He previously served as President and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Power Corporation from 1996 until his retirement in February 2020. He is also Deputy Chairman of Power Financial, previously having served as Executive Co-Chairman from 2015 until 2020, Co-Chairman from 2008 to 2015 and Deputy Chairman from 1996 to 2008. Prior to joining Power Corporation in 1983, he was Special Assistant to the Minister of Justice of Canada and an institutional investment counsellor at Richardson Greenshields Securities Ltd.

He is a director of many Power Corporation group companies, including Power Financial, Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life, Empower, Putnam Investments, IGM Financial, IG Wealth Management, Mackenzie and Power Sustainable Capital. He has been a director of Rockefeller Capital Management General Partner L.L.C. since 2023. He was a director and Vice-Chairman of Pargesa in Europe until November 2020, when Pargesa’s reorganization was completed. He was also a director of Bellus Health Inc. until 2009 and of CITIC Pacific Limited in Asia until 2014.

Over the years, cultural, health, and other not-for-profit organizations have benefited from his commitment, involvement, and dedication. He has played key roles in a number of fundraising campaigns, including those of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Montreal Heart Institute, the Montreal General Hospital, Leucan, the Canadian Red Cross, the Canadian Cancer Society, Centraide of Greater Montreal and the Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation. He is a member of the Board of the Fondation Baxter & Alma Ricard, a member of the Chairman’s International Advisory Council of the Americas Society, Honorary Chairman of the Canada China Business Council, and a member of the Trilateral Commission and several China-based organizations.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University and received honorary doctorates from Concordia University, Université de Montréal and McGill University. In 2003, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and, in 2009, an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec. In May 2022, Mr. Desmarais was inducted into the Order of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.