SPEAKERS His Excellency Chief Ojo Uma Maduekwe, CFR The Nigeria High Commissioner to Canada
The Nigeria High Commissioner is His Excellency Chief Ojo Uma Maduekwe [CFR] He served as Foreign Minister of Nigeria from July 26, 2007 until March 2010 when the then Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet. He was National Secretary of the ruling political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Previously, he had been appointed Culture and Tourism Minister in 1999 and Minister of Transport in 2001. He comes to represent Nigeria in Canada with a wealth of experience and contacts. He is determined to take the bi-lateral relationship between both countries to a new height.
Frederic Mayaki
Regional Director – SNC-Lavalin, Africa Region Mr. Mayaki is an energy and finance specialist with a diploma in electrical engineering and master’s degree in applied sciences from Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal, and a master in business administration in finances from Ecole des Haute Etudes Commerciales of Montreal, both in Canada. He started in career as junior engineer in a uranium mining company in Niger before doing research and being a teaching assistant at Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal from 1986-1988. In 1989 he started his career in the consulting business in the power sector with Lavalin first and then SNC-Lavalin. He has occupied a number of positions as design engineer, power network planning specialist, energy and finance specialist, project director in the Power Group and Transmission and Distribution Division. Mr. Mayaki has led and managed multidisciplinary teams in the delivery of feasibility studies and engineering design, conducted number of due diligences, led project financial engineering including negotiations of agreement for the development of complex power and infrastructure projects.
Daniel McCormick, CFA
Managing Partner – EPISOLAR INCORPORATED Since its founding in 2011, Episolar has been focused on the identification, construction and financing of alternative energy installations worldwide as well as the identification and proliferation of innovative alternative energy technologies. Episolar has concentrated its commercial efforts two fold - through an innovative non ballast, non penetrating, solar rooftop mounting technology focused on installations within the United States and large scale solar installations worldwide in economically attractive regions. Episolar created Siginik Energy Limited (Siginik) as a limited liability corporation under the laws of Ghana in 2012. Siginik, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Episolar Inc., signed a 25 year definitive power purchase agreement with the Electricity Company of Ghana Ltd., the country’s second largest utility, to build a 50MW ground mounted solar installation in Bole, NW Ghana. The Bole Solar Project installation will be the largest in West Africa, one of the largest on the continent and construction will begin in the first quarter of 2013. Episolar is very interested in building further solar installations in other jurisdictions on the continent. Episolar would like to discuss this potential with new clients and joint venture partners. Episolar would also be very interested in meeting with Nigerian government officials in the hope of duplicating our Ghanaian success in their country.
Don McCutchan
International Policy Adviser – Gowlings Don McCutchan is an international policy adviser and member of the Gowlings International Strategic Advisory Group (GISAG). Don has extensive international experience, whether it be for clients investing or operating in Canada, Canadian clients investing or operating internationally or international clients abroad, particularly in the Energy and Mining industries. GISAG was formed to provide a strategic and business complement to the Firm’s already impressive legal capabilities, advising clients at the highest level on their international business needs. The group provides advisory services in the areas of corporate and business strategy, industry and organizational restructuring, government relations and lobbying, government restructuring and regulatory regime development, regulatory affairs, public policy strategy development, financing, international financial regulation, corporate governance and security advice, and planning and risk management. With extensive experience coordinating strategies with governments and other official agencies, including the IMF, the World Bank and the OECD, Don is a valuable member of GISAG. A former senior official at the Canadian Department of Finance, Don was involved in virtually all areas of government policy and was actively involved in the negotiation of the Canada/U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Don served as Canada’s founding executive director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Prior to joining Gowlings in 1997, he was vice president of a private family holding company.
David R. Miller
Advisor to International Business and Sustainability – Aird & Berlis David’s experience, international activities and strong public profile is generating significant opportunity for the firm to enhance its international presence. As a Mayor of Toronto, David led trade missions to and gave major speeches in numerous European, American and Latin American cities, Hong Kong, and mainland China. While in office David was the Chair of the C40 Climate Leadership Group, comprised of the Mayors of the world’s leading cities working in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative. David has been succeeded as Chair of the C40 by Mayor Bloomberg of New York. At the request of Mayor Bloomberg, David will continue to be formally involved with the work of the C40. Since leaving office, David has been appointed as an advisor to the World Bank and the OECD, and is affiliated with the Club de Madrid (the International organization of the former Presidents and Prime Minister). He has also been appointed to the Boards of the Suzuki Foundation and Cape Farewell Canada, as well as SAIL Capital Partners’ Advisory Board. David is working as an advisor to international businesses interested in sustainability.
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