Governance

Claude Dussault

Chairman of the Board of Intact Financial Corporation and President of ACVA Investing Corporation

Mr. Dussault is currently President of ACVA Investing Corporation which is a privately held investment company. Mr. Dussault has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of Intact Financial Corporation since January 1, 2008, and was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company from 2001 to the end of 2007. Mr. Dussault has been a director of Intact Financial Corporation and its P&C insurance subsidiaries since 2000. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society; he graduated from the Université Laval (Québec) with a Bachelor of Actuarial Science degree and has completed the Advanced Executive Education Program at the Wharton School of Business.

Key Skills

Corporate social responsibility
Financial services
Governance
Investment management
Marketing/Brand awareness
P&C operations
Risk management
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive
Talent Management/Executive Compensation
Technology

Charles Brindamour

Chief Executive Officer

Charles Brindamour is Chief Executive Officer of Intact Financial Corporation, the largest provider of property and casualty insurance in Canada and a leading provider of specialty insurance in North America. Mr. Brindamour began his career with Intact in 1992 and has held progressively senior roles in Canada and abroad, within Intact and its former affiliates, including Senior Vice President of Personal Lines, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, culminating with his appointment as President and CEO in January 2008.

Under Mr. Brindamour’s leadership, the Company became an independent and widely held Canadian company in 2009 and two years later engineered the acquisition of AXA Canada – the largest acquisition in the history of Canada’s property and casualty insurance industry.

Charles Brindamour is a graduate of Laval University in Actuarial Sciences and an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society. He is a board member of Intact Financial Corporation, Hydro One Limited, the C.D. Howe Institute, Branksome Hall, the Geneva Association and the Business Council of Canada. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee of the University of Waterloo’s Climate Change Adaptation Project and serves on the advisory board of Gibraltar Growth Corporation.

Key Skills

Corporate social responsibility
Financial expertise
Financial services
P&C operations
Risk management
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive
Talent Management/Executive Compensation
Technology

Robert W. Crispin

Compliance Review and Corporate Governance Committee
Risk Management Committee (Chair)

Mr. Crispin was, until retirement, a member of ING Americas Executive Committee, which is responsible for all of ING Group’s insurance, banking and investment management activities in North and South America. From 2001 until the end of 2007, when he retired, he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ING Investment Management Americas and was responsible for ING Mutual Funds, ING Institutional Markets and ING Group’s insurance operations in Brazil, Chile and Peru. Prior to joining ING Group in 2001, Mr. Crispin was an Executive Vice-President of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. Over the past 35 years, he has held senior positions with a number of major insurance and financial service companies. These include Travelers Companies where he was Vice Chairman and Lincoln National Corporation where he was Executive Vice-President and Chief Investment Officer. He has led a variety of units including investment, finance, distribution, international operations and technology. Mr. Crispin received a B.A. from Wesleyan University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Key Skills

Financial expertise
Financial services
Governance
International markets
Investment management
P&C Operations
Risk management
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive

Janet De Silva

Compliance Review and Corporate Governance Committee
Human Resources and Compensation Committee

Ms. De Silva is currently the President & CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, a role she assumed in January 2015. Ms. De Silva has more than 10 years of CEO experience in China leading Sun Life Financial’s business in Hong Kong and then its mainland China joint venture. She also co-founded and was CEO, from 2007 until 2010, of Retail China Limited, a company that worked with international retail brands operating their retail stores and managing franchises in China. Prior to her return to Canada, she was the Dean of Ivey Asia, leading the Hong Kong campus and mainland China operations of Ivey Business School at Western University. She also serves as a director on the Board of Blue Umbrella Limited, an Asian based due diligence and risk management services provider. She is a past member of the board of the Asian Corporate Governance Association. She has served terms both as Chair and President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Chair of Canada China Business Council, Beijing. In 2006, she was named Asian Business Executive in the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, in 2007 she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, and in 2014 was recognized as a “Woman of Our Time” by the South China Morning Post for her contribution to education in Hong Kong. Ms. De Silva holds an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University and a Doctor of Law honoris causa from Thompson Rivers University.

Key Skills

Financial Services
Governance
Government/Public affairs
International markets
Risk management
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive
Talent Management/Executive Compensation

Robert G. Leary

Audit Committee
Risk Management Committee

Mr. Leary is CEO of The Olayan Group, a private multinational enterprise. The Olayan Group is an international investor and a diverse commercial and industrial group with operations globally. Mr. Leary was previously CEO of Nuveen, a U.S. based investment management firm that was acquired in 2014 by TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association – College Retirement Equities Fund), now known as TIAA. Mr. Leary had joined TIAA-CREF in 2013 and was instrumental in the acquisition and invigoration of Nuveen as well as its integration with TIAA’s pre-existing asset management business. Mr. Leary began his career as a lawyer for White & Case in New York, and then moved into the financial services arena with J.P. Morgan & Co., where he led the development of fixed-income derivative applications and investment strategies for pension plans and other investment managers. In the course of more than 20 years in the industry, Mr. Leary helped build AIG Financial Products’ investment business and led all of its client-facing businesses from marketing to distribution globally, and later was CEO of ING Investment Management Americas and ING Insurance U.S. At ING U.S, he was responsible for the investment management, retirement, insurance and annuity businesses, as well as operations, IT and marketing in the U.S. He has been a frequent speaker and/or panelist at numerous industry conferences and has appeared in major financial media. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at Union College and his law degree from Fordham University School of Law.

Key Skills

Corporate social responsibility
Financial expertise
Financial services
International markets
Investment management
Legal and regulatory affairs
Marketing/Brand awareness
Risk management
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive

Eileen Mercier

Audit Committee (Chair)
Risk Management Committee

Ms. Mercier is a professional director and her career encompasses more than 40 years of general management experience in the financial services, communications, integrated oil and forest products sectors. Ms. Mercier retired as the Chair of the Board of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan at the end of 2014 and in July 2015 became Chair of the Board of Payments Canada. She is currently a director of the Royal Conservatory of Music. From 1995 to 2003, Ms. Mercier headed her own management consulting firm, Finvoy Management Inc., specializing in financial strategy, restructuring and corporate governance issues. Prior to that time, she was Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of Abitibi-Price Inc. She holds an MBA from York University and a master’s degree in English from the University of Alberta. In 2010, Ms. Mercier received an honorary LLD from York University and in 2013, an honorary LLD from Wilfrid Laurier University. In 2011, she was ranked one of Canada’s Top 25 Women of Influence. In January 2013, November 2015 and November 2017, Ms. Mercier was named to Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in the Accenture Corporate Directors category. In October 2016, Ms. Mercier was appointed chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors of Canada and a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers. Ms. Mercier was appointed a member of Intact Financial Corporation’s former Advisory Board in 1999.

Key Skills

Financial expertise
Financial services
Governance
International markets
Investment management
Risk management
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive
Technology

Sylvie Paquette

Audit Committee
Risk Management Committee

Sylvie Paquette has spent her entire career in the P&C insurance industry in Canada. She joined Desjardins Group in 1984 and held a variety of progressively senior roles within the organization before being promoted in 2008 to Senior Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the Group’s P&C insurance division as well as President and Chief Operating Officer of Desjardins General Insurance Group (DGIG). During Ms. Paquette’s tenure as President and COO, she spearheaded Desjardins’ acquisition of State Farm’s Canadian operations in 2015. She retired from Desjardins Group in December 2016.

Ms. Paquette was actively involved in key industry associations. In recent years, she was a Board member of the Insurance Bureau of Canada (Chair in 2015 and 2016), of the General Insurance Statistical Agency, of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction and of the Centre for Insurance and Financial Services Development (Chair from 2009 to 2014). In 2009, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and in 2014 she received the “Inspiration – Andrée Corriveau” Award from the Association of Quebec Women in Finance. Throughout her career, Ms. Paquette has co-chaired major fundraising and she now sits on the Board of Laval University’s Foundation. Ms. Paquette is a graduate of the Actuarial Science program at Laval University and a Fellow of both the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society.

Key Skills

Corporate social responsibility
Financial expertise
Financial services
Governance
P&C Operations
Risk management
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive
Talent Management/Executive Compensation

Timothy H. Penner

Compliance Review and Corporate Governance Committee
Human Resources and Compensation Committee (Chair)

Tim Penner served as President of Procter & Gamble Inc. (Canada) from 1999 to 2011, when he retired after 33 years with the company. He has extensive international experience, as Vice President of P&G’s Health and Beauty Care business in the UK and Ireland, and later as Vice President of P&G’s North American Tissue/Towel business in Cincinnati, Ohio. He currently serves as Board Chair of MaRS Innovation as well as on the boards of the SickKids Hospital, Club Coffee and The Beer Store. Mr. Penner is past Chair of the YMCA of greater Toronto, GS-1 and Food & Consumer Products of Canada. He served on the Board of the Youth Challenge Fund and Career Bridge and was Chair of the United Way of Greater Toronto 2007 Campaign, after serving as Deputy Chair for 2006.

Key Skills

Corporate social responsibility
Financial expertise
Governance
International markets
Marketing/Brand awareness
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive
Talent Management/Executive Compensation

Louise Roy

Compliance Review and Corporate Governance Committee
Human Resources and Compensation Committee

Ms. Roy is Chancellor and Chair of the Board of Université de Montréal, the first woman to occupy these functions. Since September 2003, she has been an invited Fellow at CIRANO, the Center for Interuniversity Research and Analysis on Organizations and was nominated Chair of the Board in December 2012. She was President of the Conseil des arts de Montréal from September 2006 to December 2012. She serves as a director of Power Financial Corporation, Montréal International and the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD Québec Chapter). Ms. Roy is also a consultant and a company director. During her career, she has been a director of Provigo Inc. until 1992, the Laurentian Bank of Canada until 1993, Videotron Ltée until 1997, and Domtar Corporation until 2007. She was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Montréal Urban Community Transport Commission until 1992, Executive Vice-President of Air France until 1997, President and Chief Executive Officer of Telemedia Communications Inc. until 2000 and Senior Vice-President of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) until 2003. Ms. Roy earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Université de Montréal. She holds a master’s degree (M.Sc.) and has completed doctorate studies in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin. She participated in several fundraising campaigns, including for the Université de Montréal and several other cultural organizations. For her outstanding achievements in the economic, social and political fields, she has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the Concordia University Faculty of Commerce & Business Administration Award of distinction in 1988, the Université de Montréal’s Édouard-Montpetit Medal in 1992, the Public Policy Forum’s Award of Distinction in 1994, and the Federated Press award of Excellence in 2003. In 2009, she was named Officer of the National Order of Québec and in 2012, Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2013, Ms. Roy was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and in 2014 she received the Institute of Corporate Directors Fellowship Award.

Key Skills

Governance
Government/Public affairs
International markets
Marketing/Brand awareness
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive
Talent Management/Executive Compensation

Frederick Singer

Audit Committee
Risk Management Committee

Mr. Singer is an Internet pioneer and entrepreneur whose career and philanthropic accomplishments have spanned a broad range of sectors from media, education, arts, science and veteran affairs. He is currently CEO of Echo360 which provides a next generation educational software platform to help over 500 institutions in 30 countries deliver better educational outcomes. Previously, Mr. Singer was a Senior Advisor to Masayoshi Son, President and CEO of Softbank Corporation in Japan and was also active as a venture partner at Softbank Capital in the U.S. Prior to Softbank, Mr. Singer held a number of senior roles at AOL including Chief Operating Officer of AOL Studios, Chief Operating Officer for ICQ (instant messaging) and Senior Vice President of Emerging Products. Prior to AOL, he was a founder of the Washington Post Online Service (now WashingtonPost.com) and a consultant with Bain & Company. Mr. Singer has served on a number of business, charitable and educational boards including DoubleClick, Motley Fool Company, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (International Committee), Queen’s University School of Business, Upper Canada College, The Langley School and “Warrior to Cyber Warrior” which focuses on providing distance learning training in the field of cybersecurity to wounded veterans. He was named one of Washingtonian Magazine’s “Tech Titans” in 2013 and 2015. He has also funded pioneering research in autism with the Children’s National Medical Center and Stanford University. Mr. Singer holds an MBA from Harvard University, as well as an LLB, MA in Philosophy, BA with Distinction in Philosophy, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Queen’s University in Canada. He is also a recipient of the Tricolour award at Queen’s University.

Key Skills

Corporate social responsibility
Governance
Financial expertise
Government/Public affairs
International markets
Marketing/ Brand awareness
Risk Management
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive
Talent Management/Executive Compensation
Technology

Stephen G. Snyder

Audit Committee
Human Resources and Compensation Committee

Mr. Snyder was formerly President and CEO of TransAlta Corporation, a position he held since 1996 until his retirement on January 1, 2012. Previously, he was President & CEO of Noma Industries Ltd., GE Canada Inc. and Camco, Inc. He is a Director of Anaergia Inc. and is Honorary Consul General (Calgary) for the Government of New Zealand. Mr. Snyder was also a member of the Board of TransAlta Corporation until January 1, 2012 and is a past Director of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and CCEMC. He is the past Chair of the following organizations: the Calgary Stampede Foundation Campaign, Alberta Secretariat for Action on Homelessness, the Calgary Committee to End Homelessness, the Calgary Homeless Foundation, the Canada-Alberta ecoEnergy Carbon Capture & Storage Task Force, the Conference Board of Canada, the Calgary Zoological Society, the Canadian Electrical Association, the United Way Campaign of Calgary and Area, and the Calgary Zoo’s “Destination Africa” capital campaign. He was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005, the Conference Board of Canada 2008 Honorary Associate Award, the Chamber of Commerce Sherrold Moore Award of Excellence in 2009, the Canadian Energy Person of the Year Award by the Energy Council of Canada in 2010 and was Alberta Oil magazine’s CEO of the year for 2011.

Mr. Snyder holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Queen’s University as well as an MBA from the University of Western Ontario. In addition, he has honorary degrees from the University of Calgary (LLD) and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (Bachelor of Applied Technology).

Key Skills

Corporate social responsibility
Financial expertise
Governance
Government/Public affairs
Risk management
Strategic leadership/ Senior Executive
Talent Management/ Executive Compensation

Carol Stephenson

Compliance Review and Corporate Governance Committee (Chair)
Human Resources and Compensation Committee

Ms. Stephenson served as the Dean of the Ivey Business School at Western University from July 2003 until her retirement in September 2013. She worked for more than 30 years in the telecommunications and technology industries, most recently as President and Chief Executive Officer of Lucent Technologies Canada. Ms. Stephenson currently serves on the board of directors for several top Canadian and U.S. companies. She is the former Chair of the Government of Canada’s Advisory Committee on Senior Level Retention and Compensation, a position she held for more than 10 years. From 2005-2007, Ms. Stephenson served as a Member of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Science and Technology. In November 2006, she was appointed by the Federal Government to serve on the Board of Directors of the Vancouver Olympic Games Organizing Committee (VANOC). In 2008, she was inducted into Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame. In 2009, Ms. Stephenson was given one of the highest honours a Canadian civilian can achieve and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada for her contributions to the development of our national telecommunications industry and for her work at the Ivey Business School. In 2011, she was ranked one of Canada’s Top 25 Women of Influence. In 2016, she was recognized by the National Association of Corporate Directors as one of the top 100 directors in North America. Ms. Stephenson is a graduate of the University of Toronto. She has also completed the Executive Program at the Graduate School of Business Administration, University of California at Berkeley, and the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Ryerson Polytechnic University and Western University. Ms. Stephenson was appointed a member of the Company’s former Advisory Board in 1999 and was previously a member of our Board of Directors in 1999. She has also been a director of the Company’s P&C insurance subsidiaries since 2002.

Key Skills

Governance
Government/Public affairs
International markets
Legal and regulatory affairs
Strategic leadership/Senior Executive
Talent Management/Executive Compensation
Technology