Staff
Raul Papaleo
President
Raul Felipe Papaleo has more than 25 years of experience in the Information Technology sector, most of which in direct contact with clients. Prior to that, Raul worked for over 14 years in the Appliance Manufacturing business. He joined Hewlett-Packard Brazil in 1989 as Manufacturing and R&D Director. Within HP he had a multitude of assignments in Brazil , Latin America and several other places. Ten years later, he left to serve as General Manager for SID Informática, a subsidiary of the Sharp Group in Brazil with specific charter to sell the Company in part or as a whole. After that he served for two years as General Manager for Spectra Telecom, an engineering Company in the area of Cellular telephony belonging to the SNC Lavalin Group based in Montreal, Canada. Raul Felipe returned to HP in 2002 to assist on the restructuring efforts resulted from the merger with COMPAQ, reporting directly to the General Manager. He has been an active Member of the IBGC (Instituto Brasileiro de Governança Corporativa) – Brazilian Institute For Corporate Governance, where he is serving in the Human Resources Committee and the Non-Listed Companies Committee.
From 2008 until today, Raul Felipe has taken on Consulting assignments for international blue-chip corporations as well as Academic endeavors in Brazil. He has currently been using his experience together with the ability to share his time between Canada/USA and Brazil to structure several services directed to Companies interested in doing business in both countries. This role has been emphasized by his current position as President of the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce (BCCC) in Toronto.
Email: rpapaleo@brazcanchamber.org
Fabiana Araujo Monteiro da Silva
Vice-President
Fabiana Silva is a Brazilian lawyer, and is currently working as the Vice-President of Brazil Canada Chamber of Commerce. Prior to joining the Chamber, Fabiana has had over five years of experience working at the Attorney General Office, the National Agency of Oil, Natural Gas and Biofuels, and Siqueira Castro Advogados in Rio de Janeiro. Her practice was on corporate law, consumer law and legal consultancy. She received her Bachelor of Law Degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and holds a post-graduate certificate – International Business Management – from Centennial College Toronto.
Email: fsilva@brazcanchamber.org
Mirian de Souza Ribeiro, LL.M.
Business Coordinator
A native of Porto Alegre, Brazil, permanent resident in Canada since august 2010, Mirian is currently working as a Business Coordinator at Brazil Canada Chamber of Commerce. She is an attorney with eight years of experience and specializes in corporate law and business consultant. Mirian has over seven years of experience working at BNDES – Development Economic and Social Brazilian bank and at Rio de Janeiro Development Agency – Codin, working closely with the Development and the Treasure Secretaries of RJ, assisting investors in obtaining tax and financial benefits. She coordinated projects to set-up new companies in Rio de Janeiro, including: initial viability report, tax planning and legal consultancy. She received her Bachelor of Law degree from Candido Mendes University in Rio de Janeiro (oab number 141.231), she also holds a post-graduate (Legal Law and Master in Corporate Law) certificate from IBMEC Rio de Janeiro.
Email: mribeiro@brazcanchamber.org
Executive Board
Eric Bonnor
Chairman of BCCC
Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Senior Vice-President
Senior Vice-President of Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Eric is responsible for Brookfield’s client relationships with Canadian institutional investors and fund raising efforts for the corporation in the private equity sector in Canada. He has successfully raised over $600 million for several of Brookfield’s private equity funds including the development and launching of Brookfield’s Brazil Timber Fund in 2008, raising almost US$250 million from investors world-wide for that fund. Prior to this achievement he was responsible for the company’s timber operations in Brazil, where he resided for six years from 1998 to 2004, and was instrumental in planning and executing a turn-around exercise for these assets over that six-year period. Prior to that, Eric held a management position in Nexfor Inc., a former BAM subsidiary. Eric has over twenty years of experience in the forest industry and holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) degree in Forestry from the University of Toronto.
Eric is fluent in three languages and is the Chairman of the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce in Toronto, where he currently resides.
Email: ebonnor@brookfield.com
Eduardo Klurfan
Vice-Chairman of BCCC
Scotiabank, Vice-President Trade Finance
Born in Argentina, Eduardo Klurfan obtained a Master Degree in Law from University of Buenos Aires and after several years of practicing law in Argentina he moved to Canada in 1975, where he became a Canadian citizen. Eduardo worked for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in Toronto from 1975 to 1981 and in 1982 he became a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers. In 1987 he was appointed Head of Latin America for the ANZ Group. From 1993 to 1997 he was a member of the Advisory Board of the Americas Society’s Corporate Program, New York. From 1995 to 1997 Eduardo was transferred to Buenos Aires in his role as Head of Latin America and he was also appointed Honorary Consul in Argentina by the Government of New Zealand.
On February 1998 he joined The Bank of Nova Scotia in Toronto and on September of that year he moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil as Vice President and Country Head. In January 2006 he was appointed Vice President, Trade Finance & Financial Institutions, Toronto. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Bancaribe, Venezuela; and of Scotiabank, Chile. From March 2001 to April 2005 he was the President of the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce, Sao Paulo and he is now Vice-Chairman of the Brazil Canada Chamber of Commerce and Vice-Chairman of the Canadian Council of the Americas in Toronto.
Email: eduardo.klurfan@scotiabank.com
Cintia Zanellato
Director of BCCC
MBAC Fertilizer Corp., Director Legal Services
A native of São Paulo, Brazil and a permanent resident in Canada since February 2007, Cíntia currently holds the position of Director, legal Services and Corporate Secretary at MBAC Fertilizer Corp., a producer of fertilizers in Brazil in expansion. She is a former manager of legal affairs and corporate secretary in Vaaldiam Resources Ltd., a mining company with production and exploration projects in Brazil. She is an internationally trained lawyer with over ten years of experience and specializes in corporate law, securities and mining. Cíntia successfully represented many foreign companies investing in the mining, manufacturing, financial, industrial, technology, import and export, agricultural, real estate and service sectors. Her experience includes administration of assets and contracts, reporting to foreign investors and managing partners. Cíntia is a member of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) since 2000. She received her Bachelor of Law degree from Mackenzie University in São Paulo, Brazil and holds a post-graduate certificate from the Brazilian Institute of Tax Law Studies specializing in Brazilian Tax Law. Ms. Zanellato also holds graduate certificates in Accounting and Economic Fundamentals from Getúlio Vargas Foundation, São Paulo, Brazil. Cíntia also holds an LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School and is currently an NCA candidate towards qualifying her legal credentials in Canada.
Email: czanellato@mbacfert.com
Erik Madsen
Director of BCCC
Votorantim Cement North America, Chief Executive Officer and President
Frederico Marques
Director of BCCC
Henaan Blaikie LLP, Foreign Legal Consultant
Frederico Marques joined Hennan Blaikie’s Business Law Group in 2007 as a foreign legal consultant. He focuses his practice on the natural resources industry, particularly on mining projects (joint ventures and public and private M&A). Prior to joining the firm, Frederico practiced law for 10 years, mostly as in-house counsel. He gained solid work experience in the areas of corporate and international projects while working for a number of prestigious companies, such as Companhia Vale do Rio Doce –CVRD (mining, logistics, energy and iron-works), Brasil Telecom S/A (telecommunications) and Odebrecht S/A (construction), and other law firms.
Frederico was, from 2004 to 2006, coordinator of the international business law module and professor of international competition law in the postgraduate international commercial law and oil and gas law programs at Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ). In 2003, as part of the corporate program at the Instituto Brasileiro de Mercado de Capitais –IBMEC (Brazilian Institute of Capital Markets), he taught international business transactions at the postgraduate level. He also taught international private law at the Faculty of Law of the Centro de Ensino Unificado de Brasília (University Centre of Brasilia) in 2001-2002.
Frederico currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce.
Email: fmarques@heenan.ca
Directors
Alexandre Penha
Rio Novo Gold Inc., General Manager, Corporate Development
Alexandre Penha received his Bachelor of Economics degree from Rio de Janeiro State University, Brazil and a Post Degree in Corporate Finance from Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), Brazil. In 2006 Mr. Penha earned an MBA from Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, specializing in Finance.
He began his career at BANIF INVESTMENT BANKINGin Brazil before moving to Toronto to work at MERRILL LYNCH CANADA INC., as Equity Research Associate, Precious Metals for one year in 2005. Still in Toronto, Mr. Penha joined TAU CAPITAL CORP. as a research analyst before leaving to work for THOMAS WEISEL PARTNERS INC.from 2007 to 2009, where he actively pursued deal opportunities and idea generation. Mr. Penha currently holds the position of General Manager, Corporate Development in Rio Novo Gold Inc.
Email: apenha04@gmail.com
Alfredo Moreira
Colas Moreira Kazandjan Zikovsky LLP, Partner
Originally from Uruguay, Alfredo Moreira has over 25 years of experience in professional practice regarding matters of international trade, development and access to markets, including international bidding and strategies of business in Latin America.
His expertise covers the supply, privatization and concession of public services, including legal review and monitoring of specifications, assistance in the drafting and submission of tenders, contract administration, and public representations to local governments. His experience also includes the implementation of direct investments, implementation and transfer of enterprises, subcontracting and industrial partnerships, as well as supplies of raw materials and rules of access to various regional markets in Latin America and Canada
Author of numerous publications on law and business in Latin America, and on the North American Free Trade Agreement, Alfredo Moreira has chaired the Standing Committee on Public Procurement at the 6th America Business Forum, and acted as a reporter of same at the Ministerial Hemispheric Summit of Buenos Aires in 2001.
Alfredo Moreira holds a Degree of Laws from the University of Paris (France) and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Laval University (Qc, Canada). He speaks four languages, including Spanish and Portuguese.
Email: amoreira@cmkz.ca
Allard Westra
BMO Capital Markets, Vice President – Trade Finance
Allard Westra is a Vice President, Trade Finance, BMO Capital Markets, responsible for assisting clients in advising them on conducting international business and facilitating their letters of credit needs. Allard Westra joined BMO in July of 2006, previously working as the Manager, International Project Finance for Zenon Environmental Inc., a global leader in water and wastewater treatment technology. Prior to that, Allard Westra was with both National Bank of Canada and CIBC as a specialist in Latin America, focusing on trade finance, correspondent banking and pursuing other business opportunities in the region.
Allard Westra speaks several languages including Brazilian Portuguese, and has traveled to Brazil many times.
Email: mjdelmar@investpsp.ca
Cory McPhee
Vale, Vice-President Corporate Affairs
Cory McPhee is the Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Communications, with Vale, a member of Vale, the world’s second-largest mining company by market capitalization. Born and educated in Sudbury, Mr. McPhee joined Inco in the Public Affairs Department in 1989. After studying science at Laurentian University and journalism at Cambrian College, he worked in daily newspapers for five years as a reporter, columnist and editor. He began his career at Inco as Public Affairs Officer and progressed through positions of increasing responsibility. Cory moved to the corporate office in Toronto as Director of Corporate Affairs in May of 2007. He was named to his current position in July of 2009. Cory’s volunteer experience includes the Sudbury and District Food Bank, the Northeastern Ontario Cancer Research Foundation, Cinéfest and the United Way.
Email: Cory.mcphee@vale.com
Fabio Chagas Theophilo
Eco-Shift Power Corporation, Advisor and Business Development Manager
Fábio is an advisor and Business Development Manager of Eco-shift Power Corporation, an Energy management consulting firm. He is a permanent resident living in London since August of 2008.
Fábio has a legal background. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Laws from the State University of Londrina, specialization in Laws from the Magistracy School of Paraná and from the Getulio Vargas Foundation of Rio de Janeiro. He is also a member of the Brazilian Bar Association since 1996.
Prior to coming to Canada, he was a legal consultant for 13 years with expertise in Civil, Administrative, Tax and Corporate Laws, advising several companies in such areas.
He is currently concluding his Graduate Studies (LLM) in Laws at the University of Western Ontario.
email: ftheoph@gmail.com
Guilherme Cadar
Yamana Gold Inc, Manager – Taxation
Mr. Cadar is the head of tax for the eight Brazilian entities of Yamana’s group, responsible for the international tax planning and for leading various tax teams in different locations. He has over ten years of experience and specializes in Brazilian Tax law. Having worked in Rio de Janeiro and in São Paulo, he is currently based in Toronto with frequent projects in São Paulo.
Prior to joining Yamana, Guilherme Cadar worked 8 years at PwC as a Tax Manager focusing in Brazilian Tax and Legal Consulting services, providing tax planning, corporate restructuring, tax compliance, as well as tax accounting services (BR GAAP & IFRS) to multi-national corporations from several sectors, including oil & gas, mining and financial services.
email: guilherme.cadar@yamana.com
Gustavo Zentner
InterPOC, President
Gustavo Zentner, President of INTERPOC INC., International Point of Commerce, represents Mexican and South American companies doing business in North America, and is former Director of the NASCO Secretariat, Government of Manitoba. He received Canada’s First CITP designation as a Certified International Trade Professional by FITT Canada, Executive Path, and an Athabasca University MBA in international business. Gustavo has worked extensively in North, Central, and South America and communicates fluently in four languages. He is a Director at national and international chambers of commerce and is an advisor to foreign direct investment in The Western Hemisphere and a Trade Champion at Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.
Gustavo has successfully negotiated and exported North American technology into Brazil and South America in general, and is connected with several industries in Brazil assisting technology transfers and foreign direct investment. While working abroad in several industries, he has assisted clients to set up successful dealer/agent relations and has provided support on both legal and financial aspects of international trade. Additionally, he has facilitated the development of business and marketing plans for companies in the private sector of MERCOSUR (Southern Common Markets, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Chile). Gustavo is involved in bilateral trade issues with Brazil in the sectors of: construction, infrastructure, technology transfer for advanced manufacturing, metal mechanics, security, and biotechnology.
Email: gzentner@interpoc.com
Joy Nott
Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters INC., President
Juli Morrow
Goodmans LLP, Partner
Juli Morrow has been a partner at Goodmans since 1985. Her practice initially centered on a broad range of commercial matters and now focuses on commercial real estate transactions including financings, acquisitions, dispositions, management agreements, development agreements, joint ventures and partnerships. Juli has provided advice on numerous matters for Toronto-based Cadillac Fairview, one of North America’s largest investors, owners and managers of commercial real estate. She also acts for Brookfield Asset Management Inc. and other clients in connection with a number of real-estate based funds which they sponsor. In particular, she has acted on a number of transactions focused on real estate in Brazil and thus has acquired a familiarity with Brazil law and with a number of Brazilian law firms. Recognized as a leading practitioner of real estate law, Juli has been named one of the top 25 women lawyers in Canada by Lexpert.
Email: jmorrow@goodmans.ca
Leandro Reis
Deloitte & Touche LLP, Senior Manager – Business Tax
Leandro is a Senior Manager in the Business Tax group in Toronto and has been practicing corporate tax since 1999. He started his career at Arthur Andersen Brazil and moved to Deloitte Canada in 2006. Leandro has provided international tax, tax planning and audit support / tax accounting services (Canadian, US and IFRS) to multi-national corporations from several sectors including mining, real estate and oil and gas. During his time in Canada, Leandro has specialized in the mining industry and has worked with international mining companies on tax consulting matters including expansion into foreign tax jurisdictions, financing structures, cash repatriation strategies and tax accounting implications of various proposed transactions.
Email: lereis@deloitte.caLissa Bjerkelund
Export Development Canada, Chief Representative South America
As Chief Representative, South America with the International Business Development Group, Ms. Bjerkelund leads an Ottawa-based team to support the business relationships and transactions between Canadian companies and their international counterparts in the market. Prior to this, she held several increasingly senior roles in the organization EDC working on various teams with growing responsibility for business development and transaction management in key markets. [Ms. Bjerkelundfirst joined EDC in the financing group, rising to Senior Financial Manager leading negotiations and concluding large and complex financing transactions, in multiple sectors and countries].
Ms. Bjerkelundholds a B.Comm (Honours) from Queens University and an MBA, Specialization in Investment and Portfolio Management, from the University du Québéc à Montréal (Mention d’excellence). She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers (Honours).
Email: lbjerkelund@edc.ca
Lucila Branco
Royal Bank of Canada, Regional Vice President
Lucila Branco is Regional Vice President, International Private Banking for the Toronto, Montreal and
Vancouver offices of RBC Wealth Management. She leads a team of highly-qualified private bankers serving
select clients and their families in locations around the world.
Ms. Branco has more than 20 years of experience working with a broad range of financial services. The team
she now heads provides clients with sophisticated banking services, personalized short- and long-term
lending and flexible credit packages. For clients with global interests, her team also works through RBC’s network of 33 offices around the world to provide comprehensive wealth management solutions including
investment advice and management, business banking, estate planning and international trust structures.
Email: lucila.branco@rbc.com
Marcelo Andrade
HSBC Bank Canada, Assistant Vice President (Commercial Banking)
Marcelo Andrade is Assistant Vice President at HSBC Bank Canada in Toronto. He focuses on mid-size companies, providing solutions for working capital and fixed asset financing, acquisitions, buyouts, cash management, treasury and hedging.
Mr. Andrade’s experience includes the positions of Manager of Country Risk for Latin America at the Royal Bank of Canada and Chief of Government Relations at Volvo do Brasil. He created the course and taught Country Risk Analysis at the Department of Economics at Ryerson University in Toronto. He received a degree in Aeronautics-Mechanical Engineering from the Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA) in Brazil and a Master’s in Economics from the University of Toronto.
Email: marcelo_andrade@hsbc.ca
Michael J. Delmar
PSP Investments, Director – Real Estate Investments
Michael James Delmar joined PSP Investments in May 2010 as Director of Real Estate Investments. In this role, Mr. Delmar is responsible for deal origination, joint-venture structuring, acquisitions, asset management and dispositions in North and South America as well as in Europe. Mr. Delmar’s previous experience includes development, leasing, asset management and dispositions of office, retail and industrial properties across Canada for Belmont Equity Partners. Mr. Delmar started his real estate career in Brazil ten years ago with Brookfield Asset Management Inc., a Canadian multinational, where he was extensively involved in various residential and hotel developments in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Mr. Delmar holds an executive MBA in finance from COPEAD − Universidade Federal de Rio de Janeiro.
Email: mjdelmar@investpsp.ca
Rodrigo Bissoli
Research in Motion Limited, Commercial Manager Operations Latin America
Rodrigo Bissoli is a Brazilian lawyer with over 10 years of experience in Brazil and Canada, working with corporate law, international contracts, intellectual property, international trade compliance, and regulatory matters. Mr. Bissoli received his Bachelor of Law degree from University of Sao Paulo (USP) in Brazil, and an MBA degree from Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto (UofT). Working for Research In Motion Limited since March, 2007, Mr. Bissoli currently holds the position of Senior Manager of Operations in Latin America. In his previous positions, Mr. Bissoli was a Commercial Counsel at Cisa Trading S.A (Sao Paulo, Brazil), a Brazilian trading company, and an Associate Lawyer at Pinheiro Neto – Advogados (Sao Paulo, Brazil), working in the areas of international contracts, corporate law, intellectual property, operational agreements and business development.
Email: rbissoli@rim.com
Roger Paiva
Gerdau Ameristeel Inc., Vice-President & General Manager
Roger Paiva is the Vice President and General Manager of the Merchant Operations of Gerdau Long Steel North America. In his role, he oversees 5 steel mill’s plant operations, two in Ontario (Whitby and Cambridge) and three in US (Charlotte in North Caroline, Jackson in Tennessee and Wilton in Iowa).
Roger joined Gerdau, S.A. in 1982 and moved up the Gerdau management ladders. He worked at the Gerdau Riograndense mill in Brazil where he started as a co-op student. In 1994 he left Riograndense and went to our Cambridge Steel Mill as a project coordinator, and then in 1995 he was promoted to Rolling Mill Manager. In 2001 Roger became the Operations Manager at the Cambridge Mill and in 2002 he was named Vice President and General Manager of the Company’s Cartersville Steel Mill in Georgia. In 2003 Roger returned to Canada as the VP/GM of the Whitby mill. In 2010 he was promoted to a corporate role as VP/GM of Merchant Operations.
Mr. Paiva holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Pontificia Universidade Catolica of Porto Alegre , Brazil.
Email: rpaiva@gerdauameristeel.com
Thiago Silva
Teacher´s Infraestructure Group / Ontario´s Teacher´s Pension Plan, A. Portfolio Manager, Infrastructure and Timberlands
Thiago Silva is a member of the transactions team which seeks to source and execute infrastructure and timberlands transactions globally. Thiago’s primary focus is on timberland investments and Infrastructure investments in Emerging Markets.
Thiago Silva joined OTPP in 2008 with 11 years of private equity and corporate finance experience. Prior to joining TIG, Mr. Silva worked for four years in the private equity group of Brookfield Asset Management in Toronto and eight years at Braskem, the largest Latin American petrochemical company, in São Paulo, Brazil. Thiago holds a degree in Industrial Engineering from the School of Industrial Engineering in São Paulo, Brazil and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
Email: thiago_silva@otpp.com
Honorary Members
Ambassador Piragibe dos Santos Tarrago
Honorary Chairman
Ambassador, Embassy of Brazil in Ottawa
Ambassador of Brazil in Canada, since February 2011. He has been a career diplomat since 1975. His postings abroad include Maputo, 1976; United Nations, New York, 1979-82; Ottawa, 1983-85; Geneva, 1990-93; Caracas, 1993-97; London, 1999-2003; United Nations, New York, 2006-09.
At the Ministry of External Affairs in Brazil, he headed the Trade on High Technology Goods Division: 1988-9; the Trade Policy Division, 1997-99; the Department of Economic Affairs, 2003-05. And he was Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs III (Africa and the Middle East), 2009-10.
Ambassador Tarragô has worked mostly in economic matters in his functions in the Ministry of External Relations. He was the main negotiator for Brazil in the NAMA negotiations in the Doha Round (2003-05) and in the TRIPs negotiations in the Uruguay Round (1987-93). He was spokesman for the producing countries at the International Coffee Organization (1999-2003).
He was also Brazilian delegate to many negotiations at the United Nations, including, inter alia, General Assembly, Security Council Reform, Peacebuilding Commission, ECOSOC, UNCTAD, Group of 77, South-South Cooperation, as well as at the GATT and WIPO,
Ambassador Afonso Cardoso
Honorary Board Member
Ambassador, Consulate General of Brazil in Toronto
Afonso José Sena Cardoso was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He has been a career diplomat at the Brazilian Foreign Service for over 40 years. He currently holds the rank of Ambassador, the highest level of the foreign affairs diplomatic service.
Mr. Cardoso is graduated in Diplomacy at the Diplomatic Academy of Brazil (Rio Branco Institute – IRBr). His work on “Brazil and the United Nations Peace Keeping Operations” was published in 1998 by the Institute for Research on Foreign AFFAIRS (IPRI).
Afonso Cardoso has served worldwide in many Brazilian Embassies and Permanent Missions, such as:
- Budapest, Hungary, 1970;
- Washington D.C., USA, 1980;
- Montevideo, Uruguay, 1983;
- New York, USA (Brazilian Mission to the United Nations), 1991
- Santiago, Chile, 1994
- Montevideo, Uruguay (Deputy Permanent Representative of the Brazilian Mission to ALADI and MERCOSUL), 1999; and
- Luanda, Angola (Ambassador of Brazil to Angola), 2008.
At headquarters, Mr. Cardoso held among others the positions of:
- Head of Consular Division, 1987;
- Head of the Division for Agriculture and Commodities, 1996;
- Brazilian Coordinator for Plurilateral Political Summits, 2004; and
- Brazilian National Coordinator for MERCOSUL, 2006.
Mr. Cardoso is married to Mrs. Solange Escosteguy Cardoso. They have three grown-up children.
Mario Silva
Honorary Board Member
Mary Anderson
Honorary Board Member
WEConnect, Director
Ms. Anderson is the President of I.E.Canada. She has nearly 20 year of experience in the international trade arena. In her role, Mary directs and supports the work of the association, and advocates on behalf of members. She is a key contact for both business and government officials, and is respected for her broad perspective and balanced approach to trade issues.
Mary is a member of several boards and committees and is currently serving as the Chair of the Board for FITT (Forum for International Trade Training) and the President of the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce. She is a Director of the Trade Facilitation Office (TFO), a member of Canada Border Services Advisory Committee (CBSAC) and sits on the Steering Committee of the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN). Mary also participates in Export Development Canada (EDC) President’s Stakeholder Panel and sits on advisory committees with the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, including the SME Advisory Board and International Commerce Advisory Group (ICAG). Mary was recently recognized for her commitment and outstanding support for women’s international business development by the Organization of Women in International Trade.
Prior to joining I.E.Canada, Mary was the founder and managing director of Trade Partners, a consulting company with expertise in advising companies and government entities about Canadian, U.S. and Mexican trade issues. As the Executive Director of the Council of Great Lakes Governors from 1991 to 2001, Mary managed a team of consultants that provided guidance to American companies seeking to market their products and services in Canada. She has addressed numerous business groups and been quoted in the media in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Teachers’ Infrastructure Group | Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
