Closing the Gap: The Role of Financial Advice in Delivering Economic Security for Canadians
Roundtable Luncheon with Rebecca Cowdery, Joanne De Laurentiis and Gary Edwards
Sponsored by:
C.D. Howe Institute events and webinars are open to members and their guests.
Please follow this link or contact events@cdhowe.org to register.
Rebecca Cowdery, Lawyer, Securities & Capital Markets (Investment Management), Borden Ladner Gervais
Rebecca Cowdery is senior counsel with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in their Toronto office. Her legal practice focuses on the compliance, regulatory and governance issues facing participants in the investment management industry, including fund managers, portfolio managers and dealers. She has over 35 years of experience in working with the investment management industry as a lawyer and a regulator. She works with fund managers to establish new products and to manage and administer funds in compliance with applicable regulation. She also assists fund managers and independent review committees to effectively implement and comply with fund governance regulations in Canada. She advises firms about effective implementation of the regulatory and compliance requirements for registrants mandated by the Canadian securities regulators. Rebecca joined BLG in 2003, after nine years as a senior investment funds regulator with the Ontario Securities Commission. She is a frequent speaker and writer about topics of interest to the investment management industry.
Joanne De Laurentiis, Chair, Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA)
A seasoned financial services executive, Joanne De Laurentiis’ governance experience includes leading multi-stakeholder organizations in the financial services sector including investment funds, interbank payments, credit union and banking services. Retired in 2016 as President & CEO of the Investment Funds Institute (IFIC), she spent the bulk of her career representing financial institutions and engaging, on their behalf, with a wide range of provincial and federal regulatory and government bodies in the development of sound regulatory and public policy.
Before joining IFIC she served as CEO of Credit Union Central of Canada, Canada's interbank network Interac, and Mondex Canada. before moving to the CEO role she served as Vice-President of Public Affairs for the Canadian Bankers Association; and chief of staff to Ontario Government cabinet minister the Honourable Robert Elgie.
She continues to provide regulatory and policy advice and serves on several public and not-for-profit boards including Vice-Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission, Member of Canada Life Funds Independent Review Committee, and NCM Investments Independent Review Committee. She's also on the board of BeWhere Holdings Board, and is a Senior Fellow of the C.D. Howe Institute.
Previous Board service includes the Toronto Financial Services Alliance, the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Commission, the Canadian Payments Association, Toronto Board of Trade, the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education, Equifax Advisory Council, St. Stephens' Community House, and the World University Service of Canada, among others.
She holds a BA and MA in Political Science from Western University.
Gary Edwards, Co-Founder & Research Lead, Golfdale Consulting
Dr. Gary Edwards is a seasoned market research leader and management consultant. As co-founder of Golfdale Consulting, Gary’s mission is to solve complex business challenges focused on three areas: global market research, data science and operational analytics, and evidence-based thought leadership strategies.
Gary’s experience includes advising executives of Fortune 1000 companies as co-owner and Chief Customer Officer of Empathica, a pioneering software company in Customer Experience Management. Prior to successfully expanding and selling Empathica to a global competitor, Gary served as Country Manager of Gallup Canada, leading strategic market insights and the brand’s rapid revenue growth in Canada.
Gary began his early career in research as an epidemiologist in the field of mental health. Gary has a Hon BA (Psych) from the University of Western Ontario, and an M.A. and PhD from Wilfrid Laurier University specializing in social research methods and statistics.
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