Let’s Talk Asia
Over 130 business executives attended the Let’s Talk Asia Seminar organized by Canada China Business Council in conjunction with Export Development Canada with the support of Canada-India Business Council. The Seminar Sponsor was Heenan Blaikie. It was held on March 2 at Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver.
Mr. Peter Hall, Vice President and Chief Economist, Export Development Canada; Mr. Yuenpau Woo, President & CEO, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada; and Mr. Joseph Caron, Former Canadian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China and Japan as well as Canadian High Commissioner to India tendered their insights on the economic analyses and outlook of Canada with China, India, and Southeast Asia. Attendees and keynote speakers engaged in a lively interactive dialogue following their keynote presentations. Business owners and market experts shared their success stories and best practices with the audience in the breakout sessions. A Question and Answer period was also conducted at the end of each breakout sessions.
Overall, attendees found the keynote presentations and the breakout sessions very informative and insightful. They also were very satisfied with the networking opportunities.
Photos of this event will be available shortly.
To view more general information about the event, including the agenda and speaker bios, please scroll down.
Program:
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07:45-08:20am |
Registration and Breakfast |
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08:25-08:30am |
Opening Remarks by Linda Morris, Regional Vice President Western Region, EDC |
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08:30-09:10am |
Keynote remarks by
Moderated by Mr. Peter Nesbitt, Regional Vice President, Asia, Export Development Canada |
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09:10-09:45am |
Town Hall Forum Discussion with Keynote speakers |
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09:45-10:05am |
Networking Coffee Break |
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10:05-10:15am |
Transfer to Breakout Session #1 (participants have the choice of attending two of the three panels) |
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10:15-11:00am |
Regional Panel Session #1 China Moderator: Mr. Martin Cauchon, Heenan Blaikie LLP
India
Southeast Asia
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11:00-11:10am |
Transition to Breakout Panel Session #2 |
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11:10-12:00pm |
Regional Panel Session #2 |
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12:00pm |
Event Close |
Keynote speakers:
Peter Hall
Vice-President and Chief Economist Export Development Canada
Peter Hall joined Export Development Canada (EDC) in November 2004. He has over 20 years of experience in domestic and international economic analysis and forecasting. Mr. Hall is responsible for overseeing economic and political risk analysis, special research and the corporate library. In addition to advising senior management at EDC, Mr. Hall is a featured speaker at conferences across the country and internationally, and regularly appears in television, radio and print media commenting on recent economic developments and implications for the outlook.
Prior to joining EDC, Mr. Hall directed the economic forecasting activities of the Conference Board of Canada. Mr. Hall has also served as a member of roundtables on the economies of the Eurozone and the Asia-Pacific region.
Mr. Hall is president of the Canadian Association for Business Economics, a 600-member national association of professional economists, and actively participates in its local Ottawa chapter. Mr. Hall has degrees in economics from Carleton University and the University of Toronto.
Yuen Pau Woo
President and CEO, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Mr. Yuen Pau WOO is President and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Mr. Woo is an advisor to the Shanghai WTO Affairs Consultation Centre and the Canadian Ditchley Foundation. He is also on the Global Council of the Asia Society in New York, a member of the Greater Vancouver Advisory Board for the Salvation Army, and a board member of the Mosaic Institute.
Since 2006, Mr. Woo has been coordinator of the State of the Region Report, the flagship publication of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). He is also on the editorial board of Pacific Affairs.
Joseph Caron
Joseph Caron joined the Trade Commissioner Service in 1972, and served abroad in Saigon and Ankara. In 1975, he began Japanese language studies, and subsequently served three times at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, including as Minister and Head of Chancery. During the 1980s, he undertook private sector assignments involving China, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan. In Ottawa, he has held several positions related to Asian and international economic affairs, including G8 summitry. In 1998, he became Assistant Deputy Minister for Asia Pacific and Africa, and served as Canada’s Senior Official for Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation.
Until 2005, Mr. Caron served as Canada’s Ambassador to China, with concurrent accreditation to North Korea and Mongolia. From 2005 to 2008, he was Canada’s Ambassador to Japan. From August 2008 to June 2010, Mr. Caron was High Commissioner to the Republic of India, with concurrent accreditation as Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal and the Kingdom of Bhutan. Mr. Caron retired from government in June, 2010.
Mr. Caron is currently Special Advisor for Asia Pacific at the prominent Canadian law firm of Heenan Blaikie. He is also a Distinguished Fellow of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and an Honorary Research Associate at the Institute of Asian Research of the University of British Columbia. Mr. Caron has established Joseph Caron Inc. in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Peter L. Nesbitt
Regional Vice-President，South and Southeast Asia
International Business Development
Export Development Canada
Peter Nesbitt joined Export Development Canada (EDC) in October 2003 as Regional Manager for South and Southeast Asia. In April 2005, he relocated to New Delhi and was appointed as EDC’s first Chief Representative to India. In April 2008, Mr. Nesbitt was appointed Regional Vice-President, South and Southeast Asia. Mr. Nesbitt is currently based out of EDC’s Representation in Singapore.
Prior to joining EDC, Mr. Nesbitt worked internationally for Scotiabank. His last assignment was as a Commercial Branch Manager in Bangalore, India. He has lived and worked in South Asia for more than 13 years.
Mr. Nesbitt holds a BA in Political Science from Carleton University and an MBA from Dalhousie University. He is also a Fellow in the Institute of Canadian Bankers.
Regional Panel Session Speakers:
China Panel
Jacques Lacasse
Chief Representative, Asia
International Business Development
Export Development Canada
Jacques Lacasse joined Export Development Canada (EDC) more than 20 years ago. He has assumed various responsibilities in different sectors of the corporation, such as underwriter, credit analyst and financial specialist for Africa and the Middle East. During the latter part of his EDC career, Mr. Lacasse was dedicated to business development where he structured financial solutions to meet the international challenges of Canadian exporters. From 2006 to 2009, he acted as an Account Executive, leading EDC relationships with some of the most important Canadian companies of the Infrastructure sector. In September 2010, Mr. Lacasse was nominated to the position of Chief Representative, Greater China and is currently based out of Shanghai.
Prior to joining EDC, Mr. Lacasse spent five years with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) helping small- and medium-sized companies to expand and create jobs. As well, he worked for three years as Director, Investment, Foreign Markets for the Solidarity Fund, and was responsible for a diversified portfolio of investments and green field projects in developed and emerging markets. He represented the Fund on various boards in Canada and abroad.
Mr. Lacasse earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from l’École des Hautes Études Commerciales in Montreal.
Tony Gostling
Director – Membership and Outreach
Canada China Business Council
As Director of Membership & Outreach, Tony Gostling is responsible for organizing trade missions, events, and outreach activities across Canada and in China. Tony is also responsible for the Business Incubation Centre in Shanghai, and works closely with many member companies to get their China operations off the ground.
Tony has been heavily involved in Chinese business activities since 1996. For the two years prior to joining CCBC, he was a consultant in the field of product sourcing for industrial components in both China and Taiwan. Tony has a background in the metal industry (casting and machining) as well as in rubber and plastics. Prior to that, Tony spent nine years working in China as the President and Chief Representative for a trading company with offices in Shanghai and Shenyang, which supplied “made in China” OEM components, mainly for the railroad and transportation industry, to their customers in the US and Canada.
Tony has spent most of his career in global procurement and supply chain management. His background also includes working in the metal industry (casting and machining) and in rubber and plastics. He is very familiar with business start-up and operational practices in China and the common problems associated with establishing successful operations overseas.
John William Mitchell
President
Canada Metal (Pacific) Ltd.
Canada Metal owns non-ferrous manufacturing plants in Vancouver, Canada; Ningbo, China; and Casella, Italy. www.canmet.com
Ningbo JiaDa Specialty Metals Ltd was established as a green field operation in September of 2004. Today it has over 140 employees working in a purpose build, 5,000 Sq. mtr. facility where state of the art Die Cast, CNC Machining and Assembly equipment produces a variety of precision products for the Automotive and Marine global markets.
Mitchell lead the Canada Metal team through all aspects of establishing the W.O.F.E (Wholly Owned Foreign Entity) investment in China. He was supported by N.E.T.D (a Chinese Government organization; Ningbo Economic and Technical Development) He continues to work closely with the JiaDa Senior Management team as the company expands both its domestic and export business.
Ken Baker
CEO
Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd.
Ken Baker has overall responsibility for ensuring the company’s programs reflect the Government’s priorities in assisting the British Columbia forest sector to thrive in the global economy. Along with other FII staff, Ken works with representatives of other government agencies, research institutes, academia, and the forest industry to create and deliver harmonized and collaborative programs aimed at a common goal – namely a vibrant and sustainable B.C. forest sector. Ken is responsible for all aspects of the company. This includes program design and delivery by FII staff and by the trade associations and other non-profit organizations to which FII provides substantial funding. Ken is also a member of the Board of Directors for the company’s subsidiary in China.
The Honourable Martin Cauchon
Partner, Heenan Blaikie
The Honourable Martin Cauchon is a partner in Heenan Blaikie’s Montréal office, Vice-Chairman of CCBC.
He was member of Parliament in the federal riding of Outremont from 1993 until 2004.
Throughout his distinguished political career, he has held many pivotal cabinet positions, including Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Québec) from January 1996 to January 2002, Minister of National Revenue from August 1999 to January 2002, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada from January 2002 to December 2003, as well as Minister with political responsibility for Québec during that same period.
In addition, Martin served as a member of various cabinet committees: the committees on Economic Union and Social Union, as well as an Ad Hoc Committee for Public Security and Anti-Terrorism. In 1994, he was vice-chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, as well as president of the Canada-France Inter-Parliamentary Association from 1994 to 1995. From 1993 to 1995, Martin served as President of the Liberal Party of Canada (Québec).
He is married to Dorine Perron and they have 3 children Charles, François and Catherine.
India Panel
Vijendra Gairola
Chief Representative, India
International Business Development Group
Export Development Canada
Vijendra Gairola joined Export Development Canada (EDC) in September 2009 as EDC’s Chief Representative for India. He is located in Mumbai, India.
Mr. Gairola has over 12 years of professional work experience with institutions such as The Bank of Nova Scotia, CIBC and Citibank. Before joining EDC, Vijendra spent the majority of his career with The Bank of Nova Scotia where he worked in a variety of capacities, such as Relationship Manager in the Structured Commercial Group in Canada, Senior Manager in the Bank’s Global Risk Management department adjudicating corporate credits in Latin America, and Senior Account Manager/Associate Director with the Bank’s Corporate Banking group in Singapore, covering India and the Middle East.
Mr. Gairola graduated with a Masters in Business Administration (with a specialty in Finance) from the Schulich School of Business, York University.
Peter Sutherland
Senior Business Advisor, Aird & Berlis LLP
Peter Sutherland is Senior Business Advisor, Asia to the firm.
Peter Sutherland advises Canadian companies interested in doing business in India, the Middle East and other parts of Asia.
Mr. Sutherland joins Aird & Berlis LLP after a distinguished diplomatic career which included service as Canada’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, High Commissioner to India and as Director General, and International Trade. Mr. Sutherland’s other foreign assignments included postings in the United States, Hungary, Ivory Coast and as an attorney in the Inter-American Development Bank. Mr. Sutherland is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Canada-India Business Council.
Jack Mar
CEO, Star Solutions Inc.
Jack Mar is currently the CEO of Star Solutions International Inc. Star Solutions, formed from UTStarcom CDMA Mobile Solutions Business Unit spin-off, is a leading supplier of network infrastructure products that enable CDMA/GSM wireless operators to reach their clients using IP technology. Jack has spent over 30 years in the telecommunications industry. Following senior management roles with GTE and Canadian Telephones & Supplies, Jack established GT Optical Cable, the first successful fiber-optic cable manufacturing company in China. In 1994, Jack founded TELOS Technology Inc., where he led a team of technology and network experts to achieve many mobile wireless industry firsts including the first mobile phone call over an IP network infrastructure in 1999, and winner of the 3GSM award in 2003. After TELOS’ acquisition by UTStarcom, Jack served as the President of the Mobile Solutions Business Unit at UTStarcom until its spin-off in 2008.
Daljit Bawa
Senior Field Service Engineer, Ballard Power Systems Inc.
Daljit Bawa joined Ballard in August 1999 as a Senior Field Service Engineer. Daljit managed field trials of both stationary and transportation fuel cell systems. Daljit was the Bus operations manager for the CUTE and other Phase 5 fuel cell buses operating in USA, Australia and China. Daljit is currently Market Manager for Ballard’s heavy-duty fuel cell market segment.
Daljit is a Graduate Engineer from Institution of Engineers, India and has a Master’s Diploma in Diesel Propulsion Plants from Naval War Academy, Russia.
Southeast Asia Panel
Robert Simmons
Chief Representative, South East Asia，
International Business Development，
Export Development Canada
Robert Simmons has extensive experience in trade development and export finance in Asia. Since joining Export Development Canada (EDC) in early 1997, he has managed EDC business development activities for a number of key Asian markets. Immediately prior to his current assignment as EDC Chief Representative in South East Asia, Mr. Simmons was acting Regional Vice-President –Asia based in Ottawa, Canada.
Before joining EDC, Mr. Simmons was Director, Asia Pacific Trade and Investment with Alberta Economic Development, and from 1990 to 1993, he was the Alberta Trade Representative working out of Hong Kong.
Mr. Simmons is a graduate of the University of Manitoba (Business) as well as the University of Winnipeg (Science). He is also a Certified Management Accountant.
Harjeet Bajaj
President
Canadian Technology & Business Facilitators Inc (CTBF Inc)
Harjeet Bajaj is the President and co-Founder of Canadian Technology & Business Facilitators Inc. (CTBF) – an organization that focuses on assisting companies with identifying viable global markets and developing viable business models that allow organizations establish and sustain a successful global business presence and reap the benefits of global markets.
Harjeet has held various senior and challenging positions in the private and public sectors, in a variety of sectors. Harjeet has worked in the public sector to help establish province andCanadawide programs. He has also founded and been involved in the start-up of various organizations in the private sector. His broad sector background, entrepreneurial inclination, interest and experience in international business lend him well for leading an organization like CTBF.
Harjeet Bajaj graduated fromMcMasterUniversitywith a Bachelors in Engineering & Management and also a Masters of Applied Science in Engineering.
Peter L. Senez
Founding Partner
Sereca Fire Consulting Ltd.
Peter Senez is an experienced and well-respected authority in the field of fire engineering. Active in the fire industry for over 20 years, Mr. Senez has diverse and unique industry experience. He has managed large construction projects, implemented fire research programs, coordinated fire test programs, worked as a fire fighter and analyzed hundreds of real fires. He understands fire science and technologies, and is skilled at interpreting codes, analyzing failures, developing risk assessments, gauging the probability of failures, and explaining the dynamics of fire.
He is well travelled, in service to Sereca’s international client base, and is an author and frequent lecturer on the subjects of heat transfer, fire growth, combustion dynamics, computer fire modeling, and sources of ignition. Mr Senez actively participates on many industry committees.
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