The Impact Seminar Series – Canada is tailored to institutional investors and asset owners based in Canada and the United States. Impact Seminar Series focuses on the opportunities to move beyond ESG to invest with impact while ensuring market-competitive financial returns.
A half-day programme aims to empower investors to move from the theory to the practice of impact investing through in-depth keynote speeches from experienced impact investors and impact practitioners. During the InvestorConnect sessions, investors can explore a select group of impact strategies in public equity, public debt, private equity, private debt and real assets.
Fostering sustainable & inclusive investing while ensuring financial returns
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WHO WILL ATTEND
This event is catered for C-Suite, Board Members, Portfolio Managers and ESG/Impact Investing officers of:
● Public and Corporate Pension Funds and their Fiduciary Managers,
● Insurance Companies,
● Sovereign Wealth Funds,
● Family Offices,
● Foundations and Endowments,
● Wealth Managers/Private Banks,
● Development Finance Institutions,
● Faith-based Organisations.
● Public and Corporate Pension Funds and their Fiduciary Managers,
● Insurance Companies,
● Sovereign Wealth Funds,
● Family Offices,
● Foundations and Endowments,
● Wealth Managers/Private Banks,
● Development Finance Institutions,
● Faith-based Organisations.
FEATURED SPEAKERS 2023
Eduard van Gelderen
Chief Investment Officer,PSP Investments
Geneviève Brown
Executive Director,Global Affairs Canada
Graham Singh
CEO,Trinity Centres Foundation
Jason Sukhram
Engagement Manager,Quinn+Partners
Lars Boggild
Impact Investment Manager,Vancity
Marie-Hélène Lafond
Senior Advisor, Dialogue and Public Affairs,Fondaction
Narinder Dhami
Board Member,Community Foundations of Canada
& Executive Lead,
New Power Labs
Rosalie Vendette
Engagement Manager,Quinn+Partners
Stéphanie Émond
VP and Chief Impact Officer,FinDev Canada
Tori Hellrung
Investment Principal, Sustainable and Impact InvestmentsFondaction
Wren Laing
Investment Director Impact Investing,McConnell Foundation
Gemma Roex
Impact Measurement and Management Specialist,Phenix Capital Group
Eduard van Gelderen
Chief Investment Officer,
PSP Investments
Eduard van Gelderen is senior vice president and chief investment officer at the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) where he oversees the organization’s total portfolio and establishes the long-term investment portfolio strategy. He also heads the responsible investment, public policy, and government relations functions.
Prior to joining PSP Investments, Eduard was senior managing director at the office of the chief investment officer of the University of California. As a member of the executive team, his primary responsibilities included overseeing the University’s retirement plan, heading up equity and real assets activities, and handling strategic partnerships in Europe. He also served as CEO of the Dutch financial service provider APG Asset Management and as deputy CIO of ING Investment Management.
Eduard is a certified financial risk manager and a chartered financial analyst and has served on several investment advisory boards. He holds a master’s degree in quantitative finance from Erasmus University Rotterdam and a post-graduate degree in asset liability management from Maastricht University in Limburg. He is currently a PhD candidate at the International School of Management in Paris. Eduard began his career as an investment banker in London and Amsterdam.
Prior to joining PSP Investments, Eduard was senior managing director at the office of the chief investment officer of the University of California. As a member of the executive team, his primary responsibilities included overseeing the University’s retirement plan, heading up equity and real assets activities, and handling strategic partnerships in Europe. He also served as CEO of the Dutch financial service provider APG Asset Management and as deputy CIO of ING Investment Management.
Eduard is a certified financial risk manager and a chartered financial analyst and has served on several investment advisory boards. He holds a master’s degree in quantitative finance from Erasmus University Rotterdam and a post-graduate degree in asset liability management from Maastricht University in Limburg. He is currently a PhD candidate at the International School of Management in Paris. Eduard began his career as an investment banker in London and Amsterdam.
Geneviève Brown
Executive Director,
Global Affairs Canada
Geneviève is Executive Director of the Innovative Finance program, arriving in this position in September 2022. She is responsible for the programming in blended finance and for the sovereign loans program. Previous to that, Geneviève was Director of the Canadian Partnerships for Health and Nutrition. She was responsible for programming in global health with Canadian partners, including innovation programming with Grand Challenges Canada. Previous to this position Geneviève was in Morocco where she was Counsellor and Head of Cooperation.
Since joining CIDA in 2003, Geneviève has held various positions working across Africa on donor coordination and harmonisation, institutional capacity assessments for budget support, and public financial management. She also worked at the Embassy of Canada in Dakar, Senegal.
Since joining CIDA in 2003, Geneviève has held various positions working across Africa on donor coordination and harmonisation, institutional capacity assessments for budget support, and public financial management. She also worked at the Embassy of Canada in Dakar, Senegal.
Graham Singh
CEO,
Trinity Centres Foundation
Graham Singh is Founder and Executive Director of the Trinity Centres Foundation, a new Canadian charity established to transform 100 historic city centre church buildings into community hubs. TCF’s team of 15 advisors from the social innovation, property finance, urbanism and faith sectors are currently developing what may become one of Canada’s most significant social purpose real estate investment offerings.
Over the past 12 years, Graham has led four historic building and community renewal projects in the United Kingdom and Canada, including in his current role as Rector of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal’s recent church plant, St Jax Montreal.
Graham also acts as a consultant in the area of social impact investing, in the private wealth management sector. He is a graduate of the London School of Economics, Cambridge University (Ridley Hall / St Mellitus College), the University of Western Ontario and Asbury Theological Seminary and Oxford University’s Saïd Business School Impact Innovations Programme.
Over the past 12 years, Graham has led four historic building and community renewal projects in the United Kingdom and Canada, including in his current role as Rector of the Anglican Diocese of Montreal’s recent church plant, St Jax Montreal.
Graham also acts as a consultant in the area of social impact investing, in the private wealth management sector. He is a graduate of the London School of Economics, Cambridge University (Ridley Hall / St Mellitus College), the University of Western Ontario and Asbury Theological Seminary and Oxford University’s Saïd Business School Impact Innovations Programme.
Jason Sukhram
Engagement Manager,
Quinn+Partners
As an Engagement Manager, Jason leads the development and delivery of Quinn+Partners’ services in impact.
Jason has advised several clients across industries in how to embed social impact considerations and metrics into their operational and investment strategies and reporting. Recently, he worked with a global real estate investor and developer to identify social impact indicators to measure and report on in delivering its ESG strategy priorities. He also led projects to help a Canadian cooperative bank clarify its impact thesis, and to support a large Canadian real estate investment manager embed social impact initiatives into their property management building standards.
Prior to joining Q+P, Jason spent nearly 5 years with MaRS Discovery District’s Centre for Impact Investing, where he advised clients across sectors on how to attract and deploy capital to intentionally and measurably improve outcomes for people and the planet, while generating financial returns. This included supporting large corporations with establishing impact funds, to helping financial institutions engage their clients in sustainable investing. At MaRS, he led systems change and market building initiatives to support the growth of the Canadian impact investing market. He also built and led MaRS’ impact measurement and management advisory practice, helping organizations collect and manage data that demonstrates the outcomes they contribute to.
Jason’s prior experiences include working to build and finance social enterprises in the developing world with the Clinton Foundation’s poverty alleviation initiative from New York and Colombia. He also co-authored a number of articles with a global health research group on scaling primary care programs in low- and middle-income countries and worked in technology portfolio management with BlackBerry.
Jason has advised several clients across industries in how to embed social impact considerations and metrics into their operational and investment strategies and reporting. Recently, he worked with a global real estate investor and developer to identify social impact indicators to measure and report on in delivering its ESG strategy priorities. He also led projects to help a Canadian cooperative bank clarify its impact thesis, and to support a large Canadian real estate investment manager embed social impact initiatives into their property management building standards.
Prior to joining Q+P, Jason spent nearly 5 years with MaRS Discovery District’s Centre for Impact Investing, where he advised clients across sectors on how to attract and deploy capital to intentionally and measurably improve outcomes for people and the planet, while generating financial returns. This included supporting large corporations with establishing impact funds, to helping financial institutions engage their clients in sustainable investing. At MaRS, he led systems change and market building initiatives to support the growth of the Canadian impact investing market. He also built and led MaRS’ impact measurement and management advisory practice, helping organizations collect and manage data that demonstrates the outcomes they contribute to.
Jason’s prior experiences include working to build and finance social enterprises in the developing world with the Clinton Foundation’s poverty alleviation initiative from New York and Colombia. He also co-authored a number of articles with a global health research group on scaling primary care programs in low- and middle-income countries and worked in technology portfolio management with BlackBerry.
Lars Boggild
Impact Investment Manager,
Vancity
Lars is a creative thinker working at the intersection of finance and social change. He currently manages investments in a growing portfolio of Canadian-impact funds on behalf of Vancity, after years of progressive deal and funding leadership at VCIB, Vancity’s national impact lending subsidiary. Prior to Vancity, he worked at Rally Assets leading impact investing advisory projects that built practical strategies for asset owners to deploy more of their investments towards social and environmental good. A highly engaged volunteer, Lars sits on the Impact Investing Subcommittee of the Laidlaw Foundation, and the Investment Committees of both Propel Impact and the Foundation for Black Communities. Outside of the impact investing ecosystem, Lars is also the Board Chair of Not Far from the Tree, Toronto’s urban fruit picking and sharing platform.
Marie-Hélène Lafond
Senior Advisor, Dialogue and Public Affairs,
Fondaction
As a political specialist at the U.S. Consulate, she was the senior advisor on engaging bilateral stakeholders in governmental and community affairs in Quebec. She also worked at Intact Insurance where she got to connect stakeholder and communities to this great company. In February 2021, she joined Fondaction, a leader in sustainable finance to dedicate, her skills and her network into making Quebec economy more inclusive, diverse, and more successful. She contributed to the development of the Greater Montreal’s next generation of international affairs players as co-founder and former president of Connexion internationale de Montréal, an association of 120 young professionals dedicated to fostering ties within the international community. She was president of the Young Leaders Circle of the Economic Forum of the Americas, developing young leaders' network to engage with key policy makers and observers. She has 10 years of experience in government policy and public affairs, as a leader and as a team player.
Narinder Dhami
Board Member,
Community Foundations of Canada
& Executive Lead,
New Power Labs
Narinder Dhami, a Canada Top 40 Under 40 2019 honouree, is a leader in social finance. She has worked across sectors and silos, bringing depth, perspective, and rigour to her work in North America and the Global South.
As a Managing Partner at Marigold Capital, a gender and social equity lens investment fund, she invests in underrepresented and overlooked founders. Across the last decade, Narinder designed and scaled two social ventures: as the Managing Director she built LEAP | Pecaut Centre for Social Impact, an innovator in venture philanthropy, and as the founding Executive Director of Rise Asset Development she built a microfund for individuals with a history of mental health and addiction challenges. Her work spans to the Global South where she helped grow the Première Agence de Microfinance across Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and worked on the portfolio team with Acumen in Ghana and Nigeria.
Narinder has been recognized as a BMW Foundation Responsible Leader. She is a lecturer at Ryerson University and Narinder co-created the first course in microfinance and impact investing at the University of Toronto. Narinder currently serves on the board of Acumen Canada, The Circle and CAFIID.
As a Managing Partner at Marigold Capital, a gender and social equity lens investment fund, she invests in underrepresented and overlooked founders. Across the last decade, Narinder designed and scaled two social ventures: as the Managing Director she built LEAP | Pecaut Centre for Social Impact, an innovator in venture philanthropy, and as the founding Executive Director of Rise Asset Development she built a microfund for individuals with a history of mental health and addiction challenges. Her work spans to the Global South where she helped grow the Première Agence de Microfinance across Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and worked on the portfolio team with Acumen in Ghana and Nigeria.
Narinder has been recognized as a BMW Foundation Responsible Leader. She is a lecturer at Ryerson University and Narinder co-created the first course in microfinance and impact investing at the University of Toronto. Narinder currently serves on the board of Acumen Canada, The Circle and CAFIID.
Rosalie Vendette
Engagement Manager,
Quinn+Partners
Rosalie is an Engagement Manager in Quinn+Partners’ Montreal office. She is also a part of the firm’s leadership team and a shareholder.
Rosalie is an expert in responsible investment and sustainable finance and advises market leaders in retail and institutional investment management, pension plans, banks and insurers on pathways to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in governance, risk management and value creation.
Rosalie currently serves around ten Canadian pension plans and investment managers. Many projects include completing an ESG maturity assessment, crafting an ESG action plan, desigining ESG and responsible investing policies and implementations tools, and supporting with communciations. Her particular area of expertise is proxy voting, and as such, she has contributed to proxy voting policies and implementation of associated processes for multiple asset managers and owners. She has also supported various lenders and insurers crafting ESG or impact strategies.
Before joining Quinn+Partners, Rosalie was the Head of Responsible Investment at Desjardins Group for a decade before leading her own ESG consulting business. She was involved in developing Quebec’s financial sector’s sustainable finance ambition and an upcoming ISO Standard on sustainable finance.
Rosalie frequently speaks at industry events, to media news outlets and convenes influential decision-makers to drive change in capital markets. She teaches sustainable finance at the Executive MBA HEC-McGill.
Rosalie is an expert in responsible investment and sustainable finance and advises market leaders in retail and institutional investment management, pension plans, banks and insurers on pathways to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in governance, risk management and value creation.
Rosalie currently serves around ten Canadian pension plans and investment managers. Many projects include completing an ESG maturity assessment, crafting an ESG action plan, desigining ESG and responsible investing policies and implementations tools, and supporting with communciations. Her particular area of expertise is proxy voting, and as such, she has contributed to proxy voting policies and implementation of associated processes for multiple asset managers and owners. She has also supported various lenders and insurers crafting ESG or impact strategies.
Before joining Quinn+Partners, Rosalie was the Head of Responsible Investment at Desjardins Group for a decade before leading her own ESG consulting business. She was involved in developing Quebec’s financial sector’s sustainable finance ambition and an upcoming ISO Standard on sustainable finance.
Rosalie frequently speaks at industry events, to media news outlets and convenes influential decision-makers to drive change in capital markets. She teaches sustainable finance at the Executive MBA HEC-McGill.
Stéphanie Émond
VP and Chief Impact Officer,
FinDev Canada
Stéphanie Émond is VP and Chief Impact Officer at FinDev Canada’s, overseeing the Impact Enablement team responsible for development impact, technical assistance, environmental and social risk management and thought leadership. Stéphanie is chair of the Canada Forum for Impact Investment of Development (CAFIID). She is also a member of the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation Board of Directors.
Prior to joining FinDev Canada, Stéphanie served as the Executive Director of FINCA Canada, a microfinance organization with the mission to alleviate poverty through lasting solutions that help people – women in particular – build assets, create jobs, and raise their standard of living. Before FINCA, she worked as a management consultant with Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, on business and strategic planning, market analysis and marketing strategies, and for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA – now Global Affairs Canada) as an economic advisor focusing on private sector development and financial inclusion.
Prior to that, Stephanie worked with FINCA Peru, a Peruvian microfinance institution, and for Newad, a Canadian place-based media company, as Director of Marketing. She holds a MBA from HEC Montreal
Prior to joining FinDev Canada, Stéphanie served as the Executive Director of FINCA Canada, a microfinance organization with the mission to alleviate poverty through lasting solutions that help people – women in particular – build assets, create jobs, and raise their standard of living. Before FINCA, she worked as a management consultant with Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, on business and strategic planning, market analysis and marketing strategies, and for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA – now Global Affairs Canada) as an economic advisor focusing on private sector development and financial inclusion.
Prior to that, Stephanie worked with FINCA Peru, a Peruvian microfinance institution, and for Newad, a Canadian place-based media company, as Director of Marketing. She holds a MBA from HEC Montreal
Wren Laing
Investment Director Impact Investing,
McConnell Foundation
Wren is an Investment Director at the McConnell Foundation, where she leads the foundation’s impact investing work. In February 2023, McConnell launched a new investment strategy that commits to building a 100% impact investment portfolio over the next 5 years. Prior to McConnell, Wren was an Investment Director at Big Society Capital, the UK’s leading social impact investor. Wren holds an MSc from the London School of Economics, a BA (Joint Honours) from McGill University, and she is currently a Director's Scholar at the University of Oxford completing her MBA.
Gemma Roex
Impact Measurement and Management Specialist,
Phenix Capital Group
Gemma Roex is Impact Measurement and Management Specialist (IMM) at Phenix Capital Group. She focusses on helping both LPs and GPs to set-up robust impact practices to get the most out of their intended impact goals and strategies. Previously Gemma worked in strategy and leadership consulting. She holds a BA in History from Oxford University and an MSc in Global Energy and Climate Policy from SOAS.
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“The best impact conference I have had the opportunity to attend, the small size of the conference allows for deep engaging conversations and promote strong network connections.”
TD Bank group
“Eduard from PSP was incredibly helpful in offering a perspective from inside the heart of a pension fund. This was beautifully blended with a number of impact-first approaches.”
Trinity Centres Foundation
“What a lovely event ! Very interesting!”
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
“Phenix Capital curates amazing content to bring together aligned and dedicated Impact investing global partners.
High value, as the dynamic Phenix team with Sophie Robe, actively support alliances, connections and builds ongoing vital expansion opportunities for global Impact networks.”
High value, as the dynamic Phenix team with Sophie Robe, actively support alliances, connections and builds ongoing vital expansion opportunities for global Impact networks.”
Decarbonized.org
“A great event to check in with the key players when it comes to Impact Investing and institutional players.”
Toniic
“It is a very useful format for meeting managers.”
Managing Director, Family Office, United States
“Terrific job organizing the meetings, we will follow up with the fund manager we met.”
Vice President, Investment Consultant, United States
“Great event to meet the Institutional impact investing community”
The GIIN
"Great venue, great network, great content. The event is not too large and the experience of the attendees is quite high. Plenty of time to network as well.”
Wespath Investment Management
“Great event for networking with impact investors representing broad range of organizations, many of whom are leading the field.”
Wellington Management
“A curated convening that distills and propels the rapidly evolving marketplace. Impact thinking is now influencing main stream investors and large capital markets in ways not imaginable even one year ago.”
Prudential
"Phenix is able to pull in high level professionals focused on the impact market and have panel topics that help move the conversation forward rather than 'advertise' for the attendees."
IFC/Operating Principles for Impact Management
TESTIMONIALS ABOUT OUR EVENTS
WHAT OUR ATTENDEES SAY
