UWAC 2011 – Measuring The Stakes
2011 was a year of breakthrough expansions for UWAC; in its sixth annual conference, UWAC had experienced record-breaking attendance and partnered with some of the most prominent business professionals in the industry, including Chief Financial Officers from the Bank of Nova Scotia and CBC/Radio-Canada. The idea that accounting correlates with risk management is reflected in its theme, “Measuring the Stakes”; this year’s conference emphasized the measurement and mitigation of risk, where delegates explored the importance of accounting at various levels of risk management as well as the effects it can have on the future outlook of an organization.
Keynote Speakers
Luc A. Vanneste, FCA
Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Scotiabank
Luc Vanneste has been the Chief Financial Officer of the Bank of Nova Scotia since June 2005, and has been its Executive Vice-President since October 2003. Prior to joining Scotia, Luc spent 24 years with KPMG, where he most recently served as a Partner, with a focus on banking and finance.
Luc graduated from the University of Toronto in 1975 with a B.A. (honours), and subsequently obtained a Master of Business Administration (with distinction) from the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario in 1999. Luc also holds a Chartered Accountant designation with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario and was recently appointed a Fellow of the Institute in June 2006.
Suzanne Morris, CA
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, CBC/Radio-Canada
Suzanne Morris has been the Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of CBC/Radio-Canada since April 2009. Suzanne plays an instrumental role in helping CBC Radio achieve a sustainable economic model and adapting to real-time financial reporting. Before joining CBC, Suzanne served as the Vice-President of the small business financial services sector at Export Development Canada (EDC).
Suzanne graduated from the University of Ottawa in 1986 with a Bachelor’s of Commerce degree. After obtaining her Chartered Accountant designation with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, she returned to serve as a marker for the Institute’s professional examination. She has also delivered lectures to students regarding specific accounting topics at the University of Ottawa. Suzanne is now an active member of the Financial Executives Institute, the Association of Financial Professionals and the Treasury Management Association of Canada.
Joel Hilchey
Motivational Speaker
Joel Hilchey is a speaker, writer, and the founder of The Beanstalk Project, a youth engagement initiative to promote youth leadership and create positive social change. Joel graduated from McMaster University with a degree in Engineering Physics and the University of Toronto with his Master’s in Environmental Engineering. Throughout his university years, he served as a leadership developer and keynote speaker to schools, helping with leadership activation, bullying prevention, student engagement, environmental conferences, and much more. Through his various community works, Joel continues striving for social unity and is the epitome of the amazing power of human passion.
UWAC 2010 – Setting The Stage
In its fifth annual conference, UWAC partnered with China Light and Power (CLP), one of the largest global and vertically-integrated electricity generation companies, to showcase the value and role of accounting in corporate strategy decision making. The theme, “Setting the Stage”, further discussed the importance of strategic management as it takes into account three major processes – planning, implementation, and evaluation. Essentially, the unity of these processes describes how strategic management helps ‘set the stage’ for a company’s future endeavours, and how accounting is key in driving these decisions.
Keynote Speakers
Colleen Johnston
Group Head Finance and CFO, TD Bank Financial Group
Colleen Johnston is the Group Head Finance and Chief Financial Officer of TD Bank Financial Group. She plays a key role in external and regulatory financial reporting, risk management, tax management, and performance measurement and optimization. Colleen also oversees the Audit function of the organization. Colleen graduated from York University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and began her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She obtained her Chartered Accountant designation in 1984 and was elected as a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) by the institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario in 2006, in recognition of her outstanding career achievements and dedication to community activities.
Bill Thomas
CEO and Senior Partner, KPMG LLP
As the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Partner of KPMG, Bill Thomas is responsible for providing company direction and leadership across Canada. Since beginning his career with KPMG in Vancouver in 1990, Bill has delivered audit services to some of the firm’s largest clients in many industries. He also served as Audit Leader for the firm’s Greater Vancouver practice. Bill was the recipient of Business in Vancouver’s Forty-under-Forty award in 2002 in recognition of his outstanding young career achievements. In addition to his Chartered Accountant designation, he holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of British Columbia. Complementing Bill’s career advancement is his initiative within the community. Bill currently serves on the Board of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and is a member of the Toronto Board of Trade and the Canadian Council for Chief Executives.
Rozanne Reszel
President and CEO, Canadian Investor Protection Fund
Rozanne Reszel is the current President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). In her current role at the CIPF, Rozanne ensures that in the event of investment dealer insolvency, client assets are protected and are turned to them. Prior to joining the CIPF, she served as the Vice President of Client Services at Nesbitt Thomson. Rozanne was elected as a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario in 2000. Moreover, she is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (FCA) as well as a graduate of the Harvard Business School where she obtained her MBA.
Peter Greenwood
Group Executive Director – Strategy, CLP Holdings (Case Competition Debrief Speaker)
As the Group Executive Director for Strategy at CLP Holdings, Peter Greenwood’s principal focus is to work on matters of a strategic nature impacting the overall direction of the CLP Group. He is also responsible for the oversight of CLP Group’s corporate secretarial and legal affairs. Peter obtained a MA degree in law from the University of Cambridge and a diploma in German law and legal system from the University of Tuebingen and the Justice Ministry of North Rhine-Westerphalia. He is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries in England & Hong Kong.
UWAC 2009 – Turning The Tide
This year’s conference partnered with Better Place, a global provider of electric vehicle services exploring further expansion into Canada, specifically in Ontario, in the midst of a recession. While the theme, “Turning the Tide”, examined how the downturn in the economy would affect the accounting profession, it also considered the effects of a recession on consultants, entrepreneurs and industry leading professionals, all of which are closely linked to accounting. UWAC 2009 aimed to emphasize the importance of accounting and finance in all facets of the business world, whether during an economic boom or an economic bust.
Keynote Speakers
James Hunter
MBA, FCA, CEO, NexGen Financial LP
James Hunter is the Chairman & CEO of NexGen Financial LP. Jim is the former President and CEO of Mackenzie Financial Corporation. During his 13 year tenure at Mackenzie, Jim led the development of many of the top innovations in Canada’s mutual fund industry. Under Jim’s strategic direction and management, Mackenzie grew from just under $8 billion to $46 billion in assets under management and evolved to the multi-faceted investment management and financial services corporation it is today. Prior to his tenure at Mackenzie, Jim was a partner in Deloitte & Touche’s financial services practice in Toronto.
Larry Smith
Professor, University of Waterloo
Larry Smith teaches Economics to students at the University of Waterloo. His unique teaching style, tying in Economic theory to real-world examples, has made him a favourite of students, earning him the Distinguished Teacher Award. Over the years, Larry has released a number of publications, and he has recently written a book called “Beyond the Internet.” At UWAC, Larry Smith had the opportunity to share his insights on innovation and growth, and how Canadians can use these tools to stay ahead of the competition.
Kevin Morris
Motivational Speaker
Kevin Morris is a Toronto-based consultant, working with companies and helping them adapt to and embrace change. He uses various methods to promote the exchange of knowledge and social capital throughout organizations, helping them develop and utilize their strongest assets to the fullest extent. Currently, Kevin blogs on “Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything.” Kevin is also on the Advisory Panel for LOKU30, a social network for young leaders and influences who are the futures of their industries. At UWAC 2009, Kevin talked about the value of inexperience: how students, with little to no expertise in industry or practical accounting, can make a large difference to a company and to a workplace.
UWAC 2008 – From The Ground Up
This year marked UWAC’s first partnership with a real-world company on which the case competition was based. In keeping with the underlying idea of the theme of the conference, “From the Ground Up”, of accounting being the building block for all successful businesses, UWAC partnered with Virgin Mobile to create a case that demonstrated the significance of having basic knowledge in a foundation, such as accounting, of any prosperous activity. As a result, this year’s conference focused on promoting awareness of the benefits that accounting provides to any business environment, and how it acts as the groundwork for many other professions and opportunities.
Keynote Speakers
Phil King
President, TSN
Phil King first worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers and in 1988 obtained his CA designation. The following year he joined the finance department of TSN. He was soon promoted to Senior Vice President of Programming, and in 2004 because the President of TSN. As president, Mr. King has demonstrated many admirable qualities, including strong leadership and ample creativity. The network has recently launched TSN2, a time shifted West Coast feed. At UWAC 2008, he described his journey from an undergraduate student to an industry leader, emphasizing his CA designation as a tool to help him get there.
Manjit Sharma
VP Finance & Controller, GE Canada/GE Capital
Manjit Sharma obtained her CA designation in 1992 and has used her designation in many ways throughout her impressive career. Currently the VP Finance & Controller of GE Canada, she started as an Assistant Controller and was promoted 7 years later was promoted to her current position. She did not, however, begin her career with GE. Ms. Sharma started as an external auditor for KPMG. She was a member of the financial reporting team at Vale Inco (Inco Ltd at the time) and was a controller for the Canada wide pension plan, OPSEU Pension Trust. Having had such diverse experiences throughout her working career she offers many insights on the numerous applications that are possible with a CA designation.
Sam (Ajit) Thiara
Motivational Speaker
Sam (Ajit) Thaira is a truly motivational individual. With a double major in Business Administration and Political Science from Simon Frasier University. He also has his Masters in Leadership from the University of Exeter.He is currently the Student Affairs Officer for the faculty of Business at Simon Frasier University. He is a firm believer in the fact that Leadership knows no boundaries, and demonstrates his belief on an everyday basis. He was contracted by the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Bid Corporation, where he was the Community Consultant Manager. With this, he was responsible for the implementation of various municipal and community projects. He looks back on this experience as one of the most exciting contacts he has ever fulfilled.
UWAC 2007 – Beyond Numbers: Value Creation Redefined
In its second year, UWAC chose to emphasize that accounting is not simply about numbers, demonstrating through various activities and its case competition that the analytical and decision-making processes – key components of accounting – add value and are critical to the future progress of the business.
Keynote Speaker
Lawrence S. Rosen
Principal, Rosen & Associates Limited
Dr. Rosen founded Rosen & Associates Limited – a litigation and investigative accounting firm – pursuing his interest within the accounting industry. He has provided consulting services and independent opinions for hundred of litigation related engagements. Furthermore, he has presented expert testimony on numerous occasions and in many jurisdictions throughout the country – including the Supreme Courts of British Columbia, Ontario, and Canada. Dr. Rosen has also served as Technical Advisor to three of Canada’s Auditor Generals.
UWAC 2006 - Accounting in the New Millennium: The Importance of Quality Information
In its inaugural year, and as the premier accounting conference of its kind, the University of Waterloo Accounting Conference strived to promote the accounting profession and the development of accounting and business students into the leaders of tomorrow through encouraging them to draw from the experiences of prominent professionals in the industry. Through this, UWAC 2006 was able to establish the foundation and focus, in terms of accounting, for future conferences to come.
Keynote Speaker
Erik Peters
Auditor General of Ontario, 1993 – 2003
Mr. Peters served as Ontario’s Auditor General from 1993 through to 2003. Subsequent to his provincial post, Mr. Peters worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Alcan Aluminum, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. He is also a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO) and Alberta. In the year 2000, the ICAO recognized Mr. Peters’ contributions to the profession and community, by presenting him with the Award of Outstanding Merit.