Event Synopsis:

Don Hathaway and Maureen Jensen, former chair of the Ontario Securities Commission, will discuss their new book Corporate Governance DNA – a Primer for Corporate Directors. The book is a practical guide for directors and boards of corporations. While the rules and regulations outline director obligations, they do not address the infinite variety of situations facing corporations as they evolve. The foundation of a director’s legal obligations rests on their duty of care, their fiduciary duty, and their obligation to ensure that the corporation managed for its purpose. In addition to these obligations, boards are now involved with strategy, risk monitoring, as well as performance oversight, ESG reporting, cyber security, and the oversight of culture. This book offers ways to prepare for the important conversations and decisions each director must participate in. The authors offer practical suggestions to help new and experienced directors of public, not for profit and private corporations engage in these ever-expanding obligations.

About our Speakers:

Maureen Jensen has been a leader in the investment industry and securities regulation for more than 20 years. She is the Past Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC). As the first woman to lead the OSC, Jensen demonstrated that she is a fierce advocate for investor protection and a champion for reducing regulatory burdens on businesses.

Jensen served as the Executive Director and Chief Administrative Officer of the OSC from 2011 – 2016, prior to her appointment as its Chair and CEO serving from 2016-2020. Before joining the OSC, Jensen was SVP, Surveillance and Compliance at IIROC from 2008-2011.

Prior to the formation of IIROC in 2008, Jensen was President and CEO of Market Regulation Services Inc., the independent national market regulation services provider for Canadian equity markets. She has also held senior regulatory and business positions at the Toronto Stock Exchange, and had a career in the mining industry, holding both executive and technical management positions with several resource companies.

Jensen is a Registered Professional Geoscientist (P. Geo), holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and has a Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa). She is currently a Director of Franco-Nevada Corporation, a public governor of FINRA the SRO in the US, Chair of Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) Vice Chair of Board of Directors at the Toronto Centre for Global Leadership in Financial Supervision and Chair of The Prosperity Project.

Don Hathaway is a professional corporate director and has served on more than 20 business boards, both public and private, as well as several not-for-profit boards. An electrical engineer, his career has spanned telecommunications, information technology, manufacturing, academia, and management consulting. He is the chair of two boards and holds fellowships from two professional organizations.

Moderator: Alexander Dyck is a Professor of Finance and Economic Analysis and Policy at the Rotman School and holds the Manulife Financial Chair in Financial Services. He is a graduate of Western University (BA) and Stanford University (PhD). He is Academic Director of the Director’s Education Program, Director of the Capital Markets Institute, a Fellow at the Michael Lee-Chin Family Institute for Corporate Citizenship, and serves on the Academic Advisory Board of the Canadian Coalition of Good Governance, and on the External Advisory Board, OSFI, Culture and Conduct Risk Division. Previously, he was Associate Professor at the Harvard Business School where he taught in the MBA, doctoral and executive education programs, and has been a visiting scholar at INSEAD and Yale.

He teaches courses in Corporate Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity in the PhD, MBA and undergrad programs. His research interests include corporate governance, corporate finance, sustainability, pensions, regulation and privatization, the media and financial markets, and taxation.