Speakers

Experts shaping the conversation and bringing diverse perspectives from the Nuclear, Data Centre and Technology sectors.

Opening Keynote Speaker

Hon. Minister Stephen Crawford

Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement

Hon. Minister Stephen Crawford

Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement

Stephen Crawford was elected as the Member for Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Oakville in 2018, in 2022, and again in 2025. On March 19, 2025, he was appointed as Ontario’s Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, overseeing the delivery of vital programs and services through ServiceOntario, the implementation of consumer protection laws in the province, and the development of public policy around cyber security as well as groundbreaking technologies like AI. He also manages public sector procurement and supply chain operations, ensuring ministries, hospitals, school boards, provincial agencies and more, have access to high-quality, timely, reliable products that are also cost-effective. Prior to his latest appointment he served as Ontario’s Associate Minster of Mines and as Parliamentary Assistant to the Ministers of Finance, Energy, and Infrastructure. Before entering public service, Stephen served in senior leadership and executive roles in the financial and investment industry over the past 20 years. As a senior executive and senior equity partner at Acuity Funds Ltd, he was instrumental in growing the firm to almost $10 billion in managed assets and was acquired by AGF Management Ltd. in 2011. After Acuity, Stephen became a senior executive and helped transition and build O’Leary Funds LP before it was purchased by Canoe Financial in 2016.

Our Keynote Speakers

Raiford Smith

Global Head of Power and Energy, Google Cloud

Raiford Smith

Global Head of Power and Energy, Google Cloud

Raiford Smith is Google Cloud’s Global Market Lead for Power and Energy. Raiford began his career as a unionized call center clerk at Savannah Electric and Power Company and has spent over three decades in the electric, natural gas, and high-tech industries. Raiford has also led Google’s global energy infrastructure, water and wastewater, economic and community development, and supply planning teams, managing over $1.2Bn OpEx and $15Bn CapEx budgets to help Google transition from 100% renewable energy to 24x7 carbon free energy. Prior to his work at Google, Raiford held a wide variety of roles at other energy companies, including Chief Utility Innovation Officer at AES as well as other leadership positions at CPS Energy, Duke Energy, Entergy, and the Southern Company. He has led initiatives that contributed hundreds of millions of dollars of recurring EBITDA, grew customer engagement, and improved service reliability through new customer products and services, analytics, smart grid, and distributed energy resources. His career has spanned a very diverse set of roles in legal, mergers and acquisitions, energy trading, transmission & distribution, product management, regulatory, information technology, and customer support. Raiford graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, earned an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia, earned a JD from the Charlotte School of Law, and received a business analytics certificate from Harvard University’s Business Analytics Program. Raiford is a licensed attorney (North Carolina), holds multiple patents for distributed computing at the grid edge, and has published numerous papers on the future of the electric industry, energy regulatory economics, and energy-related technology.

Dr. John Parsons

MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research Deputy Director for Research

Dr. John Parsons

MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research Deputy Director for Research

John Parsons is the Deputy Director for Research of the MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEPR). He is a financial economist whose research focuses on the valuation and financing of investments in energy markets. He was a co-Director of the MIT 2018 study on the Future of Nuclear Energy in a Carbon Constrained World as well as a co-author of a 2021 joint Stanford-MIT study on the value of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. Dr. Parsons has served as an Associate Member of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee and has been a Visiting Scholar at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. For a number of years he served as Head of the MIT Sloan School of Management’s MBA Finance Track. Dr. Parsons also spent ten years as a business consultant at Charles River Associates. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Northwestern University and an A.B. from Princeton University.

Closing Remarks

Lisa McBride

Chair of the Board, OCNI & Vice President, Country Leader, GE Hitachi

Lisa McBride

Chair of the Board, OCNI & Vice President, Country Leader, GE Hitachi

With 23+ years in the energy sector, I lead transformational change across the energy sector, including nuclear energy, and emerging technologies—driving first-of-their-kind innovations in Canada and globally. I specialize in strategy development and implementation, stakeholder alignment across jurisdictions, Indigenous engagement strategy, and navigating complex regulatory and market landscapes in North America and abroad. Passionate about building sustainable systems, empowering teams, and shaping the future of energy through bold, collaborative leadership.

Our Panelists and Moderators

Ahab Abdel-Aziz

Partner & Global Director, Nuclear Power Generation, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP

Ahab Abdel-Aziz

Partner & Global Director, Nuclear Power Generation, Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP

Partner and Global Director of Nuclear Power Generation at Gowlings. I have more than 30 years’ experience advising leading members of the Canadian and international nuclear energy sector and government agencies in policy and legislative development, project development and finance, licensing and compliance, and disputes. Represented clients in technically complex civil and regulatory disputes, including recent multi-billion dollar nuclear project arbitration. Chair of the Board of Directors of the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries, Director and immediately past President of the Canadian Nuclear Law Organization, and past member of the International Nuclear Law Association’s Board of Governors and Chair of its Regulatory Affairs Working Group. I am also the co-author and co-editor of the Canadian Brownfields Manual.

Jay Surina

Managing Director, Pelican Energy Partners

Jay Surina

Managing Director, Pelican Energy Partners

Steve Fernandes

Co-founder & Director, New Nuclear, Nuclear Promise X

Steve Fernandes

Co-founder & Director, New Nuclear, Nuclear Promise X

Skilled Program Leader with experience driving engineering, construction management and commissioning projects on major nuclear power plant refurbishment campaigns. Steve is driven to innovate, challenge, and make change happen. He has managed multi-disciplinary engineering and construction projects and has the ability to lead and integrate teams with a focus on strategic execution, cost savings, risk management, and process efficiency. Steve is a mentor, teacher, and champion of dad jokes at NPX. He believes culture is bound by smiles and being there for each other.

Ahmer Rafiq

Managing Partner, XCIS AI

Ahmer Rafiq

Managing Partner, XCIS AI

Ahmer Rafiq is the Managing Partner at XCIS AI, where he focuses on applying advanced AI to accelerate the future of nuclear energy. A serial entrepreneur, Ahmer has built multiple data, technology and marketplace startups, culminating in XCIS AI’s work with nuclear operators to deploy GenAI and predictive analytics across critical nuclear functions. Before founding XCIS AI, Ahmer spent several years at PwC and Deloitte leading large-scale digital and analytics transformations for energy and utilities clients, giving him a deep understanding of both the operational realities and regulatory constraints of the sector. He is passionate about building practical, safety-focused AI solutions that help the nuclear industry move faster, operate more efficiently, and play a leading role in meeting future clean energy demand.

Carl Marcotte

SVP Marketing & Business Development, Candu Energy Inc., an AtkinsRéalis Company

Carl Marcotte

SVP Marketing & Business Development, Candu Energy Inc., an AtkinsRéalis Company

As Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Business Development, Carl Marcotte is responsible for business growth and sales of the Canadian-developed CANDU® nuclear reactor. Before joining Atkins Réalis in 2020, Carl Marcotte was President & CEO of Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) in Ottawa. While there, he led a team of international contracting and risk management professionals who reported to Parliament through the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade. He was responsible for developing new business opportunities for Canadian exporters selling to foreign governments while providing assurance of Canadian capabilities and acting as the prime contractor to close major opportunities. Previously, Carl spent 24 years at Export Development Canada and Nortel Networks managing teams of financing professionals. He also held similar business development roles within SNC-Lavalin Nuclear, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories and Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL). Other Experience and Education: Carl is a retired Canadian Armed Forces Reserve Intelligence Officer. He has been a speaker for Historica Canada for over 20 years, educating students about Canada's Military history. He has sat on multiple boards, including Forum for International Trade Training (FITT), Wavefront, Heritage College Foundation and was Chair for three years of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. He is a project financing professional by training and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University and an MBA from McGill University.

Hon.Lisa Raitt, P.C

Vice Chair, Office of the CEO, CIBC

Hon.Lisa Raitt, P.C

Vice Chair, Office of the CEO, CIBC

The Honourable Lisa Raitt joined CIBC Capital Markets as a Vice Chair in January 2020, having previously worked in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Raitt’s current focus is on senior client coverage and business development with clients in the energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors, which align closely with her deep expertise. Prior to her current role, Ms. Raitt was the President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. She was elected into the House of Commons in 2008, where she went on to hold three senior portfolios serving as Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Labour, and Minister of Transport. Most recently, Ms. Raitt was the Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition and the Conservative Party of Canada. Ms. Raitt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Francis Xavier University and a Master of Science (Chemistry) from the University of Guelph. She possesses an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School, was called to the Ontario bar in 1998 and was a Harold G. Fox Scholar at the Inns of Court in London, England. Currently, Ms. Raitt is a Director on the Boards of LFL Group, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO), Baycrest Health Sciences and the Global Risk Institute. She also is the Chair of the Board of Governors of St. Francis Xavier University, Vice Chair of CARE Canada, and Co-Chair of Coalition for a Better Future. In June 2024, Lisa was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Business from the University of Ottawa.

Kathleen Kauth

Chief Operating Officer, Mantle Climate & iMasons

Kathleen Kauth

Chief Operating Officer, Mantle Climate & iMasons

Kathleen is a clean technology and climate strategy professional. As Mantle’s COO, Kathleen’s overarching goal is to empower her teammates and clients to improve climate performance and reduce climate risk. Kathleen leads Mantle’s work in the data center industry. She is a member of the iMasons Climate Accord Power Working Group and a founding member of the iMasons Canada Chapter. She loves working in digital infrastructure because, while it faces many sustainability challenges, many of the people within it are willing to face them. Prior to Mantle, Kathleen worked for almost 15 years across cleantech start-ups focused on solar project development, battery optimization and demand response. Before committing her career to the fight against climate change, Kathleen’s professional journey began in athletics, having won an Olympic medal in Torino, Italy, and two World Championship medals in women’s ice hockey. She has an undergraduate degree from Brown University in Biology/ Pre-Medicine, as well as a master’s degree in International Public Health from Boston University. A life-long learner, she has completed the three CFA exams, and is continually taking online courses in various subjects, from accounting to history.

Laurent Boinot

Power & Utility Americas Leader, Microsoft

Laurent Boinot

Power & Utility Americas Leader, Microsoft

Results-driven bilingual Professional. 15 years’ experience increasing business value through consulting and cloud software. Passionate about education, innovation and entrepreneurship. I regularly consult with and coach Fortune 500 executives on digital transformation and disruptive technologies. Previous projects focused on security, financial services, enterprise solutions, education.

Kirsten Saguil

Senior Manager, Strategy and Business Development, OPG

Kirsten Saguil

Senior Manager, Strategy and Business Development, OPG

Kirsten Saguil is a Senior Manager in the New Nuclear Development team at Ontario Power Generation (OPG). Kirsten leads OPG's Strategy and Business Development for small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors; with a focus on powering high energy demand sectors such as data centres, oil and gas, and mining. Her role involves working across the organization and with external partners and vendors to pursue and develop opportunities for OPG to accelerate and derisk new SMR and microreactor projects. Prior to joining OPG, Kirsten was in Infrastructure Strategy at KPMG UK and Canada for over ten years. In that role, she helped her clients develop the economic, financial and strategic evidence they needed to secure funding and approval for large-scale infrastructure investments. Kirsten's career demonstrates her passion for delivering nationally significant infrastructure projects that make a meaningful impact on economic growth, energy security, and sustainability.

Ivette Vera-Perez

President & CEO, OCNI

Ivette Vera-Perez

President & CEO, OCNI

Ivette Vera-Perez is a recognized leader with over 20 years of experience in energy, cleantech, and sustainability. Her background includes strategic planning, business development, and advancing low-carbon solutions through cross-sector collaboration. She holds a Master of Applied Science from UBC and an MBA from McGill University. Before joining the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI), Ivette served as President and CEO of the Canadian Hydrogen Association, where she led the rebranding the organization, expanded its national footprint and more than doubled its membership base. She worked closely with the federal government to advance Canada’s Hydrogen Strategy. Earlier, she led the national industry team at Mitacs and managed over $275 million in GHG reduction programs at the Ontario Centres of Innovation. Ivette has served on the boards of Canada Cleantech Alliance and the Atlantic Hydrogen Alliance, is a founding Director of the Ontario Clean Technology Industry Association (OCTIA) and currently sits on the NRC’s Clean Energy Innovation Research Centre Advisory Board.

Jennifer Wong

National Power Generation Leader, Accenture

Jennifer Wong

National Power Generation Leader, Accenture

Jennifer is a management consultant specializing in the nuclear, utilities, and clean technology sectors. With over 20 years of experience at one of North America's largest clean power generators, she blends a passion for innovation with deep industry expertise. Jennifer’s extensive background includes Nuclear New Build and Refurbishment Projects, Cybersecurity, Design Engineering, and Information Management. Recognized as an industry expert, Jennifer excels in tackling complex challenges in the energy sector including digitalization, cyber resilience, and the advancement of clean energy projects. Jennifer is passionate about girls’ education and mentoring the next generation of energy leaders. She currently serves on the Board of Governors at Havergal College.

Dave Reddy

Senior Vice President - Infrastructure and Capital Projects, Accenture

Dave Reddy

Senior Vice President - Infrastructure and Capital Projects, Accenture

Dave is an experienced Director of Commissioning, Capital Projects and Operations with extensive experience in the Hyperscale Data Center industry. He brings over 25 years and a strong background as a Senior Program Manager and Project Director, having previously held technical leadership roles at Inizitive Industriali and HDR. Dave has a proven track record in managing complex projects and leading cross-functional teams to achieve excellence in installation services. Known for his expertise in commissioning and capital project leadership overseeing all aspects of QA/QC and Cx from RFP to project closeout and turnover. Specialized in Data Center MEP installation and commissioning, water purification systems (HP DI, RO, Softened etc.) installations within microelectronics, pharmaceutical, heath care and desalination systems. From design, engineering, planning, fabrication, construction installation, QA/QC and commissioning.

Milton Caplan

President, MZConsulting Inc.

Milton Caplan

President, MZConsulting Inc.

With more than 40 years in the nuclear industry, Milt Caplan specializes in advising governments and utilities on how to increase confidence and reduce risk for large energy projects with a focus on managing projects for success. He is currently providing independent oversight of the Darlington Refurbishment Program, the Darlington New Nuclear Project (BWRX-300 SMR) and the Pickering Refurbishment Project to the Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines and is the technical advisor to the Ontario Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) on the Bruce refurbishment program. He has recently completed studies related to developing the skilled nuclear workforce of the future as well as feasibility studies for both SMRs and Large nuclear. Milt is the co-chair of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) Economics and Law Working Group and lectures on nuclear economics and nuclear plant structuring and financing for the World Nuclear University (WNU).

Patrick Desbiens

Digital Engineering Program Manager, Bruce Power

Patrick Desbiens

Digital Engineering Program Manager, Bruce Power

Todd Lovell

Managing Director / Industry X - Capital Projects & Infrastructure, Accenture

Todd Lovell

Managing Director / Industry X - Capital Projects & Infrastructure, Accenture

Progressive leadership experience in public and private sector Engineering, Construction & Environmental spaces having executed 300+ programs and projects within budget and schedule, $5B+ in revenue, opened $7B+ in opportunities, and mitigated/avoided $1B+ in regulatory fines and legal fees over the course of my global career at Fortune 100 and fast-growth companies. I owe my success in these dynamic industries to these key attributes: ✔ Vision and versatility with a well-honed ability to assess business strategy for feasibility and execute for results. ✔ Superior organizational skills with strong attention to detail and expert efficiency to achieve maximum outcomes in the shortest time frames. ✔ Strong leadership presence with experience directing programmatic strategies, managing large-scale programs, and ushering multi-disciplinary projects through the entire lifecycle. ✔ Deep understanding of organizational systems and process streamlining, development, and implementation. ✔ Entrepreneurial zest to overcome steep challenges and profitably grow businesses, divisions, and programs. These characteristics have come into play during my career in progressive leadership positions, advancing from managing projects and programs to leading programmatic strategies and developing tools, systems, and processes. I thrive helping companies, divisions, and programs visualize what is needed, translating that vision into strategy, and executing that strategy to drive profitable business growth. My deep and diverse experience includes the full range of Engineering Procurement Construction Management (EPC, EPCM, PM/CM), Environmental Engineering and Remediation, and Regulatory Programs. I hold multiple certifications and contractor licenses and bring a wealth of experience in the Construction, Engineering, Power & Alternative Energy.

Paul Harricks

Counsel , Gowling WLG

Paul Harricks

Counsel , Gowling WLG

Tushar Handiekar

VP Structured and Project Finance, EDC

Tushar Handiekar

VP Structured and Project Finance, EDC

Tushar is the Global Head of the Structured and Project Finance group (S&PF) and leads three distinct teams – Structured and Project Finance underwriting, Financial Sponsors relationship management and Technical Advisory. He oversees a portfolio of CAD 36 billion via a group of 53 specialists in Ottawa and Singapore offices as well as EDC’s presence in London, Mumbai and Sydney. Tushar also co-leads Sustainable Finance at EDC. The S&PF group is critical to EDC’s ability to serve large and medium customers in Canada and to increase their trade opportunities and competitiveness. Since 1995, the S&PF group has developed deep expertise in including mining and metals, infrastructure, telecommunications, energy, renewables, and clean technology. Over the last 30 years, S&PF has financed over 645 transactions providing CAD 55 billion in financing. Prior to joining EDC, Tushar was an entrepreneur, and has held various positions in Investment Banking across Canada and India. Tushar holds an MBA degree from Ivey Business School in London, Ontario, a Masters in Finance from University of Mumbai, and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from BAM University in India. EDC is Canada's export credit agency, offering innovative commercial solutions to help Canadian exporters and investors expand their international business. EDC's knowledge and partnerships are used by 30,000 Canadian companies and their global customers in over 200 markets worldwide each year. EDC is financially selfsustaining and a recognized leader in ESG, financial reporting and economic analysis.

Eddie Saab

Founder & Managing Partner, N of 1 Corp. & Senior Advisor, Gowling WLG

Eddie Saab

Founder & Managing Partner, N of 1 Corp. & Senior Advisor, Gowling WLG

Edouard “Eddie” Saab is an energy strategist and executive with 20+ years advancing clean power innovation, strategic partnerships, and nuclear project deployment. As CEO of N of 1, and a Senior Advisor to Gowling WLG, Eddie works with national governments, crown utilities, investors, and technology developers to address financing, delivery risk, and investment pathways that align advanced nuclear energy with emerging infrastructure needs. His experience includes scaling Westinghouse Electric Canada, leading major commercial nuclear agreements, and structuring collaborative partnerships that enable capital-efficient project execution.

Aman Gill

Executive Vice President and National Lead - Energy and Resources, Accenture

Aman Gill

Executive Vice President and National Lead - Energy and Resources, Accenture

I have led the planning, development, and operational optimization of major infrastructure assets spanning multiple countries. My work has delivered positive outcomes for public and private sector clients on some of the world’s largest and most complex capital programs. I built my foundation in the design and construction industry, spending the first decade of my career designing and building projects. Over time, I have developed expertise across the full asset lifecycle—from business plan through procurement, design, construction, commissioning, and operational optimization.

David Tanel

Regional Vice President, Global Markets - Canada, Westinghouse Electric Canada

David Tanel

Regional Vice President, Global Markets - Canada, Westinghouse Electric Canada

David is the Regional Vice President of Global Markets for Westinghouse Canada, where he leads commercial strategy and customer engagement while supporting stakeholder engagement across the Canadian nuclear sector. With more than 23 years in Ontario’s energy industry, including 15 years in natural gas and the last six in nuclear. David has built a career at the intersection of engineering, business development, and supply chain growth. Westinghouse Electric Company is a global leader in nuclear energy innovation, committed to powering a cleaner, more sustainable future through safe, reliable, and carbon-free technologies. With over 70 years of experience and operations in 21 countries, Westinghouse operates through a buy-where-we-build philosophy, investing in communities and workforce development—to help shape resilient, low-emissions supply chains for generations to come. David complements a strong technical background with deep commercial expertise and a passion for strengthening Canada’s nuclear supply chain to compete domestically and globally. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario with a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Toronto.

Patrick Dalzell

Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Market Development at Bruce Power

Patrick Dalzell

Vice-President, Corporate Affairs and Market Development at Bruce Power

Robby Sohi

Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Markets and Reliability - Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

Robby Sohi

Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, Markets and Reliability - Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

Experienced professional with demonstrated history of working in the utilities industry. Skilled in Corporate Business Development & Strategy, Supply Chain, Engineering, Project Management, Power Plant and Transmission station engineering, operations and maintenance. Robby Sohi is President & CEO of Global First Power and concurrent to this role he is also Senior Vice President, Corporate Business Development and Strategy at OPG. Robby is a member of OPG’s Enterprise Leadership Team and was appointed to the role in September 2020. He brings Generation, Transmission and Distribution experience in fulfilling his role to lead OPG’s corporate business development and enterprise-wide strategy. As part of his focus on implementing OPG’s long-term strategic plan, Robby and his team are delivering a growth strategy aimed at broadening OPG’s business within Ontario and beyond. Robby is also accountable for commercial business functions including business development, acquisitions and electrification. Robby joined OPG’s predecessor company, Ontario Hydro, in 1991. Since then he has held roles of increasing responsibility in technical functions, corporate functions, asset management and plant operations at OPG locations across Ontario including Toronto, Kenora, Renfrew and Niagara Falls. Robby’s previous management and executive roles include Maintenance Manager, Asset Manager, VP – Engineering & Technical Services, Chief Supply Chain Officer. Robby has a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering from McMaster University. In addition to his SVP role at OPG, he is also President and CEO of Global First Power, leading Canada’s first Small Modular Reactor project. He has also served as a council member of Generation Sector Council at Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI) and a member of Thermal Generation Interest Group (TGIG) at Centre for Energy Advancement through Technological Innovation (CEATI).

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