Board's Role in Strategy

November 25, 2024

Join us for an insightful discussion with Marilyn Schonberner, Andrea Robertson and Elizabeth Cannon, on how boards can effectively contribute to the development and oversight of an organization’s strategy, ensuring alignment with long-term goals and fostering sustainable growth.

Our Fireside Chat Features:


Andrea Robertson

Chair, Calgary Airport Authority,
Board Director, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Rail
Former President & CEO, STARS


Elizabeth Cannon

Board Chair, The Mancal Group
Director, CNRL, PureWeb, Gairdner Foundation & Rideau Hall Foundation
President Emerita, University of Calgary,
Board of Trustees, Aga Khan University


Marilyn Schonberner

Board Director, Wheaton Precious Metals Corp, New Gold Inc., Advisory Board of Heritage Royalty & Calgary ICD Advisory Board

Moderated by:


Mandeep Singh

Partner, Deloitte Canada

 

We are pleased to invite you to join our next Board Ready Women event on November 25th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm (MT). We are hosting this event in person and virtually. In-person registration starts at 4:00 pm, with the panel starting at 4:30 pm, followed by cocktails and networking.

 

Join us for an engaging and insightful discussion with Marilyn Schonberner, Andrea Robertson and Elizabeth Cannon, moderated by Mandeep Singh. Together we will talk about how boards can effectively contribute to the development and oversight of an organization’s strategy, ensuring alignment with long-term goals and fostering sustainable growth.

Discussion will include:

  • Insights on corporate governance and best practices for board involvement in strategy
  • The financial implications of strategic decisions and the board’s role in oversight and risk management
  • A legal perspective on the responsibilities of boards in strategic planning and the implications of their decisions

 

Board Ready Women is grateful to Deloitte for sponsoring this discussion:

Deloitte provides audit & assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Deloitte serves four out of five Fortune Global 500® companies through a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories bringing world-class capabilities, insights and service to address clients’ most complex business challenges. 

BRW Network Members/Associates:

 Free

Non-members:

In-person $65/person

Virtual $35/person

(All ticket sales are final and cannot be refunded or exchanged)

To sign-up for Board Ready Women Network membership: 

https://boardreadywomen.com/sign-up-for-board-ready-women/

Should you have any questions, please direct them to boardreadywomen@gmail.com.

Board Ready Women is grateful to McCarthy Tétrault for their ongoing support and generosity.

 


Speakers' Bios:

Andrea Robertson


Chair, Calgary Airport Authority


Board Director, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Rail

Ms. Robertson served as President and CEO of STARS, a not-for-profit helicopter air ambulance service that provides critical emergency care in Western Canada until her retirement in late 2023. Prior to STARS, she spent nearly 30 years in a variety of senior health care leadership roles at Alberta Health Services, including VP of the Foothills Medical Centre, the Alberta Children’s Hospital, South Health Campus and SVP of Health Professions. Ms. Robertson has received broad accolades in recognition of her contributions to business and the community. In addition to her role as a Director on the Board of Canadian Pacific Kansas City Rail (CPKC), Andrea serves as the Board Chair of the Calgary Airport Authority. 

 

Marilyn Schonberner


Board Director,Wheaton Precious Metals Corp, New Gold Inc., Advisory Board of Heritage Royalty & Calgary ICD Advisory Board

Marilyn Schonberner is a Corporate Director with over thirty-five years of international experience in the Energy and Mining sectors.  She retired in 2018 as the Chief Financial Officer of Nexen Energy ULC.  During her 21-year career with Nexen, she held various executive roles with responsibility for financial and risk management, audit, human resources, strategic planning and budgeting, supply chain, and information services.  Ms. Schonberner currently serves on the board of directors of Wheaton Precious Metals Corp., New Gold Inc. and the Advisory Board of Heritage Royalty.   She is also a member of the Calgary ICD Advisory Board.  She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Calgary. She is a CPA, CMA and a Certified Internal Auditor. Ms. Schonberner completed the Senior Executive Development Programme at the London Business School and has obtained the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

 

 

Elizabeth Cannon


Board Chair, The Mancal Group


Director, CNRL, PureWeb & Rideau Hall Foundation

President Emerita, University of Calgary & Corporate Director

Dr. Elizabeth Cannon is president emerita of the University of Calgary after serving as president and vice chancellor from 2010 until 2018. A champion for advancing the mission of the university and fostering excellence in higher education, she led the development of the university’s transformational Eyes High strategy and its $1.3 billion energize campaign through a focus on impact and a strong institutional culture. Prior to her term as president, Dr. Cannon was dean of the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary.

Dr. Cannon is currently a corporate director in companies in the energy, technology, real estate and corporate ventures sectors, and is seed-stage investor, particularly in female-founded companies. She has been a leader in science, technology and higher education policy through numerous boards, committees and panels. She served as co-chair of the Business-Higher Education Roundtable, chair of Universities Canada, member of the federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development’s Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) as well as being a member of the Expert Panel on Federal Government Science in 2014. She chaired the Council of Canadian Academies Expert Panel on the Labour market transition of PhD graduates in Canada, and also chaired the federal government’s Strategic Science Fund (SSF) expert panel. Dr. Cannon has been a member of numerous international committees and boards including NASA’s National Space-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Advisory Board. Currently, Dr. Cannon is a member of the Board of Trustees the Aga Khan University, the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), and a Director of the Gairdner Foundation and the Rideau Hall Foundation, in addition to crown corporations in the economic development and investment areas, including being Vice Chair of the Alberta Enterprise Corporation (AEC).

In 2019, Dr. Cannon received the Peter Lougheed Award for Leadership from the Public Policy Forum for her contributions to public policy in Canada. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Canadian Academy of Engineering as well as an elected foreign associate of the US National Academy of Engineering and the Mexican Academy of Engineering. In 1998, Dr. Cannon was selected as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 and in 2006 was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network. In 2019, she was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2021 she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Axis Connects Calgary Influential Women in Business Awards. In 2022, Dr. Cannon was awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence and was inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame – Southern Alberta. She has received honorary degrees from the University of Ottawa, Acadia University, the Université de Montréal, SAIT and the University of Toronto.

An expert in geomatics engineering and a Professional Engineer, Dr. Cannon’s research has been on the forefront of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) since 1984 in both industrial and academic environments, and she has commercialized technology to over 200 agencies worldwide. Dr. Cannon’s work has been recognized with many national and international honours including the Johannes Kepler Award from the U.S. Institute of Navigation, an NSERC Steacie Award and the Gold Medal Award from Engineers Canada. From 1997-2002, Dr. Cannon was the NSERC/Petro-Canada Chair for Women in Science and Engineering of the Prairie Region.

Dr. Cannon is the author of Enhancing Your Higher Education Presidency: Fifteen Lessons on Leadership and co-author of Strategic University Management: Future-Proofing Your Institution.

Mandeep Singh


Partner, Deloitte Canada

Mandeep is deeply committed to bridging the gap between commercial business, strategy, and financial reporting, ensuring that financial statements reflect the business in a way that stakeholders can clearly understand. As a CPA with over 23 years of experience in the professional services industry, she has dedicated her career to helping companies—particularly growth-oriented organizations—navigate the complexities of financial reporting, internal controls, and audit. Her extensive background includes leading numerous successful IPOs, ensuring that businesses are not only compliant but also positioned for long-term success.

In Mandeep’s current role as the National Leader for Audit, she works closely with finance executives to deliver strategic insights that help them achieve their business objectives. Her expertise spans across auditing companies in various industries, with a keen focus on enhancing financial controls and driving operational efficiencies. She is passionate about delivering value beyond compliance, providing tailored solutions that help companies thrive in a competitive landscape.

Whether it’s managing the intricacies of regulatory compliance or advising on critical financial decisions, Mandeep brings a wealth of knowledge and a results-oriented approach to every engagement. Her goal is to be a trusted partner to finance executives, helping them lead their companies to sustainable growth and success.