What’s next in sustainable finance

Dr. Sean Cleary is a Professor of Finance at Smith School of Business, Queen’s University. He is the founder and director of the Master of Finance program. He holds a PhD in finance from the University of Toronto, an MBA, and the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D) designation. He is a CFA charter holder, is a current member of the CFA Society Toronto Advisory Council, and is a former member of the board of directors for the Toronto CFA Society and the Atlantic Canada CFA Society (where he served as president). Dr. Cleary has authored 14 finance textbooks and has published more than 30 research articles, including several in top-tier finance journals. His publications have been cited over 3,400 times and he has received several major research grants. His most recent research and educational interests focus on the field of sustainable finance. He is an associate editor for two finance journals and frequently serves as a reviewer for many of the top finance journals. Dr. Cleary regularly serves as an expert witness on cost of capital and capital markets.

Jennifer Reynolds is the president & CEO of Toronto Finance International (TFI), a public-private partnership whose mission is to promote and develop Toronto’s financial services sector, and to establish its prominence as a leading global financial centre. Jennifer’s 20-year career in the financial services industry has included senior roles in investment banking, venture capital and global risk management. Prior to joining TFI, Jennifer was the president & CEO of Women in Capital Markets (WCM). Jennifer is a director on the board of Citibank Canada, director on the board of BF&M Insurance Group Ltd., director on the board of the Canada Development Investment Corporation ("CDEV"), and a director on the board of Women’s College Hospital Foundation. Jennifer also serves on the advisory council for the Institute for Sustainable Finance at Smith. In 2015 and 2017, she was named a Women's Executive Network (WXN) Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner.

Andy Chisholm is a member of the board of directors of the Royal Bank of Canada and was a member of the Canadian Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance. He spent most of his career at Goldman Sachs & Co, in New York. Andy served as head and co-head of the Global Financial Institutions Group, in London and New York, and globally as senior strategy officer of the firm. He also served as co-chair of the Firmwide Commitments Committee, primarily overseeing the firm’s equity underwriting activities. He serves as the chair of the advisory board of the Ivey Business School; is a board member of Evergreen Brick Works, in Toronto; and he sits on the advisory board of ArcTern Ventures, an early-stage clean-technology venture-capital firm.

Sandra Odendahl is vice-president of social impact and sustainability at Scotiabank. She joined the bank in November 2019 with almost 25 years of experience in environmental science, corporate sustainability and responsible finance. In her role at Scotiabank, Sandra leads the team responsible for global donations, academic partnerships and corporate sustainability. Before joining Scotiabank, Sandra was president and CEO of CMC Research Institutes (CMCRI), a 12-person environmental company that helps clients develop innovative carbon management technologies and strategies for competitive advantage. Previously, she held a number of roles at RBC including leading corporate sustainability, social finance and environmental risk management. Sandra is active in her community and enjoys serving on several non-profit boards and advisory panels. She has a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Toronto, and is a licensed professional engineer (P.Eng) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder.