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Corporate Secretaries & Legal Officers Seminar

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ABOUT THIS EVENT

Theme: Promoting Diversity in the Workplace

In recent times, there has been unwavering advocacy for greater diversity in the workplace, as organisations are being legally challenged for their lack of inclusivity.  This has prompted many corporations spanning several sectors, to implement hierarchical and operational changes to ensure their workplaces are adequately diversified.  Consequently, it is important to understand the legal impact of such organisational change.

Also of notable legal interest is that Caribbean electric and telecommunications utilities and energy affiliated organisations are constantly subject to emerging governance and regulatory limitations.  More so, in the realm of renewable energy; utilities and energy affiliated organisations need to keep abreast on amendments to existing and the introduction of new legislation.  In telecommunications, data protection and cyber security laws are of particular concern to utilities, as there is a high risk associated with the protection of customer and sensitive information.  Not to mention, utilities need to protect their coveted information on critical network and grid operations.

Over a two (2) day period, the Corporate Secretaries’ and Legal Officers’ Seminar, under the theme, “Promoting Diversity in the Workplace” will provide highly beneficial information and expertise on how organisations can effectively diversify their workforce through company policies and legal procedures, which are geared towards inclusivity, diversification, and the elimination of all prejudices.  The seminar will also address the topics of risk identification, assessment and management, the impact of disruptive technologies on operations, stakeholder management, and the evolution of the role of corporate secretary from an administrative function, to more of a strategic and advisory role. The attendance of this seminar is a must for legal officers within the utilities and other supporting regional organisations, given the increased call for workplace diversity and inclusivity.  Finally, the seminar will also address the topic of governance of Utilities in turbulent times, given that legal matters are constantly arising with rapid changes to the technological, industrial, and political landscapes. The Corporate Secretaries’ and Legal Officers’ Seminar offers a prime opportunity for legal officers to acquire the most relevant information to efficiently navigate the legal field.

For further information on how to be part of this event as a registrant, speaker or sponsor contact our Marketing and Member Services Department at events@carilec.org.  This symposium is targeted towards corporate secretaries, legal officers, and utility counsel in the electricity and energy industry, regional and international law firms, and academic institutions.

*All-access pass for members.

*All-access pass for non-members excluding member exclusive events.

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Who will attend

  • ICT Professionals
  • CARILEC Renewable Energy Community Members(CAREC)
  • Electric Utilities Executives
  • Financiers
  • Researchers
  • Energy leaders and experts
  • Officials
  • Project Managers
  • International Organizations and Academia
  • Donors
  • NGOs
  • Regulators
  • Students ( Get 50% off the regular rate!)
  • Vendors of Products and Services
  • SmartGrid Experts
  • Energy Startups

Contact us at events@carilec.org if you have any questions.

Event Rates

Category Members Non-Members
Registration fee per delegate $200.00 $225.00

*CARILEC partners please contact us for specially discounted rates

Sponsor this Event

EVENT SPEAKERS

Janis Riven

Janis Riven

Principal, Governance & Compliance Solutions

Ms. Riven, based in Montreal, has an established consulting practice on governance and compliance matters with clients encompassing publicly listed and closely held companies, as well as various types of not-for-profits, and is currently Adjunct Professor at the John Molson School of Business, Concordia University, where she teaches Corporate Governance. She is a well known speaker both in Canada and abroad at conferences on corporate governance, and has acted as a facilitator for boards and board committees of a number of different organizations seeking to improve their governance effectiveness. Ms. Riven has been active as a consultant for organizations in the Caribbean region since 2005.
As well, she is an experienced board member, having participated on dozens of boards.
Ms. Riven was formerly Vice President, Compliance and Secretary for the Canadian and global operations of RBC Insurance. She is a member of the Quebec Bar, a Fellow of the ICSA, and currently serves on the boards of the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI), the Institute of Chartered Secretaries (ICSA) Quebec, and ELIXIR Inc. a private fintech company
Mark Kerr

Mark Kerr

Resident Legal Officers and Senior Energy Advisor, USAID

Mark Kerr is the attorney and member of the senior management teams for the USAID Caribbean Missions, including the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Eastern & Southern Caribbean.   He is a graduate of Yale Law School and has practiced in the public and private sectors for 20 years, including extensive work in the energy sector, countering corruption, and process innovations.
Nery Jubert-Rivera

Nery Jubert-Rivera

Regional Deputy Controller, USAID

Nery Jubert-Rivera joined USAID as a Foreign Service Officer in 2012. Currently, she is the Regional Deputy Controller for the USAID mission in the Dominican Republic which delivers financial services to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and the Eastern Southern Caribbean Missions. During her tenure with USAID, she has also worked in the Financial Management Office in Zimbabwe; the Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning in Washington DC; and served as Project Design Team Lead and Gender Advisor for the USAID Mission in Kabul.

Before joining USAID, she lived in Puerto Rico where she worked as a credit analyst for two private banks, as an auditor for an audit firm, and the director of operations of a non-profit organization. From 2004 to 2006, she was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Romania working in the Community Economic Development sector. In 2009 she interned with the UNIFEM, where she worked in research, logistics, administration, monitoring and evaluation, and creation of a database on best practices/experiences and resources for ending violence against women.

Nery Jubert-Rivera is a Certified Public Accountant, and her academic achievements include two degrees from the University of Puerto Rico: a bachelor’s in Accounting with a minor in Marketing and a master’s in business administration in Accounting and Finance. She also earned master’s degrees in Sustainable International Development, and Conflict Resolution and Coexistence from Brandeis University.

Rhonda Farrell Lloyd BSc

Rhonda Farrell Lloyd BSc

MA., CVRP

Rhonda is the CEO of RhondaCoaching and an Adler trained coach. She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Masters in Organizational Management, and certificates in Workplace Mental Health Leadership and Change Leadership.

She has spent over 30 years as a leader in the public sector and has trained other leaders to create high performance teams all across Ontario, Canada. Her experience includes over 25 years facilitating, training, leading and successfully implementing change initiatives and over 20 years as a coach.

Rhonda has extensive experience working as a disability manager focusing on clientele who had mental stress illnesses and serious physical injuries. Her interest in mental health has led her to collaborate with Positive Intelligence Inc. to bring mental fitness to a wider audience. She is well known for bringing a balance of leadership skills and mental fitness to groups, helping its members to operate with a positive singular mindset and to greatly enhance engagement, creativity and productivity.

Rhonda’s goal is to make a difference by elevating people's resilience so that they can thrive and succeed no matter what challenges they encounter

Omar Trigo

Omar Trigo

Supervisory Acquisition and Assistance Specialist, USAID

Omar is a Supervisory Acquisition and Assistance Specialist for the Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance (ROAA). Omar started working for the federal government in 1998 in procurement for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He joined USAID/Dominican Republic in 1999 as a Cooperating Country National (CCN) Personal Service Contractor and in 2005 became a Third Country National (TCN) Personal Service Contractor for USAID/Colombia for almost ten years, and then joined again USAID/Dominican Republic in 2014 as a CCN-PSC, where he is currently performing his duties and responsibilities. He is one of the only few locally employed staff members abroad (Non-U.S. Citizens) working for the government to hold a warrant to perform as an Administrative Contracting/Agreement Officer.

EVENT SCHEDULE

Welcome Remarks

Learning and Development Manager, CARILEC (5mins)

Opening Remarks

Executive Director, CARILEC (5mins)

Brief Remarks

Attorney and Member of the Senior Management Teams, USAID (5mins)

Keynote Address by:

Talent Management, D&I Professional and Workplace Race Relations Expert (15mins)

Topic: Governance of Utilities in Turbulent Times

9:30 a.m - 11:00 a.m

The session will examine at a high level the impact of changing risk environments for governance of utilities. For example: the need for more sophisticated risk assessment and risk management and board involvement in risk identification; the impact of disruptive technologies; the changing regulatory and political environment and the impact on how boards function. It will also, at a high level, identify how the role of the Corporate Secretary is evolving – from a traditional administrative role to a more strategic/advisory role. Identify need to focus on four key areas of emerging best practices for utility company board effectiveness: Director Independence; Director Skills; Board and Committee Structure and Functions; Supporting Documentation and Practices.

BREAK

11:00 a.m – 11:30 a.m

Topic: Countering Corruption & The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

11:30 a.m – 12:30 p.m

The energy sector is a prime target for corrupt actors: projects are large, there are substantial recurring fuel costs, and public oversight is challenging. As the Caribbean looks to adopt advanced energy sources, the risk of corruption derailing the process looms in the background. This presentation walks through various international counter-bribery/corruption laws, with an emphasis on the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Understand what legal practitioners and procurement officers should know about best practices in this increasingly difficult and risky legal environment.

LUNCH

12:30 p.m – 1:30 p.m

Topic: The Role of Lawyers on issues of Discrimination and Misconduct

1:30 p.m – 2:30 p.m

As organizations become increasingly diverse, what is the role of lawyers and what frameworks need to be put in place that can both protect our organizationss and foster dignity for all employees in the workplace.

Topic: Stakeholder Engagement: What?Why? Who and When?

2:30 p.m – 4:00 p.m

This workshop will address directly the challenge many utilities are having in finding the most effective way to hear from and talk to various stakeholder groups. We will explore the options of more open AGM’s, advisory committees, stakeholder panels, and what role the Board of Directors should have in both setting policy and receiving feedback. We will explore various tools to determine the what-why-when and who and will end with a roundtable discussion included so participants can share their experiences.

Topic: Workshop Risk Management for Corporate Secretaries

9:35 a.m – 11:35 a.m

This workshop will provide an ‘essentials’ course on risk management to help corporate secretaries understand what frameworks exist, the basic vocabulary of risk discussions, and emerging trends in risk governance.
A breakout session in table groups will be conducted to perform a risk assessment exercise.

Break

11:35 a.m - 11:45 a.m

Topic: Procurement, Integrity and Transparency

11:45 a.m – 12:45 p.m

Sound procurements are the cornerstone of sustainable development. This presentation will walk through the best practices the U.S. Government implements to ensure fair and open competition. Understand how to treat source selection and sensitive information, conduct technical evaluations and treat unsolicited proposals, communicate with contractors, and the release of information.

LUNCH

12:45 p.m – 1:45 p.m

Topic: Financial Risk Management

1:45 p.m – 2:45 p.m

The most desirable objective of risk management is to eliminate risk uncertainty, whether for threats or opportunities. But what happens when that’s not an option? Even the most thorough planning is subject to risk, and the best leaders are the ones who know how to respond effectively to risk, whether for a threat or an opportunity. This presentation examines the risk management process and concludes with how to deal with risk. It provides strategies for determining risk appetite and how to deal with risk, such as risk exposure adjustment and contingency planning. And it outlines strategies specific to dealing with threats and opportunities.

DEEP DIVE WORKSHOP

Topic: Choose to Thrive
Are you ready to unleash your inner potential? Are you ready to discover what is holding you back? Let’s remove the pain of the past, distractions of the future and focus on now! Parts 1&2 1. Letting Go and The Wheel of Life This session focuses on what you need to do to thrive rather than just survive. We will use a tool called the Wheel of Life to determine your current state, where you want to go and then create an action plan to help you achieve your desired state.

Part 1 – Letting Go

This session will look at how to unleash your inner potential. It will help you discover what is holding you back and how to remove the pain of the past, distractions of the future and focus on now!

Part 2 – The Wheel of Life

This session focuses on what you need to do to thrive rather than just survive. We will use a tool called the Wheel of Life to determine your current state, where you want to go and then create an action plan to help you achieve your desired state.

EVENT FAQS / find answers to your questions

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Yes, the presentations will be shared seven (7) working days after the event
The Whova App can be used to set up meetings.
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Delegates can communicate with attendees via the Whova app, before, during and six months after the conference.
Attendees can also scan other delegates QR code to save their contact details. However, members can request a full copy of the
list from the conference team.
Most times the venue is revealed a few months after the conference.