Graham Shantz served for over 25 years in Canada’s public service providing advice to Canadian governments, mainly on management of Canada’s relations with Asia. He has lived and worked for over 12 years in Asia, half of that in China. In Ottawa, Mr. Shantz has worked in senior management positions in Global Affairs Canada, the Department of Finance and the Privy Council Office. In 2000-2001 he served as Canada’s lead negotiator for Foreign Investment Protection Agreements (FIPAs) and in 1996-1997 served as deputy chief negotiator for the Canadian team during China’s WTO accession talks. Over the past decades, Mr. Shantz has been involved in numerous major bilateral visits between Canadian and Chinese leaders.

Mr. Shantz has served on the Board of Directors of the Asia Pacific Foundation (2013-2016) and on the Board of Directors of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (2006-2009). He served as Canada’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain (2009-2012) and ended his career in the public service in senior management positions in Global Affairs Canada’s Asia Branch.

A Mandarin speaker, Mr. Shantz pursued his interest in China while studying economics at Goshen College in Indiana. He holds an M.A. in International Affairs from Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He also pursued language and economics studies in China, including at Beijing University and Xiamen University, under the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program.

Edward John was elected Chief of Tl’azt’en Nation in August 2024. He is also a Hereditary Chief (Lasilyoo) in Tl’azt’en Nation’s traditional system. Tl’azt’en Nation is located in Northern BC.

As an Indigenous leader, Grand Chief John has dedicated his life to the pursuit of social and economic justice for Canada’s Indigenous peoples, having worked in Indigenous politics, business and community development. Grand Chief John was called to the bar as a lawyer in 1980, and holds a B.A. from the University of Victoria (UVic), an LL.B from the University of British Columbia, and Honorary Degrees from UVic and the University of Northern British Columbia.

Grand Chief John is a long serving elected member of the First Nations Summit political executive, which is mandated to carry out specific tasks related to Aboriginal Title and Rights negotiations with the governments of British Columbia and Canada, along with other issues of common concern to First Nations in BC. He was directly involved in the development of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2007. He served two three-year terms as the North American Indigenous Expert Member to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (January 2011 – December 2016), which has a mandate to discuss Indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights, and provides advice to the UN.

Graham Shantz served for over 25 years in Canada’s public service providing advice to Canadian governments, mainly on management of Canada’s relations with Asia. He has lived and worked for over 12 years in Asia, half of that in China. In Ottawa, Mr. Shantz has worked in senior management positions in Global Affairs Canada, the Department of Finance and the Privy Council Office. In 2000-2001 he served as Canada’s lead negotiator for Foreign Investment Protection Agreements (FIPAs) and in 1996-1997 served as deputy chief negotiator for the Canadian team during China’s WTO accession talks. Over the past decades, Mr. Shantz has been involved in numerous major bilateral visits between Canadian and Chinese leaders.

Mr. Shantz has served on the Board of Directors of the Asia Pacific Foundation (2013-2016) and on the Board of Directors of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (2006-2009). He served as Canada’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain (2009-2012) and ended his career in the public service in senior management positions in Global Affairs Canada’s Asia Branch.

A Mandarin speaker, Mr. Shantz pursued his interest in China while studying economics at Goshen College in Indiana. He holds an M.A. in International Affairs from Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He also pursued language and economics studies in China, including at Beijing University and Xiamen University, under the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program.

Edward John was elected Chief of Tl’azt’en Nation in August 2024. He is also a Hereditary Chief (Lasilyoo) in Tl’azt’en Nation’s traditional system. Tl’azt’en Nation is located in Northern BC.

As an Indigenous leader, Grand Chief John has dedicated his life to the pursuit of social and economic justice for Canada’s Indigenous peoples, having worked in Indigenous politics, business and community development. Grand Chief John was called to the bar as a lawyer in 1980, and holds a B.A. from the University of Victoria (UVic), an LL.B from the University of British Columbia, and Honorary Degrees from UVic and the University of Northern British Columbia.

Grand Chief John is a long serving elected member of the First Nations Summit political executive, which is mandated to carry out specific tasks related to Aboriginal Title and Rights negotiations with the governments of British Columbia and Canada, along with other issues of common concern to First Nations in BC. He was directly involved in the development of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2007. He served two three-year terms as the North American Indigenous Expert Member to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (January 2011 – December 2016), which has a mandate to discuss Indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights, and provides advice to the UN.

Martin Cauchon has had a distinguished career. First elected as a Member of Parliament in October 1993, he has held many positions in the Government of Canada. He has served as Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec), Minister of National Revenue, and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. In 2013, he was an official candidate in the leadership race of the Liberal Party of Canada. From 2015 to 2019, he was also a shareholder and Executive Chairman of Groupe Capitales Médias, which gave him a better understanding of the challenges facing the print media in a digital world.

Mr. Cauchon’s unparalleled experience in government and the private sector has given him a deep understanding of a wide range of issues. As counsel at DS Lawyers Canada, he advises companies on the various issues facing the knowledge economy and the globalization of markets, taking into account geopolitical factors. Mr. Cauchon also facilitates the creation of partnerships at the provincial, national, and international levels.

Having established relationships with several counterparts in China, Martin Cauchon has acquired a good knowledge of that market, which allows him to intervene in projects that are related to the Canada-China relationship.

After obtaining a law degree from the University of Ottawa, Mr. Cauchon became a member of the Quebec Bar in 1985 and completed a master degree in International Business Law in 1991, at the University of Exeter, in England. He was the 2004 recipient of the Equality Forum’s International Role Model Award. In 2015, he received the honorary distinction of “Advocatus emeritus” and “Le Mérite” from the Quebec Bar. He is also Vice Chair, Board of Directors of the Canada China Business Council and Chair of its Quebec Chapter Advisory Council. He also serves on the board of directors of several companies.

The Honourable Scott Brison joined BMO as Vice-Chair, Investment & Corporate Banking in 2019. As an elected Member of Parliament, Mr. Brison served the constituency of Kings-Hants (Nova Scotia) who elected him to Canada’s House of Commons seven consecutive times over 21 years. During that time, he served in government for seven years holding key roles, most recently as President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government from 2015 to 2019, Minister of Public Works and Government Services from 2004 to 2006, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister with special emphasis on Canada-U.S. relations from 2003 to 2004.

In June 2020, Mr. Brison became Dalhousie University’s eighth chancellor.

Mr. Brison is a member of the Trilateral Commission and was named by the World Economic Forum of Davos, Switzerland, as one of its “Young Global Leaders.” In August 2010, he was awarded the Order of San Carlos by Colombian President Álvaro Uribe in recognition of his contributions to the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

Mr. Brison has formerly served as a board member for both Universal Rail Systems and the MacDonald Stewart Foundation. He also previously served as Chairman of SeaFort Capital Inc. Presently, he holds active positions on the boards of the Canada China Business Council (CCBC), Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC), the advisory board of the Canadian American Business Council (CABC), Power Sustainable and High Liner Foods Inc.

Mr. Brison earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University. He has completed the Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century Executive Education Program at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.

Chucheng FENG is the founding partner of Hutong Research, a boutique advisory firm focusing on deciphering China’s policy trajectory, dynamics, and their market impact. Before Hutong Research, Mr. Feng co-founded Plenum China Research, where he was a partner from 2019 to 2023, and Grisk Data, a Shanghai/DC-based alternative data vendor on geopolitics in 2018.

Prior to launching his own ventures, Mr. Feng helped build the political risk practice at the Hong Kong-based risk firm Blackpeak in 2017. Beforehand, he was an Asia analyst at Eurasia Group and conducted research at Asia Society Policy Institute under former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd. In these capacities, Mr. Feng advised sovereign wealth funds, the world’s most prestigious hedge funds and asset managers, as well as Fortune 500 companies on China-related topics.

Born in Beijing, Mr. Feng has studied, worked, and lived in Minnesota, California, New York, Washington DC, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. He travels frequently across continents for speaking engagements and in-person briefings.

Mr. Feng holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master’s degree in political science from Columbia University.

Mr. Feng is a Forbes U30 Asia 2022 listee and a young leader at the Council for the United States and Italy. He gets regularly quoted by the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Bloomberg, and Caixin.

Martin Cauchon has had a distinguished career. First elected as a Member of Parliament in October 1993, he has held many positions in the Government of Canada. He has served as Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec), Minister of National Revenue, and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. In 2013, he was an official candidate in the leadership race of the Liberal Party of Canada. From 2015 to 2019, he was also a shareholder and Executive Chairman of Groupe Capitales Médias, which gave him a better understanding of the challenges facing the print media in a digital world.

Mr. Cauchon’s unparalleled experience in government and the private sector has given him a deep understanding of a wide range of issues. As counsel at DS Lawyers Canada, he advises companies on the various issues facing the knowledge economy and the globalization of markets, taking into account geopolitical factors. Mr. Cauchon also facilitates the creation of partnerships at the provincial, national, and international levels.

Having established relationships with several counterparts in China, Martin Cauchon has acquired a good knowledge of that market, which allows him to intervene in projects that are related to the Canada-China relationship.

After obtaining a law degree from the University of Ottawa, Mr. Cauchon became a member of the Quebec Bar in 1985 and completed a master degree in International Business Law in 1991, at the University of Exeter, in England. He was the 2004 recipient of the Equality Forum’s International Role Model Award. In 2015, he received the honorary distinction of “Advocatus emeritus” and “Le Mérite” from the Quebec Bar. He is also Vice Chair, Board of Directors of the Canada China Business Council and Chair of its Quebec Chapter Advisory Council. He also serves on the board of directors of several companies.

The Honourable Scott Brison joined BMO as Vice-Chair, Investment & Corporate Banking in 2019. As an elected Member of Parliament, Mr. Brison served the constituency of Kings-Hants (Nova Scotia) who elected him to Canada’s House of Commons seven consecutive times over 21 years. During that time, he served in government for seven years holding key roles, most recently as President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government from 2015 to 2019, Minister of Public Works and Government Services from 2004 to 2006, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister with special emphasis on Canada-U.S. relations from 2003 to 2004.

In June 2020, Mr. Brison became Dalhousie University’s eighth chancellor.

Mr. Brison is a member of the Trilateral Commission and was named by the World Economic Forum of Davos, Switzerland, as one of its “Young Global Leaders.” In August 2010, he was awarded the Order of San Carlos by Colombian President Álvaro Uribe in recognition of his contributions to the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

Mr. Brison has formerly served as a board member for both Universal Rail Systems and the MacDonald Stewart Foundation. He also previously served as Chairman of SeaFort Capital Inc. Presently, he holds active positions on the boards of the Canada China Business Council (CCBC), Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC), the advisory board of the Canadian American Business Council (CABC), Power Sustainable and High Liner Foods Inc.

Mr. Brison earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University. He has completed the Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century Executive Education Program at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.

Chucheng FENG is the founding partner of Hutong Research, a boutique advisory firm focusing on deciphering China’s policy trajectory, dynamics, and their market impact. Before Hutong Research, Mr. Feng co-founded Plenum China Research, where he was a partner from 2019 to 2023, and Grisk Data, a Shanghai/DC-based alternative data vendor on geopolitics in 2018.

Prior to launching his own ventures, Mr. Feng helped build the political risk practice at the Hong Kong-based risk firm Blackpeak in 2017. Beforehand, he was an Asia analyst at Eurasia Group and conducted research at Asia Society Policy Institute under former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd. In these capacities, Mr. Feng advised sovereign wealth funds, the world’s most prestigious hedge funds and asset managers, as well as Fortune 500 companies on China-related topics.

Born in Beijing, Mr. Feng has studied, worked, and lived in Minnesota, California, New York, Washington DC, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. He travels frequently across continents for speaking engagements and in-person briefings.

Mr. Feng holds a Bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master’s degree in political science from Columbia University.

Mr. Feng is a Forbes U30 Asia 2022 listee and a young leader at the Council for the United States and Italy. He gets regularly quoted by the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Bloomberg, and Caixin.

Sarah Kutulakos joined the CCBC in 2007 and has since revitalized CCBC’s role as Canada’s premier bilateral trade and investment organization. Ms. Kutulakos has re-centered the Council’s activities around providing business services, catalyzing business growth and activity, and advocating for stronger Sino-Canadian bilateral trade and investment. This has resulted in extensive public outreach activities, internal infrastructure improvements, the launch of new programs such as the Business Incubation Centre, and thriving member relations.

Prior to joining CCBC, Ms. Kutulakos worked for 11 years in marketing, product development, and management with a major multinational corporation, where she had multiple assignments involving China. Ms. Kutulakos managed worldwide product businesses that marketed to China and used China-based sources of supply. She was also involved in several projects requiring cooperation with the Chinese government. Ms. Kutulakos has led both established and start-up businesses within the context of a global corporation and has broad emerging market business experience, and has been involved in the Greater China region since the late 1980s when she lived and worked in Taiwan. There, she was the first non-Chinese employee of a local high-tech start-up firm, where she gained a deep understanding of Chinese business practices.

A fluent Mandarin speaker, Ms. Kutulakos’s interest in China began at the University of Wisconsin, where she studied Chinese, marketing, and international business. She holds an MBA in finance and operations from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester. She frequently speaks on China issues, including marketing, trade, investment, and Canada-China relations.

Kathleen Donohue is the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM)/Vice-President (VP) of the International Affairs Branch (IAB), which is a joint branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), focused on international market access, trade and regulatory cooperation, while also protecting Canadian food safety and animal and plant health. Integrating CFIA and AAFC’s international functions, IAB supports the government’s trade agenda, and industry, in maintaining and advancing new markets for Canadian products.

Ms. Donohue brings extensive experience to her current position, having previously held the positions of Director General of the Market Access Secretariat (MAS), AAFC and Executive Director, Market Access Coordination, MAS at AAFC, as well as having served overseas as Counsellor (Agriculture) at the High Commission of Canada to India and as Counsellor (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of Canada to Japan.

Prior to serving abroad, Ms. Donohue worked in various executive positions at AAFC, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) focused on advancing Canada’s trade, investment and innovation agenda.

Born in Montréal, Ms. Donohue holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Concordia University and is a graduate of the School of Community and Public Affairs.‎

Christopher White is President and CEO of the Canadian Meat Council (CMC) and Canada Pork (CP). Mr. White has been in his role at CMC since 2017 and has recently taken on a leadership role with CP as the two organizations become more unified.

Early on in his career, Mr. White spent over a decade working on Parliament Hill, including time as a special assistant to the Honourable Paul Martin, while he was the finance minister, and served as a Chief of Staff to five federal Cabinet Ministers under the governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin. After leaving government, he worked in the insurance, financial and auto sector as Vice President of Government Relations. He also for a time worked for Right to Play, which built off his time working in India and Bangladesh as an administrator for a Canadian NGO.

Mr. White holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Windsor as well as a Graduate Diploma and an Honours BA from the University of Ottawa. He is a father of five and lives in Ottawa, Ontario, with his wife and children. Mr. White remains very active outside of work and he is an avid supporter of Special Olympics Canada.

Sarah Kutulakos joined the CCBC in 2007 and has since revitalized CCBC’s role as Canada’s premier bilateral trade and investment organization. Ms. Kutulakos has re-centered the Council’s activities around providing business services, catalyzing business growth and activity, and advocating for stronger Sino-Canadian bilateral trade and investment. This has resulted in extensive public outreach activities, internal infrastructure improvements, the launch of new programs such as the Business Incubation Centre, and thriving member relations.

Prior to joining CCBC, Ms. Kutulakos worked for 11 years in marketing, product development, and management with a major multinational corporation, where she had multiple assignments involving China. Ms. Kutulakos managed worldwide product businesses that marketed to China and used China-based sources of supply. She was also involved in several projects requiring cooperation with the Chinese government. Ms. Kutulakos has led both established and start-up businesses within the context of a global corporation and has broad emerging market business experience, and has been involved in the Greater China region since the late 1980s when she lived and worked in Taiwan. There, she was the first non-Chinese employee of a local high-tech start-up firm, where she gained a deep understanding of Chinese business practices.

A fluent Mandarin speaker, Ms. Kutulakos’s interest in China began at the University of Wisconsin, where she studied Chinese, marketing, and international business. She holds an MBA in finance and operations from the Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester. She frequently speaks on China issues, including marketing, trade, investment, and Canada-China relations.

Kathleen Donohue is the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM)/Vice-President (VP) of the International Affairs Branch (IAB), which is a joint branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), focused on international market access, trade and regulatory cooperation, while also protecting Canadian food safety and animal and plant health. Integrating CFIA and AAFC’s international functions, IAB supports the government’s trade agenda, and industry, in maintaining and advancing new markets for Canadian products.

Ms. Donohue brings extensive experience to her current position, having previously held the positions of Director General of the Market Access Secretariat (MAS), AAFC and Executive Director, Market Access Coordination, MAS at AAFC, as well as having served overseas as Counsellor (Agriculture) at the High Commission of Canada to India and as Counsellor (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of Canada to Japan.

Prior to serving abroad, Ms. Donohue worked in various executive positions at AAFC, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) focused on advancing Canada’s trade, investment and innovation agenda.

Born in Montréal, Ms. Donohue holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Concordia University and is a graduate of the School of Community and Public Affairs.‎

Christopher White is President and CEO of the Canadian Meat Council (CMC) and Canada Pork (CP). Mr. White has been in his role at CMC since 2017 and has recently taken on a leadership role with CP as the two organizations become more unified.

Early on in his career, Mr. White spent over a decade working on Parliament Hill, including time as a special assistant to the Honourable Paul Martin, while he was the finance minister, and served as a Chief of Staff to five federal Cabinet Ministers under the governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin. After leaving government, he worked in the insurance, financial and auto sector as Vice President of Government Relations. He also for a time worked for Right to Play, which built off his time working in India and Bangladesh as an administrator for a Canadian NGO.

Mr. White holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Windsor as well as a Graduate Diploma and an Honours BA from the University of Ottawa. He is a father of five and lives in Ottawa, Ontario, with his wife and children. Mr. White remains very active outside of work and he is an avid supporter of Special Olympics Canada.

Graham Shantz served for over 25 years in Canada’s public service providing advice to Canadian governments, mainly on management of Canada’s relations with Asia. He has lived and worked for over 12 years in Asia, half of that in China. In Ottawa, Mr. Shantz has worked in senior management positions in Global Affairs Canada, the Department of Finance and the Privy Council Office. In 2000-2001 he served as Canada’s lead negotiator for Foreign Investment Protection Agreements (FIPAs) and in 1996-1997 served as deputy chief negotiator for the Canadian team during China’s WTO accession talks. Over the past decades, Mr. Shantz has been involved in numerous major bilateral visits between Canadian and Chinese leaders.

Mr. Shantz has served on the Board of Directors of the Asia Pacific Foundation (2013-2016) and on the Board of Directors of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (2006-2009). He served as Canada’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain (2009-2012) and ended his career in the public service in senior management positions in Global Affairs Canada’s Asia Branch.

A Mandarin speaker, Mr. Shantz pursued his interest in China while studying economics at Goshen College in Indiana. He holds an M.A. in International Affairs from Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He also pursued language and economics studies in China, including at Beijing University and Xiamen University, under the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program.

Karen Ogen is CEO of the First Nations LNG Alliance, a society of First Nations in support of responsible liquefied natural gas (LNG) development in Canada, with a priority on the environment and First Nations consultation and engagement.

Ms. Ogen brings extensive experience to her role, having served as elected chief of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation for six years from 2010 to 2016. She was also a council member for the Nation from 1987 to 1990 and again from 2019 to 2022.

She is familiar with the needs of Indigenous communities throughout British Columbia and seeks to increase economic opportunities for First Nations through providing information and education regarding responsible resource development.

While Ms. Ogen recognizes that not all projects will be appropriate for all nations, she hopes to help inspire more First Nations to consider and engage in discussions with industry and government around the possibility of resource opportunities.

Ms. Ogen’s academic background is in social work. She achieved her Master’s degree from the University of Northern British Columbia in 2007, and graduated from the Indigenous Governance Certificate Program from the University of Victoria in 2010. In August 2022, she successfully completed a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University in the Indigenous Business Leadership program. She is the first in her family and community to attain two Master’s degrees.

Ms. Ogen was named one of the “35 Most Influential Women in BC: The power to disrupt” in March 2016, by BC Business Magazine, and was elected for three consecutive years – 2021, 2022 and 2023 – as one of the Business in Vancouver BC 500: The most influential business leaders in British Columbia, in the Resources: Oil and Gas sector.

Mary Shu is a serial entrepreneur with a strong commitment to climate tech investment and the global development of hydrogen technologies. Her entrepreneurial journey commenced with Grove Technology Fuel Cell, where she successfully led the development and execution of various hydrogen project incubations, facilitated multiple joint ventures, and secured funding for innovative projects in hydrogen fuel cells and testing equipment.

Ms. Shu has significantly contributed to the progression of China’s hydrogen energy sector, engaging in policy development and strategic planning within the venture capital landscape. She has also fostered key business and investor relationships, overseeing the successful deployment and demonstration of hydrogen fuel cell initiatives across Guangzhou, Qingdao, Zhejiang, and Macao.

In 2022, she established Syntech Partner Consulting, a consulting firm focused on ecological construction that provides comprehensive services for the green hydrogen industry and carbon reduction initiatives. Additionally, as the Hydrogen Ambassador for the Anhui Provincial New Energy Committee, Ms. Shu advocates for cross-border cooperation in new energy and supports the development of northern Anhui as a Hydrogen Demonstration Hub.

Graham Shantz served for over 25 years in Canada’s public service providing advice to Canadian governments, mainly on management of Canada’s relations with Asia. He has lived and worked for over 12 years in Asia, half of that in China. In Ottawa, Mr. Shantz has worked in senior management positions in Global Affairs Canada, the Department of Finance and the Privy Council Office. In 2000-2001 he served as Canada’s lead negotiator for Foreign Investment Protection Agreements (FIPAs) and in 1996-1997 served as deputy chief negotiator for the Canadian team during China’s WTO accession talks. Over the past decades, Mr. Shantz has been involved in numerous major bilateral visits between Canadian and Chinese leaders.

Mr. Shantz has served on the Board of Directors of the Asia Pacific Foundation (2013-2016) and on the Board of Directors of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (2006-2009). He served as Canada’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain (2009-2012) and ended his career in the public service in senior management positions in Global Affairs Canada’s Asia Branch.

A Mandarin speaker, Mr. Shantz pursued his interest in China while studying economics at Goshen College in Indiana. He holds an M.A. in International Affairs from Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. He also pursued language and economics studies in China, including at Beijing University and Xiamen University, under the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program.

Karen Ogen is CEO of the First Nations LNG Alliance, a society of First Nations in support of responsible liquefied natural gas (LNG) development in Canada, with a priority on the environment and First Nations consultation and engagement.

Ms. Ogen brings extensive experience to her role, having served as elected chief of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation for six years from 2010 to 2016. She was also a council member for the Nation from 1987 to 1990 and again from 2019 to 2022.

She is familiar with the needs of Indigenous communities throughout British Columbia and seeks to increase economic opportunities for First Nations through providing information and education regarding responsible resource development.

While Ms. Ogen recognizes that not all projects will be appropriate for all nations, she hopes to help inspire more First Nations to consider and engage in discussions with industry and government around the possibility of resource opportunities.

Ms. Ogen’s academic background is in social work. She achieved her Master’s degree from the University of Northern British Columbia in 2007, and graduated from the Indigenous Governance Certificate Program from the University of Victoria in 2010. In August 2022, she successfully completed a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University in the Indigenous Business Leadership program. She is the first in her family and community to attain two Master’s degrees.

Ms. Ogen was named one of the “35 Most Influential Women in BC: The power to disrupt” in March 2016, by BC Business Magazine, and was elected for three consecutive years – 2021, 2022 and 2023 – as one of the Business in Vancouver BC 500: The most influential business leaders in British Columbia, in the Resources: Oil and Gas sector.

Mary Shu is a serial entrepreneur with a strong commitment to climate tech investment and the global development of hydrogen technologies. Her entrepreneurial journey commenced with Grove Technology Fuel Cell, where she successfully led the development and execution of various hydrogen project incubations, facilitated multiple joint ventures, and secured funding for innovative projects in hydrogen fuel cells and testing equipment.

Ms. Shu has significantly contributed to the progression of China’s hydrogen energy sector, engaging in policy development and strategic planning within the venture capital landscape. She has also fostered key business and investor relationships, overseeing the successful deployment and demonstration of hydrogen fuel cell initiatives across Guangzhou, Qingdao, Zhejiang, and Macao.

In 2022, she established Syntech Partner Consulting, a consulting firm focused on ecological construction that provides comprehensive services for the green hydrogen industry and carbon reduction initiatives. Additionally, as the Hydrogen Ambassador for the Anhui Provincial New Energy Committee, Ms. Shu advocates for cross-border cooperation in new energy and supports the development of northern Anhui as a Hydrogen Demonstration Hub.