Michael Goehring brings British Columbia’s mining sector decades of experience as a trusted advisor to senior leaders in Canada’s natural resource sectors. He works with his members to advocate for public policies that will position B.C. as a competitive, world-leading supplier of responsibly produced critical minerals and metals essential to Canada’s economic future and national security.

Active in the community, Michael served as vice president of the Vancouver Thunderbirds Minor Hockey Association and president of the Turning Point Recovery Society. He lives in Vancouver with his wife Brenda and twin boys, Christopher and Liam.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of British Columbia and pursued Graduate Studies in International Political Economy at Simon Fraser University.

Dr. Carl Hansen is the founding CEO of AbCellera. He is a scientist, inventor, teacher and entrepreneur whose work is represented in over 90 peer-reviewed manuscripts and abstracts, and more than 75 patent applications. Carl is the recipient of numerous awards, including EY Canada’s Entrepreneur of Year and the 2021 Bloom Burton Award, and was profiled in Forbes magazine.

Under his leadership, AbCellera was a contractor for the Pandemic Preparedness Program of the Defense Advanced Research Program Agency (DARPA) and developed two therapeutic antibodies against COVID-19 that were administered to 2 million patients in the US.

Prior to AbCellera, Carl attained the rank of Full Professor at the University of British Columbia, jointly appointed in the Michael Smith Labs and the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Carl received his PhD in Applied Physics (specialty in biotechnology) from Caltech and obtained a BASc in Engineering Physics and Honors Mathematics from the University of British Columbia

The Hon. Christy Clark is one of the most dynamic and successful Canadian political leaders of the 21st Century. Her record of success over her 30-plus-year career in public service is built on hard work, collaboration and a singular focus on economic growth to fuel social progress and fairness.

Clark was born and raised in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby in a politically active family. After working as a political organizer and policy adviser at the provincial and federal level, she was elected to the British Columbia Legislature in 1996.

As a B.C. Liberal MLA and Deputy Opposition Leader, she quickly became a prominent figure in provincial politics as an advocate for regular BCers. She was an architect of the 2001 B.C. Liberal election campaign, in which her party returned to government for the first time in 49 years, winning every seat but two. She was appointed Deputy Premier and Minister of Education and was widely considered the government’s most effective minister and forceful communicator.

Clark left politics in 2005 to spend more time with her young son, working as a popular radio broadcaster and advocate to combat bullying.

Then, in 2011, Clark re-entered politics and was elected B.C. Liberal Leader and Premier on a platform of helping families prosper, job creation and super-charging economic growth as the province struggled to recover from the 2008 global recession.

By the time she left office in 2017, Clark’s achievements included the lowest unemployment rate in Canada, new programs for childcare, single-parent support, job training, Indigenous partnerships, six balanced budgets, and a long-term foundation for economic growth and prosperity.

Today, as an advisor at Bennett Jones and an international speaker, Ms. Clark offers insights on Canadian infrastructure, trade, natural resource development, political leadership, and indigenous relations.

As the Chief Economist at Vancity, Judith provides economic insights to guide strategy and amplify the credit union’s voice on issues that matter most to communities in a constantly shifting economy.

With more than 16 years of experience in economic development, public policy, and business strategy, Judith has held senior leadership roles in both government and consulting. She served as Director of Pan‑Territorial Services and Partnerships in the Federal Government, overseeing economic development initiatives across Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, and previously worked as a Senior Economist at Deloitte.

Judith also contributes her expertise through significant board and advisory roles. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Black Entrepreneurs & Businesses of Canada Society (BEBC), is a board member of the Foundation for Black Communities (FFBC), and is a member of the External Reference Group for the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative (SBCCI) at Employment and Social Development Canada.

Sean Silcoff writes about technology and life sciences for the Globe and Mail. He is the winner of three National Newspaper Awards and is the co-author of Losing the Signal: the Spectacular Rise and Fall of BlackBerry, which was released in May 2015. Losing the Signal won Canada’s National Business Book Award and was shortlisted for the international Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year. It was also adapted into the 2023 film "BlackBerry." Sean joined the Globe and Mail in January 2012; he previously worked as a columnist and Montreal correspondent for the National Post and as a staff writer at Canadian Business Magazine. He began his reporting career covering courts and crime in Cornwall, Ont.

Sarah Huggins co-founded Hiive to bring clarity and access to private market liquidity. As co-founder and COO, she leads the company’s trading operations and regulatory framework, building the modern infrastructure that supports transparent secondary and primary transactions at a global scale.

Trained as a lawyer and an experienced founder, Sarah brings rigor and conviction to a sector long defined by opacity. Before Hiive, she built and led a consumer business following a career in corporate law—experience that informs how she builds organizations that shape how complex, regulated markets operate.

In just over five years, Hiive has facilitated more than $3 billion in shareholder liquidity in some of the world’s most innovative private companies. Her ambition is clear: build an enduring financial infrastructure in Canada that sets a new standard for how private capital moves globally

Wendy Cox has been The Globe and Mail’s B.C. Bureau Chief since November 2013. Prior to The Globe, Wendy was the B.C. and Yukon bureau chief for the Canadian Press. She has also worked as a reporter in Toronto and Winnipeg, and as a politics reporter in the Ontario and B.C. legislatures and on Parliament Hill.

Adrian Dix was first elected as the MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway in 2005.

Adrian was appointed Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs in November 2024. He is a fierce defender of public healthcare, and previously served as Minister of Health from July 2017 to November 2024. During his time as Minister of Health, he helped lead the province through the worst public health crisis in modern history, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adrian served as Leader of the Official Opposition from 2011 to 2014.

Adrian was raised in Vancouver and is a UBC graduate. He is married to award-winning poet and writer Renée Sarojini Saklikar.

Brent Jang is a business reporter in The Globe and Mail’s Vancouver Bureau. Since joining The Globe in 1995, Brent has been a transportation reporter in Toronto, energy correspondent in Calgary and Western columnist for Report on Business.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of The Gateway student newspaper. Brent has received several journalism honours, including two National Newspaper Awards, a Jack Webster Award, a National Magazine Award nomination and two Michener Award team nominations.

David Walmsley is the Globe and Mail’s editor-in-chief. Under his editorship, The Globe and Mail has won the annual Canadian Michener Award for meritorious public service journalism three times as well as dominated the annual National Newspaper Awards.

Justine Hunter is a reporter for The Globe and Mail. Based in the press gallery of the B.C. Legislature in Victoria, Justine has followed the ups and downs of B.C. premiers since 1988. She has also worked as a business reporter and on Parliament Hill covering national politics.

JP Gladu is the Principal of Mokwateh and is dedicated to creating innovative partnerships and solutions that unlock equitable opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous business communities. An Anishinaabe leader from Sand Point First Nation on Lake Nipigon, Ontario, JP brings 35 years of experience in the natural resource sector, working with Indigenous communities and organizations, environmental non-government organizations, industry, and governments across Canada and internationally.

JP completed a forestry technician diploma from Sault College and an undergraduate degree in Forestry from Northern Arizona University. He holds an Executive MBA from Queen’s University and an ICD.D designation from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He has been recognized with an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Carleton University (2024) and an Honorary Doctor of Commerce from Lakehead University (2025).

He currently serves on the boards of Suncor and Superior Plus. He also sits on Domtar’s Sustainability Committee, BHP’s Forum for Corporate Responsibility, and the Major Projects Office Indigenous Advisory Committee. He previously served on the boards of Broden Mining, First Nations Major Projects Coalition Advisory Centre, the Institute for Corporate Directors, Ontario Power Generation and Noront Resources and is the past Chair of the Mikisew Group of Companies. JP is a senior fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and served as Chancellor of St. Paul’s University College at the University of Waterloo from 2017 to 2020. From September 2012 to April 2020, he served as President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB). His leadership has been recognized by the Public Policy Forum as a 2024 Honouree and through the 2024 Premier’s Award for outstanding Ontario college graduates in business.

Merran Smith is the President of New Economy Canada, bringing decades of leadership and partnership with industry, government, and civil society to create economic solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. She is broadly recognized as a national thought leader in advancing Canada’s clean economy.

Since establishing Clean Energy Canada in 2010, Merran has been at the forefront of public policy discourse and solutions for Canada to successfully navigate the global energy transition, while supporting Canadian workers and communities. Earlier, her leadership in the landmark Great Bear Rainforest agreement set a new standard for collaboration between Indigenous and Crown governments and ensured both environmental protections and economic progress for Indigenous communities.

Merran was an active board member of BC Hydro, a leading Canadian renewable electricity utility serving over five million British Columbians, and has served on national and provincial energy and climate councils to advise governments on the energy transition. She is a Fellow at Simon Fraser University.

Merran’s leadership has been formally recognized with the King Charles III's Coronation Medal, Clean50 Lifetime Achievement Award, Vancouver Board of Trade’s Wendy McDonald Community Catalyst award, Vancouver Magazine’s Power 50, Clean Energy BC’s Lifetime Achievement award and the Clean 16 award for leadership in clean capitalism, among other awards.

Ellis Ross’s story is one of vision, and deep commitment to his community and region.

From 2003 to 2011, he served as a councillor for the Haisla Nation, where he played a key role in securing an economic future for his people and the region including the largest private investment in Canadian history: LNG Canada. He then stepped up as Chief Councillor from 2011 to 2017, helping to guide his nation through important times.

In 2017, Ellis took his passion for his people to the provincial level, getting elected as the MLA for Skeena. Today, he serves as the Federal Member of Parliament for Skeena—Bulkley Valley and is the Conservative Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Ellis is driven by a genuine desire to see people and communities succeed, which is why he strongly supports responsible development in mining, forestry, and LNG projects that create real jobs and build strong futures.

Ellis has always been deeply involved in his community—working in local industry, organizing community events, coaching basketball teams, and supporting programs that protect Indigenous youth from substance abuse.

In 2012, he was named the first chair of the Aboriginal Business Investment Council and has been recognized as a business leader in both the BC Business magazine and the Canadian Business magazine. His dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed—Ellis received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013, the Order of British Columbia in 2014 and the King Charles 111 Coronation medal in 2024.

Today, he lives on the Kitamaat Village Indian Reserve in British Columbia, with his wife Tracey. He’s a proud dad of two daughters and a loving grandfather to three grandchildren. Ellis Ross’s life is all about family, people, community, and building a brighter future for the next generation, not only in Northwest BC, but all across Canada.

Alison is the President and CEO of EDC, appointed in February 2025 after 14 years in various leadership roles. With a career spanning global markets, she has led EDC’s Asian private equity strategy in Beijing and held senior positions at BDC Capital in Ottawa and Toronto. Her expertise includes global trade finance, capital markets, risk management, and innovation.

Prior to rejoining EDC, Alison was CEO at MaRS Discovery District. She holds degrees from the University of Toronto and the London School of Economics, is a CFA charterholder, and actively contributes to industry and community organizations. Alison is recognized for her commitment to mentoring teams, building strategic relationships, and advancing EDC’s mission to support Canadian exporters worldwide. She values passion for customers and caring as core EDC values.