WPC Canada is excited to host our Annual Ignite Talks!

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Speakers:

• Wes Jickling, Chief Executive, COSIA
• Rhona DelFrari, Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP Stakeholder Engagement, Cenovus
• Pam McIntyre, SVP, Safety, Risk Management, and Innovation, CNRL
• Grant Strem,Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Proton Technologies Canada Inc.
• Dr. Ian Gates, Professor, Director Global Research Initiative Energy, University of Calgary
• Simon Paradis, Canada Energy Transition Program Manager, Shell

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Speaker Bios:

Wes Jickling

Chief Executive

COSIA

Wes Jickling assumed the role of COSIA Chief Executive in August 2019.  Prior to joining COSIA, Wes was the Chief Executive Officer of Innovation Saskatchewan and Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs for Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe. Wes has held senior roles in corporate, government, and international organizations, including United Nations postings in Brazil, Swaziland, Ukraine and Sudan.

Wes was born and raised in Estevan, Saskatchewan. He and his wife Shelley have three young children. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Calgary, where he played for four years with the Dinos men’s basketball team.

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Rhona DelFrari

Chief Sustainability Officer & Senior Vice-President, Stakeholder Engagement

Cenovus

As Chief Sustainability Officer & Senior Vice-President, Stakeholder Engagement, Rhona works to ensure environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are embedded in the company’s strategy and business plans. Rhona is also responsible for leading the company’s communications efforts and building strong relationships with stakeholders. This includes working with Indigenous community members, government officials and community partners.

Rhona has been with Cenovus and its predecessor company since 2008, with roles in media relations, external communications, strategy and stakeholder engagement. Before joining Cenovus, Rhona spent 15 years as a journalist and senior leader in television newsrooms across the country including CBC and Global.

Rhona has always been committed to giving back to her community through volunteer positions primarily focused on supporting new Canadians and empowering women to move out of poverty. She currently serves as Chair of the Board for Immigrant Services Calgary and is a supporter of the Momentum organization. Additionally, Rhona is active in several industry and business organizations including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), C.D. Howe Energy Policy Council and EXCEL Partnership. She is a Board member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Advisory Council for the University of Ottawa’s Positive Energy Project.

Rhona has a combined honours degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Carleton University and an MBA specializing in global energy from the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business.

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Pam McIntyre

Senior Vice-President, Safety, Risk Management and Innovation

CNRL

Pam is a hands-on industry leader with over 30 years of experience working in the oil and gas sector. As an engineer, she leads Canadian Natural’s Safety, Risk Management and Innovation portfolio as the Senior Vice-President. She is also responsible for ensuring that environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are considered in the company’s strategy and that the use of technology and innovation deliver results.

Pam is well known for her passion for building integrated, collaborative teams and is recognized as an industry leader in championing performance improvement through the use of clean tech.

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Grant Strem

Chair and Chief Executive Officer

Proton Technologies Canada Inc.

Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Grant Strem has a B.Sc. in Geology and an M.Sc. in Reservoir Characterization, both from the University of Calgary.

Grant considers himself an explorationist and worked for various producers including Paramount, Burlington Resources, ConocoPhillips, Total E&P, and Husky. Grant also worked as a Reserves Evaluator for GLJ Petroleum Consultants, and as a Research Analyst at TD Securities covering the oil sands sector. He also started his own oil company focused on light oil, helium, and geothermal resources.

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Ian D. Gates

Professor, Director Global Research Initiative Energy

University of Calgary

Ian D. Gates is Professor in Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, EnCana/Petroleum Society Endowed Chair, and Director of the University of Calgary’s CFREF $75 million sustainable low-carbon unconventional resources program. He worked for seven years in industry prior to joining the university in 2004. His research spans heavy oil and oil sands technology, hydrogen, and material sciences. Ian has also been entrepreneurial having been a co-founder of several companies including Gushor (sold to Schlumberger 2013), Proton Technologies (hydrogen from heavy oil), Solideum (solid bitumen), and several consulting companies. His research group’s motto: ‘save money, make money, save the environment, and save life’ guides all of their research endeavors.

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Simon Paradis

Canada Energy Transition Program Manager

Shell

Simon Paradis, is the Energy Transition Program Manager for Shell in Canada. He holds Bachelor’s and a Master’s degrees in Engineering from McGill University. He has been in the Energy industry for over 20 years.
i) Energy Transition, where he has found his passion for developing economically viable strategies for businesses. He specializes in techno-commercial de-risking of emissions reductions opportunities with strong focus in Renewable Fuels, Hydrogen manufacturing and logistics, Renewable Power including eV solutions, along with Nature-Based Solutions and Voluntary Credits / Offsets trading. Simon is on the Executive Board of Directors for Forge Hydrocarbons – a lipids to renewable fuels start-up manufacturer.
ii) Process Manufacturing Operations Management, as Operations Manager in Shell’s Upstream business, and as Production Unit Manager in Downstream Manufacturing for many years.
iii) Business Strategy: Creation of Joint Ventures, business valuations and acquisitions, economic modeling and deal negotiations.
iv) Project Management in Downstream Manufacturing (project controls in the design and construction of refinery complex and process facilities).
Simon’s volunteering experience features promoting science in education at elementary and High School level, fundraising and development of a new K-12 school for francophone families in the Edmonton area, President of the Board for a day care for over 5 years, instructor with Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing. Simon shares his life with Paola, and is the proud father of Kaitlyn and Erin.