OTTAWA, Ontario – January 8, 2015. The Board of Directors of the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) is pleased to announce the appointment of the Honourable Sergio Marchi as President and Chief Executive Officer of CEA, effective February 9, 2015. Mr. Marchi is currently the Principal of the Marchi Group, a global strategies consultancy based in Geneva Switzerland. Mr. Marchi will be replacing Jim R. Burpee, who informed the CEA Board last year of his intention to retire early in 2015.
“Following an exhaustive search that included a broad field of strong candidates, I am delighted to have someone with Sergio’s talent and depth of experience in politics, public policy and global trade issues,” said Anthony Haines, Chair of the CEA Board of Directors and President and Chief Executive Officer of Toronto Hydro Corporation. “As we continue to engage broadly across Canada and the U.S., reflecting the North American nature of the electricity grid, Sergio’s leadership will be invaluable in his role as ambassador for the Canadian electricity industry.”
The top priority for Mr. Marchi will be to lead CEA as the industry meets the challenges and capitalizes on the opportunities associated with building the electricity infrastructure of the future. Recognizing that the Canadian electricity system is aging and its basic infrastructure needs to be strengthened, refurbished and expanded, there is an urgent need for informed decision-making both in policy development and on-going infrastructure investment if Canada is to maintain the reliability, affordability and sustainability of the electricity system that Canadians rely upon.
“We’re in the midst of unprecedented capital investment to modernize Canada’s electricity system,” said Mr. Marchi. “I’m pleased to be part of the Canadian electricity industry and to serve our members during this important time in the sector’s long history.”
About Sergio Marchi
The Honourable Sergio Marchi brings considerable private and public sector experience to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Electricity Association. He is Principal of the Marchi Group, and Chairman of the Arton Capital Advisory Board, a financial advisory firm specialized in Investor Immigration Programs. He also serves as a Director of Avalon Rare Metals, a Canadian mining company in the rare earths sector; and with Lithium Americas, a Canadian exploration company with world-class lithium reserves in South America.
Marchi was elected as a young Councillor in the City of Toronto. He was subsequently elected as a Canadian Member of Parliament for 15 years, where he served as a Cabinet Minister for the Environment; Citizenship and Immigration; and International Trade.
After voluntarily leaving the political arena, Mr. Marchi was appointed as Canadian Ambassador to the World Trade Organization and United Nations in Geneva.
He was also appointed by the United Nations Secretary General as a Commissioner on the International Migration Commission. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum Global Council on Migration.
Mr. Marchi continues to be engaged in global trade policy, through the Evian Group and other related fora. As well, he teaches in the International Affairs Faculty of Webster University in Geneva, and serves as a public speaker on a variety of global issues.