ACG Ottawa Capital Connection

Arnaud Franco was appointed Director of Economic Research at BDC in January 2024. 

He leads a team of brilliant economists, tasked with providing real and actionable insights to Canadian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, he keeps senior leaders informed about critical developments in the economic landscape.

Mr. Franco has nearly 20 years of analytical experience and a decade of management and leadership training. He is also a seasoned public speaker, having presented at numerous global conferences. 

Chris is an accomplished leader with over 20 years of senior executive experience in defence and space innovation. He most recently served as President and CEO of Thales Canada, where he expanded naval support services, re-established land-forces capabilities, and guided key AI and digital transformation initiatives. Prior to Thales, he led MDA Government’s Defence Space portfolio and held leadership roles at General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada and CAE Professional Services. Throughout his career, Pogue has championed the development of innovation ecosystems by connecting Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses to national defence and space priorities. A retired Royal Canadian Air Force officer with more than 3,500 flight hours on the C-130 Hercules.

A dynamic and experienced banker, Peter brings more than 30 years of professional experience in international trade, capital markets, commercial, corporate, transaction banking, trade finance, investment banking, export credit and retail. Peter spent 26 years in Asia with BMO Capital Markets, Scotiabank, Peregrine Capital and Export Development Canada and CARE International. Peter lived and worked in India for eight years, Bangladesh for seven and Singapore for twelve. Most recently, he had served as President of Elevate Capital and remains on their board.

Peter holds a Masters in Business Administration from Dalhousie University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Carleton University.  He is a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers.

Gabriel Sirois, CD, CFA, is the CFO of H2 Analytics, an Ottawa-based mid-market defense technology company specializing in AI-enabled Live-Virtual-Constructive training. The company was recently named in Deloitte’s 2025 Technology Fast 50™ "Companies-to-Watch" category. Gabriel brings a unique "dual-operator" perspective to the panel; he is both a veteran Canadian mid-market capital allocator—formerly a Partner at EDC—and a former Intelligence Operator in the Canadian Forces Reserves with an operational deployment in the Middle East. With professional experience spanning debt financing, VC, PE and military intelligence, Gabriel now leads the financial and strategic growth of H2 Analytics, ensuring their advanced training and simulation solutions meet the rigorous demands of the modern warfighter.

Shelley attended McGill University and graduated in Engineering in 1975.  From there he was recruited to work in the steel industry in Hamilton.  Working in steel he learnt about Blast furnaces, coke ovens, basic oxygen furnaces, strip rolling, galvanizing, tin plating, etc.  Being young and adventurous, he also worked in the industrial metal cutting tool industry, nuclear tube manufacturing, and eventually ended up at Phillips Cables in Brockville.

After two life changing free trade deals and two plant closures Shelley and a small group of former Phillips Cables staff started Northern Cables in Brockville in 1996.  Now in its 29^th year the company employs 300 staff and manufactures copper and aluminum industrial and commercial power cables for both Canada and the United States.

Shelley is a member of Professional Engineers Ontario and volunteers as the chair of the St. Lawrence Economic Corridor Commission, director of the Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health, director of Rideau St. Lawrence Science Fair Committee, volunteer on fundraising committee for Maple View Landings (long term care) in Athens.

Mike Zolandz is the chair of Dentons' Regulatory, Public Policy and Government Affairs practice, and serves as the Managing Partner for Dentons’ Washington, DC office. Mike focuses his practice on advising clients on their most critical and complex trade compliance and foreign investment projects, specializing in cross-border transactions and regulations related to international commerce.

Mike offers clients practical expertise and guidance in advising on US export controls, US trade sanctions programs, anticorruption program development, and notification procedures before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Mike also brings decades of policy experience in Washington to offer clients insight into the legislative and regulatory process beyond purely technical expertise.

Jerome Briere is the Managing Partner of EDC’s Diversified Investments practice, part of the investments program of Canada’s Export Credit Agency with approximately $4 billion in assets under management. Since joining the firm in 2012, Mr. Briere has led prominent technology and advanced manufacturing platform investments, as well as several LP commitments to flagship global funds. Mr. Briere has over a decade of experience as a private equity investor focused on building export intensive businesses, investing across the full asset class spectrum from early-stage VC to large PE.

Tiffany is a partner in Borden Ladner Gervais’ Banking & Financial Services Group in Ottawa. Her practice includes secured lending, project finance, financial institution regulation, and structured finance and securitization. Tiffany regularly acts for lenders and borrowers on corporate and project financings and has unique exposure to working with Crown Corporations. In addition to her broad secured lending experience, she has a specialized skill set that combines knowledge in corporate law, trust law and laws that impact Indigenous communities with niche expertise in structuring transactions to facilitate security packages for secured lending transactions involving First Nations and other Indigenous communities. Tiffany identifies as an Indigenous lawyer and is a member of the Indigenous law focus group at BLG.

Trevor is the Managing Director of BDC’s Growth and Transition Financing team covering Eastern and Northern Ontario along with New Brunswick and PEI.  With close to 30 years banking experience predominately with high growth firms and those undertaking a business transition he brings a wealth of experience in deal structuring. The majority of his career has been based in Ottawa.

Ruby Williams is the national leader of Deloitte’s M&A Transaction Services practice, with over 25 years of experience advising technology, software, industrial and healthcare companies on cross-border acquisitions and divestitures. She specializes in guiding clients through all stages of the M&A cycle – including due diligence, valuation, deal execution, and strategy optimization – and has led hundreds of transactions for both Canadian and global organizations.