We are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2025 Canadian General Counsel Awards (CGCA). Each year, the CGCA celebrates the outstanding contributions of Canada’s in-house legal leaders. This year’s finalists represent a wide range of industries and legal expertise, reflecting the depth and strength of our national legal community.
Meet the 2025 Finalists:
BLG Stephen Sigurdson Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient:
- John Laidlaw, KC | Irving Oil
Canadian General Counsel of the Year Award:
- Leo Caffaro | Acciona Infrastructure Canada Inc.
- Christine Chen | University Pension Plan of Ontario (UPP)
- Olivier Chouc | CN
- Michel Lalande | Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- Nadine Letson | Microsoft Canada
- Dominic Paradis | National Bank
- Craig Segal | Hootsuite
- Jennifer D. Suess | RioCan REIT
McCarthy Tétrault Innovation Award:
- Conni Gibson | Interac Corp.
- Shannon Higginson | lululemon
- Farah Ismail | Saint Elizabeth Healthcare (SE Health)
- Sue-Lynn Noel | Purolator
- Derek Smith | Geotab Inc.
- Patrice Walch-Watson | Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
Blakes Judy L. Wilson Diversity Award:
- Conni Gibson | Interac Corp.
- Av Maharaj | Kraft Heinz
- Shara Roy | EY Canada (Ernst & Young LLP)
ESG Award:
- Delia Cristea | Power Sustainable
- Jill Daley | Eli Lilly Canada Inc.
- Carlton Mathias | Ontario Power Generation
- Monic Pratch | FortisBC
- Nicole Vaz | Trillium Health Partners
Business Achievement Award:
- Chris Jackson | Peterson Group
- William Liske | Losani Homes
- Doug Nathanson | Empire Company Limited
- Alena Thouin | Ontario Financing Authority
Litigation Management Award
:
- Mélissa Beaudry | Bell Canada
- Ernie Chan | Aecon Group Inc.
- Mark Douglas Cooper | Marsh & Mercer Canada
- Lorne O’Reilly | Dow Chemical Canada
- Kristin Taylor | University of Toronto
- Nickola Voegelin | University of Waterloo
Mid-Market Excellence Award
:
- Andrea Fellows | Amica Senior Lifestyles
- Aileen Gien | Infrastructure Corporation
- Chris Jackson | Peterson Group
- William Liske | Losani Homes
- Dinesh Ramanathan | Fengate Asset Management
- Steven Teal | Canaccede Financial Group Ltd. (and Fidem Finance Inc.)
Osler Purdy Crawford Deal Making Award:
- Michèle Lefaivre | Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
- Matthew (Matt) Segal | OMERS Infrastructure
- David Snarch | MDA Space Ltd.
- Nadia Somani | Forum Asset Management (Forum) – Forum Real Estate Income and Impact Fund (REIIF)
- Francesco Tallarico | Apotex Inc.
- Alysha Valenti | Oxford Properties Group
Sun Life Tomorrow’s Leader Award:
- Charbel (“Chuck”) Andary | Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority
- Rachael Andrew | Cortland Credit Group Inc.
- Samson Chan | London Drugs Limited
- Benjamin Farrow | Brookfield Asset Management
- John Murray | Slate Asset Management
- Kosta Starostin | Cohere Inc.
Join us on June 3, 2025, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto for an evening of recognition and celebration as we honour their achievements at the 20th Anniversary of the CGCA. Reserve your table today: https://www.cgca.ca/table-reservation
The 2025 CGCA is presented by The Financial Post and ZSA Canada, in partnership with Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG), Deloitte, Dentons, Gowling WLG, McCarthy Tétrault, Norton Rose Fulbright, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Sun Life, and Women General Counsel Canada.
The 2025 CGCA is presented by The Financial Post and ZSA Canada, in partnership with Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG), Deloitte, Dentons, Gowling WLG, McCarthy Tétrault, Norton Rose Fulbright, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Sun Life, and Women General Counsel Canada.