Members of the Investor Advisory Panel

The Investor Advisory Panel consists of nine members, including the panel’s chairperson. Each member of the panel is appointed for a two-year term.

Brigitte Catellier

Ms. Catellier is co-director of the Investor Protection Clinic at Osgoode Hall Law School where she is also an adjunct professor. The Clinic provides free legal advice to people who believe their investments were mishandled and who cannot afford a lawyer. As co-director of the Clinic she oversees all activities including strategic direction, file management, student supervision and seminar instruction. Ms. Catellier obtained her BCL/LLB degrees from McGill University and was admitted to the Quebec Bar. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute, Ms. Catellier is a Member of the Board of Governance Professionals of Canada and currently serves as VP, Corporate Governance and Compliance at Meridian Credit Union.

Supriya Kapoor

Ms. Kapoor is the founder and principal of Aurelius GRP, an investment governance, regulatory and policy consultancy. As a regulatory consultant Ms. Kapoor provides advice and guidance to develop effective compliance programs, operational infrastructures, and robust governance structures to ensure investor needs and interests are being appropriately met. Ms. Kapoor has over 20 years experience in securities regulatory compliance, including as Chief Compliance Officer and a member of management of multiple registered firms.

Deborah Leckman

Ms. Leckman is a member of the Board of Trustees of OPTrust, serves as an advisor to the Investor Protection Clinic at Osgoode Hall Law School, and is a former Commissioner to the Ontario Securities Commission. A CFA Charterholder, Ms. Leckman is a senior investment professional with over 30 years experience in the retail wealth and pension fund industries, and has held executive roles in the private and public sectors. Ms. Leckman has been appointed for two-year term effective January 1, 2023.

Cary List

Cary List most recently served as President & CEO of FP Canada, the non-profit body that confers CFP and QAFP certification, before retiring after 21 years with the organization. In his role, Mr. List worked to elevate the professional standards, proficiencies and competencies of financial planners and make financial planning more accessible for all Canadians. In 2021, he was recognized for lifetime achievement for his contributions to the financial planning profession. A strong advocate for greater financial literacy and empowerment, Mr. List served on the inaugural National Steering Committee for Financial Literacy. Mr. List holds the FCA, FCPA and CFP designations and the FP Canada Fellow distinction.

Parham Nasseri

Mr. Nasseri has over 15 years of regulatory and wealth management experience, which includes senior roles in regulatory analytics, digital transformation and loss valuation with the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments.  He is a past Chair of the Canadian Advocacy Council of CFA Societies Canada and is a CFA Charterholder. Mr. Nasseri currently serves as Vice-President, Product & Regulatory Strategy at InvestorCOM. 

James (Jim) Sinclair

Jim Sinclair has over 35 years of experience providing legal services in a wide variety of capital markets settings, including a focus on investor protection and issues facing investors. Most recently, he served as General Counsel at Common Wealth, a company that offers a digital retirement platform to help Canadians achieve their retirement goals. He served for over five years as the General Counsel at the Ontario Securities Commission, and was also acting Director of Enforcement at the OSC, where he helped usher in the OSC Whistleblower Program. Prior to joining the OSC, Jim was the Director of Legal Services at the Ontario Ministry of Finance, where he was engaged in significant securities, pension, insurance and tax reform. Before joining the Ministry, Jim held senior legal and compliance roles in the public and private sectors.

Ilana Singer, Chair

Ms. Singer is Vice-President and Corporate Secretary of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF), and a bilingual member of CIPF’s senior management team. She leads a team that focuses on claims, policy issues, communications and stakeholder outreach, and corporate secretarial matters. Ms. Singer is a Securities Expert for the World Bank, providing a global perspective on investor compensation schemes. Ms. Singer previously served as an adjunct instructor for the Investor Protection Seminar at Osgoode Hall Law School, Chair of the Securities Advisory Board of the Toronto Centre, and Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Director at FAIR Canada.

Leslie Wood

Leslie Wood is a chartered professional accountant and former senior executive in the investment fund industry and brings over 25 years of experience to the IAP. She has successfully completed several mutual fund acquisitions, product re-engineerings, systems integrations, and conversions, brand and distribution developments, and oversights of all back-office operations and new product launches. Leslie retired in 2016 and now serves on multiple independent review committees.