Directors Education Program Expands to Newfoundland and Labrador

Canada's leading program is now offered in 11 cities across the country

ST. JOHN'S, Oct. 19, 2015 /CNW/ - One week after launching the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program (DEP) in Ottawa, the Institute of Corporate Directors announced the program will now also be offered in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The inaugural offering of the DEP in St. John's is offered in collaboration with the Gardiner Centre, Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial University. The first module will begin on October 14, 2016 and the application deadline is April 28, 2016.

The DEP was jointly developed by the ICD and University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. The 12-day course is delivered over four three-day modules that combine practical learning delivered through lectures, real-life case studies, board simulations and peer-to-peer learning. Nationally, the program attracts a high calibre of participants from some of Canada's most renowned public, private and Crown corporations, resulting in insightful and relevant discussions around the room.

"The ICD has been active in St. John's for the past several years through the development of our local chapter. Through discussions at chapter events and participation in other ICD courses in the province, there appeared to be a strong interest in effective directorship," said Christian Buhagiar, Vice President of Education at the Institute of Corporate Directors. "We felt that this was the opportune time to launch the DEP in St. John's to help directors in Newfoundland and Labrador hone their skills and better equip them to handle evolving challenges in directorship."

The DEP is Canada's leading program for experienced directors, offered in 11 cities and with a network of over 3,800 graduates coast to coast. St. John's is the second city in Atlantic Canada to host the DEP. The first DEP in the region was launched in Halifax last year and sold out very quickly.

"The program's strength is in the ability to adapt the curriculum to address local and regional business dynamics, issues and challenges. The end goal is to design a learning experience that helps directors hone their skills, be more effective in discharging their duties and add value to the organizations they serve," said Richard Powers, National Academic Director of the DEP at University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.

"The Gardiner Centre is pleased to partner with the ICD and University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management to bring the Directors Education Program to Newfoundland and Labrador," said Dr. Wilfred Zerbe, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial University. "St. John's has a thriving economy and this program will enhance our school's commitment to serving Newfoundland and Labrador's business community and keep us at the forefront of business education in Canada."

Notable graduates of the DEP include Jo Mark Zurel, Chair of Newfoundland Power, Rob Crosbie, Past-Chair of Marine Atlantic and Siobhan Coady, President of Novocom Inc. All three hold the ICD.D designation, which is awarded to graduates of the DEP upon completion of a written and oral peer-review exam. The designation denotes a director's commitment to excellence in the boardroom through ongoing learning and development.

About the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program
The Directors Education Program was jointly developed by the ICD and Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto to help directors strengthen their skills, expand their knowledge and be more effective in creating and protecting value for the organizations and corporations they serve. The DEP is taught by leading business faculty, experienced directors and governance experts at top business schools in Canada: University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, Asper School of Business at University of Manitoba; Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University; Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University; Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan; Gardiner Centre, Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial University; Haskayne School of Business at University of Calgary; Levene Graduate School of Business, University of Regina; Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary's University; Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa; and the University of Alberta School of Business. Since the launch of the DEP, over 3,800 directors have completed the program. To learn more, visit www.icd.ca/DEP.  

About The Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD)
The Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) is the definitive 'go-to' resource and voice for Canada's directors and boards in the for-profit, not-for-profit and Crown sectors. As the national community for directors, the ICD is a not-for-profit, member-based association with more than 10,000 members and a network of 11 chapters across Canada. Representing the interests of directors, the ICD fosters the sharing of knowledge and wisdom through education, professional development programs and services, and thought leadership and advocacy to achieve the highest standard of directorship. For more information, please visit www.icd.ca.  

SOURCE Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD)

Media Contacts:Maliha Aqeel, Director, Communications, Institute of Corporate Directors, Tel: [phone], ext. 229, Email: [email protected]