OSC appoints Monica Kowal as Vice-Chair

TORONTO, July 24, 2014 /CNW/ - Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) Chair Howard Wetston today announced the appointment of Monica Kowal as Vice-Chair to the OSC, effective July 23, 2014. Monica served as OSC General Counsel since 2004, following a 15-year legal career in the private sector.

"The experience Monica gained while serving as General Counsel and her expertise in securities law arms her with a unique set of skills that make her the ideal candidate to perform the duties of Vice-Chair," said Howard Wetston, Q.C., Chair and CEO of the Ontario Securities Commission. "Vice-Chairs fulfill a vital role in carrying out the Commission's regulatory responsibilities and ensuring the advancement of our mandate. We look forward to benefitting from Monica's legal and securities experience on important regulatory initiatives and adjudication."

Recently, Monica played a critical role in the development of the OSC's women on boards and in senior management proposals and has also played a leading role on the Cooperative Capital Markets Regulatory System initiative.  In 2011, Monica completed a secondment at the Canadian Securities Transition Office, where she led the federal derivatives regulatory initiative and co-led the development of a harmonized set of federal securities regulation based on existing provincial securities regulation.

Monica was previously a partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP where, as a member of the Blake securities group, she was involved in extensive securities and corporate law matters. She was also a member of the Blake's team retained to provide advice to the OSC on an effort to reformulate regulatory policies into rules.

Monica assumes the role of Vice-Chair from Mary Condon, who returned to her position at Osgoode Hall Law School, and will continue to serve as a part-time OSC Commissioner. The OSC is grateful to Mary for her years of continued service to both the Commission and Ontario's capital markets.

As the regulatory body responsible for overseeing the capital markets in Ontario, the OSC administers and enforces securities legislation in the province of Ontario. The OSC's statutory mandate is to provide protection to investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices and to foster fair and efficient capital markets and confidence in capital markets.

SOURCE: Ontario Securities Commission

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