Janet is the Founder and Managing Partner of Staircase Ventures.  Staircase recognizes that founders are the bedrock upon which companies are built and therefore provides unparalleled dedication to accelerating founders’ development and performance.

Prior to launching Staircase Ventures, Janet was Managing Partner at Real Ventures, one of Canada’s largest and most active early-stage investors.

In addition, Janet is very active in the Canadian tech ecosystem; she is the Co-Chair of C100 and on the Boards of Communitech in Waterloo, Vector Institute in Toronto, and Ivey Business School.  She is also a mentor at Creative Destruction Lab.

In 2004, Janet launched Kijiji.ca and grew it to become one of the most visited websites in Canada.  Subsequently, she led the Kijiji Global business, launching the website in new countries and accelerating growth in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Janet also spent four years at eBay in Silicon Valley where she helped transform eBay from a Collectibles to a mainstream marketplace.  She started her career as a Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble and then joined McKinsey & Co. where she was an Engagement Manager.  She also founded and built a successful consulting business and was CEO at a venture-backed start-up prior to joining Real Ventures.

Janet was a varsity long-distance runner and competed internationally in triathlons.  Today she balances her active lifestyle with being a wife and mother to her 17-year-old son.

Mr. Cunningham was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) from 2018 to 2022 and Vice Chair and Special Advisor to the incoming President and Chief Executive Officer until his retirement on March 31, 2023. Prior to becoming, CEO, Mr. Cunningham was the Senior Vice President, Global Head of Real Estate and Natural Resources at PSP Investments. He served on the Executive Committee, Senior Management Committee, the Management Risk and Investment Committee, as well as the Talent Committee. Mr. Cunningham was responsible for leading and implementing the organization’s transformative workplace strategy and was also a key driver of the diversity awareness and inclusion initiatives and the development of a common corporate culture of collaboration and teamwork. With over 35 years of experience, Mr. Cunningham has deep industry knowledge and expertise in the real estate and financial industries. Mr. Cunningham joined PSP Investments in 2004 and was instrumental in building the Real Estate group into one of the largest, most respected and successful institutional investment teams in the world. He also led the team responsible for Natural Resources’ success in investing globally and establishing relationships with best-in-class local operators. Mr. Cunningham also served as Chair of the Board at Revera Inc. Prior to joining PSP Investments, he worked in various roles in the real estate finance industry with Merrill Lynch Real Estate Finance Group, Brazos (Hudson) Advisors Canada, National Bank of Canada and Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Cunningham holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Queen’s University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986.  

Trustee of SmartCentres^®  since May 1, 2013. Vice Chairman, Deloitte Canada from 2006 to 2013 and the National Managing Partner of Deloitte’s Technology, Media and Telecommunication practice from 1998 to 2006. Mr. Foster was a member of the Deloitte’s board of directors from 2004 to 2012. He previously served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Baycrest Foundation, as well as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Mr. Foster has served as the Chair of the Presto Fare Card Committee since August 2015. Mr. Foster is also currently the Chief Executive Officer of Cortleigh Capital Inc., a director and Chair of the audit committee of Real Matters Inc. and since June 2017 a director of Payments Canada. Mr. Foster is a Chartered Professional Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (1974) and a Masters of Business Administration from Schulich School of Business (1975) and an ICD.D certification from the Rotman School of Business (2009).

Executive Chair of the Board since February 14, 2018. Mitchell Goldhar is the founder of SmartCentres shopping centres and owner of the Penguin Group of Companies. Mr. Goldhar has been in the real estate business for over 35 years. Since opening the first new Canadian Walmart store in Barrie, Ontario in 1994, Mr. Goldhar has developed 75 million square feet in over 265 shopping centres across Canada (including the development of 176 Walmart stores). Mr. Goldhar is a graduate of York University with a Bachelor of Political Science, a Director of Onex Corporation, a Director Emeritus with the SickKids Foundation and for 12 years has been an adjunct professor with the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management. Mr. Goldhar is also on the University of Toronto steering committee, Advisory Board for the Canadian Sports Concussion Project and is owner of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club. Trustee of SmartCentres since July 8, 2005.

Trustee of SmartCentres^® since July 2, 2015. Greg Howard is a senior partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, one of Canada’s leading law firms, and is one of Canada’s pre-eminent real estate lawyers. His wide-ranging expertise includes commercial real estate acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, development projects, project financing, commercial leasing, real estate investment trusts, private equity funds, workouts, strategic planning and corporate matters. He has been recognized as one of the country’s leading real estate lawyers by Chambers Global, The Legal 500, Real Estate Law and numerous other sources. He obtained his LL.B. (with Honours) from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 1978 and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1980.

Ms. Lachance is since 2017 Managing Director of Tribal Partners Canada Inc., a company involved in the development of industrial and commercial buildings across Canada. From 2010 to April 2017, Ms. Lachance was Executive Vice President, Real Estate Development for Sobeys Inc., a retail and food distribution company. Prior to joining Sobeys Inc., she was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of First Capital Reality Inc. She previously held senior real estate positions with both regional and national grocery retailers.

Ms. Lachance holds a MBA from McGill University in addition to a law degree from Université Laval and was admitted to the Québec Bar in 1982. She is a certified director (ICD.D) of the Institute of Corporate Directors and serves as a board and investment committee member of BTB Real Estate Investment Trust.

Trustee of SmartCentres^® since May 31, 2019, Sharm Powell’s 30-year career, spanning real estate, banking, brokerage and investments has provided her with diverse experience from both the principal and intermediary sides of the business. This includes investing for Canada’s largest pension fund, investment banking with a major Canadian bank and investment sales with the largest global brokerage firm.

Ms. Powell has extensive experience in property acquisitions, sales, development and redevelopment (including mixed-use and site intensification projects) and structuring long-term joint ventures. She also has experience in the areas of public and private market financing (including equity, debt, convertible debentures and mortgages) as well as mergers & acquisitions, public market takeovers and corporate restructurings.

Most recently, she was a Director at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and was head of its Real Estate Investments team for Canada. During a portion of her tenure at CPPIB, Ms. Powell also headed CPPIB’s US Retail and its US Multi Family (rental apartment) real estate investments and property portfolio. While at the fund, Ms. Powell studied the impact of e-commerce on shopping centres and the impact of disruptive technologies on real estate. Ms. Powell’s role included a focus on stewardship, environmental, social and governance (ESG) awareness and accountability/transparency to stakeholders.

Prior to joining CPPIB, Ms. Powell worked for eight years on the National Investment Team (Toronto) at CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), the largest commercial real estate services company in the world, and spent eight years at BMO Capital Markets in its investment banking group in Toronto, focusing primarily on public real estate companies and REITs. Prior to this, Ms. Powell worked at McLeanco Realty, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank Securities, providing real estate advisory services to public and private institutional real estate clients.

Ms. Powell holds a BA in Economics from the University of Western Ontario.

Michael Young is President of Quadrant Capital Partners, Inc. which he founded in November 2003. From January 1994 to October 2003, Mr. Young served as Managing Director and Head of Real Estate Investment Banking for CIBC World Markets. Mr. Young was appointed Global Head of Real Estate for CIBC World Markets in 1997. He has been Trustee of SmartCentres^® since November 2003 and currently serves as Lead Independent Trustee. He served on the Board of Acasta Enterprises, Inc. from June 2017 until his resignation in February 2018. Mr. Young was a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Milestone Apartments REIT from March 2013 until April 2017, when Milestone Apartments REIT completed a “going private” transaction with Starwood Capital Group as the purchaser. He was a Director of Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. from March 2011 and a Director of Brookfield Homes from 2007. On March 12, 2015 Brookfield Residential Properties completed a “going private” transaction with Brookfield Asset Management as the purchaser. Mr. Young holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Janet is the Founder and Managing Partner of Staircase Ventures.  Staircase recognizes that founders are the bedrock upon which companies are built and therefore provides unparalleled dedication to accelerating founders’ development and performance.

Prior to launching Staircase Ventures, Janet was Managing Partner at Real Ventures, one of Canada’s largest and most active early-stage investors.

In addition, Janet is very active in the Canadian tech ecosystem; she is the Co-Chair of C100 and on the Boards of Communitech in Waterloo, Vector Institute in Toronto, and Ivey Business School.  She is also a mentor at Creative Destruction Lab.

In 2004, Janet launched Kijiji.ca and grew it to become one of the most visited websites in Canada.  Subsequently, she led the Kijiji Global business, launching the website in new countries and accelerating growth in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Janet also spent four years at eBay in Silicon Valley where she helped transform eBay from a Collectibles to a mainstream marketplace.  She started her career as a Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble and then joined McKinsey & Co. where she was an Engagement Manager.  She also founded and built a successful consulting business and was CEO at a venture-backed start-up prior to joining Real Ventures.

Janet was a varsity long-distance runner and competed internationally in triathlons.  Today she balances her active lifestyle with being a wife and mother to her 17-year-old son.

Trustee of SmartCentres^®  since May 1, 2013. Vice Chairman, Deloitte Canada from 2006 to 2013 and the National Managing Partner of Deloitte’s Technology, Media and Telecommunication practice from 1998 to 2006. Mr. Foster was a member of the Deloitte’s board of directors from 2004 to 2012. He previously served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Baycrest Foundation, as well as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Mr. Foster has served as the Chair of the Presto Fare Card Committee since August 2015. Mr. Foster is also currently the Chief Executive Officer of Cortleigh Capital Inc., a director and Chair of the audit committee of Real Matters Inc. and since June 2017 a director of Payments Canada. Mr. Foster is a Chartered Professional Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (1974) and a Masters of Business Administration from Schulich School of Business (1975) and an ICD.D certification from the Rotman School of Business (2009).

Ms. Lachance is since 2017 Managing Director of Tribal Partners Canada Inc., a company involved in the development of industrial and commercial buildings across Canada. From 2010 to April 2017, Ms. Lachance was Executive Vice President, Real Estate Development for Sobeys Inc., a retail and food distribution company. Prior to joining Sobeys Inc., she was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of First Capital Reality Inc. She previously held senior real estate positions with both regional and national grocery retailers.

Ms. Lachance holds a MBA from McGill University in addition to a law degree from Université Laval and was admitted to the Québec Bar in 1982. She is a certified director (ICD.D) of the Institute of Corporate Directors and serves as a board and investment committee member of BTB Real Estate Investment Trust.

Janet is the Founder and Managing Partner of Staircase Ventures.  Staircase recognizes that founders are the bedrock upon which companies are built and therefore provides unparalleled dedication to accelerating founders’ development and performance.

Prior to launching Staircase Ventures, Janet was Managing Partner at Real Ventures, one of Canada’s largest and most active early-stage investors.

In addition, Janet is very active in the Canadian tech ecosystem; she is the Co-Chair of C100 and on the Boards of Communitech in Waterloo, Vector Institute in Toronto, and Ivey Business School.  She is also a mentor at Creative Destruction Lab.

In 2004, Janet launched Kijiji.ca and grew it to become one of the most visited websites in Canada.  Subsequently, she led the Kijiji Global business, launching the website in new countries and accelerating growth in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Janet also spent four years at eBay in Silicon Valley where she helped transform eBay from a Collectibles to a mainstream marketplace.  She started her career as a Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble and then joined McKinsey & Co. where she was an Engagement Manager.  She also founded and built a successful consulting business and was CEO at a venture-backed start-up prior to joining Real Ventures.

Janet was a varsity long-distance runner and competed internationally in triathlons.  Today she balances her active lifestyle with being a wife and mother to her 17-year-old son.

Mr. Cunningham was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) from 2018 to 2022 and Vice Chair and Special Advisor to the incoming President and Chief Executive Officer until his retirement on March 31, 2023. Prior to becoming, CEO, Mr. Cunningham was the Senior Vice President, Global Head of Real Estate and Natural Resources at PSP Investments. He served on the Executive Committee, Senior Management Committee, the Management Risk and Investment Committee, as well as the Talent Committee. Mr. Cunningham was responsible for leading and implementing the organization’s transformative workplace strategy and was also a key driver of the diversity awareness and inclusion initiatives and the development of a common corporate culture of collaboration and teamwork. With over 35 years of experience, Mr. Cunningham has deep industry knowledge and expertise in the real estate and financial industries. Mr. Cunningham joined PSP Investments in 2004 and was instrumental in building the Real Estate group into one of the largest, most respected and successful institutional investment teams in the world. He also led the team responsible for Natural Resources’ success in investing globally and establishing relationships with best-in-class local operators. Mr. Cunningham also served as Chair of the Board at Revera Inc. Prior to joining PSP Investments, he worked in various roles in the real estate finance industry with Merrill Lynch Real Estate Finance Group, Brazos (Hudson) Advisors Canada, National Bank of Canada and Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Cunningham holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Queen’s University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986.  

Trustee of SmartCentres^® since May 31, 2019, Sharm Powell’s 30-year career, spanning real estate, banking, brokerage and investments has provided her with diverse experience from both the principal and intermediary sides of the business. This includes investing for Canada’s largest pension fund, investment banking with a major Canadian bank and investment sales with the largest global brokerage firm.

Ms. Powell has extensive experience in property acquisitions, sales, development and redevelopment (including mixed-use and site intensification projects) and structuring long-term joint ventures. She also has experience in the areas of public and private market financing (including equity, debt, convertible debentures and mortgages) as well as mergers & acquisitions, public market takeovers and corporate restructurings.

Most recently, she was a Director at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and was head of its Real Estate Investments team for Canada. During a portion of her tenure at CPPIB, Ms. Powell also headed CPPIB’s US Retail and its US Multi Family (rental apartment) real estate investments and property portfolio. While at the fund, Ms. Powell studied the impact of e-commerce on shopping centres and the impact of disruptive technologies on real estate. Ms. Powell’s role included a focus on stewardship, environmental, social and governance (ESG) awareness and accountability/transparency to stakeholders.

Prior to joining CPPIB, Ms. Powell worked for eight years on the National Investment Team (Toronto) at CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), the largest commercial real estate services company in the world, and spent eight years at BMO Capital Markets in its investment banking group in Toronto, focusing primarily on public real estate companies and REITs. Prior to this, Ms. Powell worked at McLeanco Realty, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank Securities, providing real estate advisory services to public and private institutional real estate clients.

Ms. Powell holds a BA in Economics from the University of Western Ontario.

Michael Young is President of Quadrant Capital Partners, Inc. which he founded in November 2003. From January 1994 to October 2003, Mr. Young served as Managing Director and Head of Real Estate Investment Banking for CIBC World Markets. Mr. Young was appointed Global Head of Real Estate for CIBC World Markets in 1997. He has been Trustee of SmartCentres^® since November 2003 and currently serves as Lead Independent Trustee. He served on the Board of Acasta Enterprises, Inc. from June 2017 until his resignation in February 2018. Mr. Young was a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Milestone Apartments REIT from March 2013 until April 2017, when Milestone Apartments REIT completed a “going private” transaction with Starwood Capital Group as the purchaser. He was a Director of Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. from March 2011 and a Director of Brookfield Homes from 2007. On March 12, 2015 Brookfield Residential Properties completed a “going private” transaction with Brookfield Asset Management as the purchaser. Mr. Young holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Trustee of SmartCentres^®  since May 1, 2013. Vice Chairman, Deloitte Canada from 2006 to 2013 and the National Managing Partner of Deloitte’s Technology, Media and Telecommunication practice from 1998 to 2006. Mr. Foster was a member of the Deloitte’s board of directors from 2004 to 2012. He previously served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Baycrest Foundation, as well as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Mr. Foster has served as the Chair of the Presto Fare Card Committee since August 2015. Mr. Foster is also currently the Chief Executive Officer of Cortleigh Capital Inc., a director and Chair of the audit committee of Real Matters Inc. and since June 2017 a director of Payments Canada. Mr. Foster is a Chartered Professional Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (1974) and a Masters of Business Administration from Schulich School of Business (1975) and an ICD.D certification from the Rotman School of Business (2009).

Executive Chair of the Board since February 14, 2018. Mitchell Goldhar is the founder of SmartCentres shopping centres and owner of the Penguin Group of Companies. Mr. Goldhar has been in the real estate business for over 35 years. Since opening the first new Canadian Walmart store in Barrie, Ontario in 1994, Mr. Goldhar has developed 75 million square feet in over 265 shopping centres across Canada (including the development of 176 Walmart stores). Mr. Goldhar is a graduate of York University with a Bachelor of Political Science, a Director of Onex Corporation, a Director Emeritus with the SickKids Foundation and for 12 years has been an adjunct professor with the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management. Mr. Goldhar is also on the University of Toronto steering committee, Advisory Board for the Canadian Sports Concussion Project and is owner of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club. Trustee of SmartCentres since July 8, 2005.

Trustee of SmartCentres^® since July 2, 2015. Greg Howard is a senior partner at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, one of Canada’s leading law firms, and is one of Canada’s pre-eminent real estate lawyers. His wide-ranging expertise includes commercial real estate acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, development projects, project financing, commercial leasing, real estate investment trusts, private equity funds, workouts, strategic planning and corporate matters. He has been recognized as one of the country’s leading real estate lawyers by Chambers Global, The Legal 500, Real Estate Law and numerous other sources. He obtained his LL.B. (with Honours) from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law in 1978 and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1980.

Ms. Lachance is since 2017 Managing Director of Tribal Partners Canada Inc., a company involved in the development of industrial and commercial buildings across Canada. From 2010 to April 2017, Ms. Lachance was Executive Vice President, Real Estate Development for Sobeys Inc., a retail and food distribution company. Prior to joining Sobeys Inc., she was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of First Capital Reality Inc. She previously held senior real estate positions with both regional and national grocery retailers.

Ms. Lachance holds a MBA from McGill University in addition to a law degree from Université Laval and was admitted to the Québec Bar in 1982. She is a certified director (ICD.D) of the Institute of Corporate Directors and serves as a board and investment committee member of BTB Real Estate Investment Trust.

Trustee of SmartCentres^® since May 31, 2019, Sharm Powell’s 30-year career, spanning real estate, banking, brokerage and investments has provided her with diverse experience from both the principal and intermediary sides of the business. This includes investing for Canada’s largest pension fund, investment banking with a major Canadian bank and investment sales with the largest global brokerage firm.

Ms. Powell has extensive experience in property acquisitions, sales, development and redevelopment (including mixed-use and site intensification projects) and structuring long-term joint ventures. She also has experience in the areas of public and private market financing (including equity, debt, convertible debentures and mortgages) as well as mergers & acquisitions, public market takeovers and corporate restructurings.

Most recently, she was a Director at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and was head of its Real Estate Investments team for Canada. During a portion of her tenure at CPPIB, Ms. Powell also headed CPPIB’s US Retail and its US Multi Family (rental apartment) real estate investments and property portfolio. While at the fund, Ms. Powell studied the impact of e-commerce on shopping centres and the impact of disruptive technologies on real estate. Ms. Powell’s role included a focus on stewardship, environmental, social and governance (ESG) awareness and accountability/transparency to stakeholders.

Prior to joining CPPIB, Ms. Powell worked for eight years on the National Investment Team (Toronto) at CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), the largest commercial real estate services company in the world, and spent eight years at BMO Capital Markets in its investment banking group in Toronto, focusing primarily on public real estate companies and REITs. Prior to this, Ms. Powell worked at McLeanco Realty, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank Securities, providing real estate advisory services to public and private institutional real estate clients.

Ms. Powell holds a BA in Economics from the University of Western Ontario.

Michael Young is President of Quadrant Capital Partners, Inc. which he founded in November 2003. From January 1994 to October 2003, Mr. Young served as Managing Director and Head of Real Estate Investment Banking for CIBC World Markets. Mr. Young was appointed Global Head of Real Estate for CIBC World Markets in 1997. He has been Trustee of SmartCentres^® since November 2003 and currently serves as Lead Independent Trustee. He served on the Board of Acasta Enterprises, Inc. from June 2017 until his resignation in February 2018. Mr. Young was a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Milestone Apartments REIT from March 2013 until April 2017, when Milestone Apartments REIT completed a “going private” transaction with Starwood Capital Group as the purchaser. He was a Director of Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. from March 2011 and a Director of Brookfield Homes from 2007. On March 12, 2015 Brookfield Residential Properties completed a “going private” transaction with Brookfield Asset Management as the purchaser. Mr. Young holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Janet is the Founder and Managing Partner of Staircase Ventures.  Staircase recognizes that founders are the bedrock upon which companies are built and therefore provides unparalleled dedication to accelerating founders’ development and performance.

Prior to launching Staircase Ventures, Janet was Managing Partner at Real Ventures, one of Canada’s largest and most active early-stage investors.

In addition, Janet is very active in the Canadian tech ecosystem; she is the Co-Chair of C100 and on the Boards of Communitech in Waterloo, Vector Institute in Toronto, and Ivey Business School.  She is also a mentor at Creative Destruction Lab.

In 2004, Janet launched Kijiji.ca and grew it to become one of the most visited websites in Canada.  Subsequently, she led the Kijiji Global business, launching the website in new countries and accelerating growth in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Janet also spent four years at eBay in Silicon Valley where she helped transform eBay from a Collectibles to a mainstream marketplace.  She started her career as a Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble and then joined McKinsey & Co. where she was an Engagement Manager.  She also founded and built a successful consulting business and was CEO at a venture-backed start-up prior to joining Real Ventures.

Janet was a varsity long-distance runner and competed internationally in triathlons.  Today she balances her active lifestyle with being a wife and mother to her 17-year-old son.

Ms. Lachance is since 2017 Managing Director of Tribal Partners Canada Inc., a company involved in the development of industrial and commercial buildings across Canada. From 2010 to April 2017, Ms. Lachance was Executive Vice President, Real Estate Development for Sobeys Inc., a retail and food distribution company. Prior to joining Sobeys Inc., she was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of First Capital Reality Inc. She previously held senior real estate positions with both regional and national grocery retailers.

Ms. Lachance holds a MBA from McGill University in addition to a law degree from Université Laval and was admitted to the Québec Bar in 1982. She is a certified director (ICD.D) of the Institute of Corporate Directors and serves as a board and investment committee member of BTB Real Estate Investment Trust.

Mr. Cunningham was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) from 2018 to 2022 and Vice Chair and Special Advisor to the incoming President and Chief Executive Officer until his retirement on March 31, 2023. Prior to becoming, CEO, Mr. Cunningham was the Senior Vice President, Global Head of Real Estate and Natural Resources at PSP Investments. He served on the Executive Committee, Senior Management Committee, the Management Risk and Investment Committee, as well as the Talent Committee. Mr. Cunningham was responsible for leading and implementing the organization’s transformative workplace strategy and was also a key driver of the diversity awareness and inclusion initiatives and the development of a common corporate culture of collaboration and teamwork. With over 35 years of experience, Mr. Cunningham has deep industry knowledge and expertise in the real estate and financial industries. Mr. Cunningham joined PSP Investments in 2004 and was instrumental in building the Real Estate group into one of the largest, most respected and successful institutional investment teams in the world. He also led the team responsible for Natural Resources’ success in investing globally and establishing relationships with best-in-class local operators. Mr. Cunningham also served as Chair of the Board at Revera Inc. Prior to joining PSP Investments, he worked in various roles in the real estate finance industry with Merrill Lynch Real Estate Finance Group, Brazos (Hudson) Advisors Canada, National Bank of Canada and Coopers & Lybrand. Mr. Cunningham holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Queen’s University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986.  

Trustee of SmartCentres^®  since May 1, 2013. Vice Chairman, Deloitte Canada from 2006 to 2013 and the National Managing Partner of Deloitte’s Technology, Media and Telecommunication practice from 1998 to 2006. Mr. Foster was a member of the Deloitte’s board of directors from 2004 to 2012. He previously served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Baycrest Foundation, as well as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Mr. Foster has served as the Chair of the Presto Fare Card Committee since August 2015. Mr. Foster is also currently the Chief Executive Officer of Cortleigh Capital Inc., a director and Chair of the audit committee of Real Matters Inc. and since June 2017 a director of Payments Canada. Mr. Foster is a Chartered Professional Accountant, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (1974) and a Masters of Business Administration from Schulich School of Business (1975) and an ICD.D certification from the Rotman School of Business (2009).

Trustee of SmartCentres^® since May 31, 2019, Sharm Powell’s 30-year career, spanning real estate, banking, brokerage and investments has provided her with diverse experience from both the principal and intermediary sides of the business. This includes investing for Canada’s largest pension fund, investment banking with a major Canadian bank and investment sales with the largest global brokerage firm.

Ms. Powell has extensive experience in property acquisitions, sales, development and redevelopment (including mixed-use and site intensification projects) and structuring long-term joint ventures. She also has experience in the areas of public and private market financing (including equity, debt, convertible debentures and mortgages) as well as mergers & acquisitions, public market takeovers and corporate restructurings.

Most recently, she was a Director at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and was head of its Real Estate Investments team for Canada. During a portion of her tenure at CPPIB, Ms. Powell also headed CPPIB’s US Retail and its US Multi Family (rental apartment) real estate investments and property portfolio. While at the fund, Ms. Powell studied the impact of e-commerce on shopping centres and the impact of disruptive technologies on real estate. Ms. Powell’s role included a focus on stewardship, environmental, social and governance (ESG) awareness and accountability/transparency to stakeholders.

Prior to joining CPPIB, Ms. Powell worked for eight years on the National Investment Team (Toronto) at CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), the largest commercial real estate services company in the world, and spent eight years at BMO Capital Markets in its investment banking group in Toronto, focusing primarily on public real estate companies and REITs. Prior to this, Ms. Powell worked at McLeanco Realty, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank Securities, providing real estate advisory services to public and private institutional real estate clients.

Ms. Powell holds a BA in Economics from the University of Western Ontario.

Michael Young is President of Quadrant Capital Partners, Inc. which he founded in November 2003. From January 1994 to October 2003, Mr. Young served as Managing Director and Head of Real Estate Investment Banking for CIBC World Markets. Mr. Young was appointed Global Head of Real Estate for CIBC World Markets in 1997. He has been Trustee of SmartCentres^® since November 2003 and currently serves as Lead Independent Trustee. He served on the Board of Acasta Enterprises, Inc. from June 2017 until his resignation in February 2018. Mr. Young was a Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Milestone Apartments REIT from March 2013 until April 2017, when Milestone Apartments REIT completed a “going private” transaction with Starwood Capital Group as the purchaser. He was a Director of Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. from March 2011 and a Director of Brookfield Homes from 2007. On March 12, 2015 Brookfield Residential Properties completed a “going private” transaction with Brookfield Asset Management as the purchaser. Mr. Young holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Western Ontario. He is a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.