The Ontario government's decision to partially privatize Hydro One's transmission and distribution business has restarted debate about the appropriate role of the private sector in the electricity industry, and ways in which privatization can effect short- and long-run performance. What will be the impact on costs, infrastructure investment, and rates of a privately-owned and managed entity? What can be learned from other jurisdictions that have also restructured their electricity sectors over the last 20 years?

Join three electricity sector experts for answers to these questions and insights on how privatization has worked elsewhere: Professor Stephen Littlechild, former regulator of the U.K. electricity industry; Dwight Duncan, former Minister of Energy and Deputy Premier of Ontario; and John McManus, Senior Advisor at Borealis Infrastructure.

Associate Professor Guy Holburn, Director of the Ivey Energy Policy and Management Centre, and Suncor Chair in Energy Policy, will lead an interactive discussion with the panel on lessons for Ontario.

Event Details

November 30, 2015
4:00-7:00 p.m.

4:00 p.m. Registration and networking
4:30-5:30 p.m. Keynote address and panel discussion
5:30-6:00 p.m. Q&A
6:00-7:00 p.m. Cocktails and appetizers

Location: Ivey's Tangerine Leadership Centre (formerly ING DIRECT Leadership Centre)
King & York St., Toronto

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This event is now full and registration is closed. If you are interested in attending our morning event, please click here for details.

Topics You Will Explore

• Privatization and regulation of the electricity sector
• Lessons from the U.K. experience and how they apply to Ontario
• Opportunities for Ontario in the electricity industry

About the Speakers

Stephen Littlechild
Stephen Littlechild is Emeritus Professor, University of Birmingham, and
Fellow, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. He is also an
international consultant on competition, privatisation and regulation in
the utility sector. Professor Littlechild advised the UK government on
the regulation of the privatised industries during the 1980s. This
included designing RPI-X incentive regulation for BT in 1983. He was the
first Director General of Electricity Supply and head of the Office of
Electricity Regulation (OFFER) from 1989-98. Previously he was Professor
of Commerce at the University of Birmingham (1975-89) and Member of the
Monopolies and Mergers Commission (1983-89). He has also been an Expert
Member of the Airport Price Control Advisory Group of the Civil
Aviation Authority (2005-9), and Commissioner at Postcomm (2006-11). He
has advised the World Bank, governments, regulatory agencies and
regulated companies in many countries including the UK, Poland, India,
Algeria, Thailand, Philippines, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Italy,
Germany, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, China,
Russia, Romania, Guernsey, Jersey and Canada. He has also published some
200 papers on regulatory and other issues. Professor Littlechild has a
Bachelor of Commerce degree (University of Birmingham) and a PhD
(University of Texas at Austin). He was awarded honorary degrees D Sc
(Hon) (University of Birmingham) and D Civ Law (Hon) (University of East
Anglia).

Dwight Duncan
Along with being a senior strategic advisor at McMillan LLP, Dwight Duncan also advises a number of other businesses and is a Special Advisor to the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS). He has had a distinguished career in public service, which spanned close to 25 years. During his time as a Member of the Ontario Legislature he served as Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance, Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet, Chair of Cabinet, Government House Leader, Minister of Energy, Minister of Revenue, Minister of Government Services and Opposition House Leader. He delivered six budgets and authored historic reforms to Ontario's tax, pension, insurance, and energy regimes. Duncan also had Ministerial responsibility for the Ontario Securities Commission, the Ontario Energy Board, Hydro One, and Ontario Power Generation. He holds an honours Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA from the University of Windsor, as well as a B.A. in Economics from McGill University.

John McManus
In his role as Senior Advisor, John McManus supports the CIO, Private
Markets and the Borealis leadership team in infrastructure asset
management, assessment of investment opportunities, relationship
development and mentorship. McManus joined Borealis in 2001 and has held
a number of key senior roles, most recently as head of the London U.K.
office. He has significant operational, advisory and board expertise in
sectors ranging from regulated utilities to nuclear power to
telecommunications satellite technology. He has been responsible for the
Borealis/OMERS investment in Bruce Power since its inception. McManus
also serves on the boards of High Speed 1, Associated British Ports,
Scotia Gas Networks, Caruna Networks and Detroit River Tunnel
Partnership (DRTP). He has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of
Toronto and holds both a Chartered Professional Accountant and
Chartered Accountant designation. 
 

About the Moderator

Guy Holburn, Director, Ivey Energy Policy and Management Centre
Guy Holburn is the Suncor Chair in Energy Policy and an Associate
Professor of Business, Economics, and Public Policy at the Ivey Business
School. His area of expertise is in the intersection of business
strategy and public policy. Much of his research is applied to strategy
and policy issues in the energy and utilities sectors. He has been
awarded major research grants by the Canada Foundation for Innovation,
Olin Foundation, the University of California Energy Institute,
California Public Utilities Commission, Ontario Centres of Excellence,
and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He is
currently leading a multi-year research program on the regulation of
the energy sector in Canada. He has published in leading economics and
management journals, and has written for national media. Prior to his
academic career, Holburn worked as a management consultant for Bain and
Company in the U.K. and South Africa. He received his MA and PhD from
the University of California, Berkeley, and his BA Hons. (First Class)
from Cambridge University.