Institute of Corporate Directors Expands National Director Education Program to Manitoba

WINNIPEG and TORONTO, June 2, 2014 /CNW/ - Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD), the national association for Canadian directors and boards, today announced that its flagship program, the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program (DEP), will launch in Manitoba this year at the Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba.

"The ICD has been engaged with Manitoba's director community for many years through our local chapter. Therefore, it was important that we bring the best-in-class experience offered by the DEP to Winnipeg," said Stan Magidson, president and CEO, Institute of Corporate Directors. "The collaboration with the Asper School of Business will ensure that directors and senior executives in this part of Canada receive director education of the highest standard."

"The role of the board director has increasingly become more complex and time intensive," said Richard Powers, national academic director of the DEP at the Rotman School of Management. "By staying ahead of the curve directors can bring more value to the boards they serve, as well as make meaningful contributions to the advancement of good directorship."

The DEP is the leading national program for directors in Canada. Topics in the 12-day program include overseeing strategic direction, monitoring financial performance, guiding human capital and compensation and assessing enterprise risk. The inaugural offering of the DEP in Winnipeg will begin in November, 2014. The application deadline is October 2, 2014.

"The ICD serves a dynamic community of directors and business leaders in Manitoba who believe that better boards lead to better business," said Scott Baldwin, president of QSM Consulting, director of the Manitoba Arts Council, and an alumnus of the DEP. "The DEP addresses challenges faced by directors in a relevant and engaging way, and helps then develop new perspectives that will allow them to be more effective in their board work."

Notable graduates of the DEP include the Hon. Brian Tobin, Chair, New Flyer Industries, Joy Cramer, Deputy Minister of Family Services, Government of Manitoba, and Gail Stephens, Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

"The Asper School of Business is proud to offer the DEP program to our province's vibrant and diverse community of directors," said Dr. Michael Benarroch, Dean of the Asper School of Business and CA Manitoba Chair in Business Leadership. "The ICD's decision to bring the program to Asper speaks to the strength of our school. It will enhance our commitment to serving the Manitoba business community and keep us at the forefront of business education in Canada."

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 seven top business schools: University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, Asper School of Business at University of Manitoba; Haskayne School of Business at University of Calgary; University of Alberta School of Business; Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University; Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University; and the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary's University. Since the launch of the DEP, over 3,000 directors have completed the program.

About the Institute of Corporate Directors
The Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) is a not-for-profit, member-based association representing Canadian directors and boards across the for-profit, not-for-profit, and Crown sectors. The ICD has more than 8,500 members and 11 local chapters across Canada. 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)

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Maliha Aqeel
Director, Communications
Institute of Corporate Directors
Tel: [phone], ext. 229
Email: [email protected]