Description

Please join this meeting, either in-person or over Zoom, to discuss meaningful ways to engage with indigenous communities and businesses. We are joined by two speakers with significant experience that have offered to share their insight and experience with us:

   7:30am   Welcome and Introductions

   7:40am   Mike Williamson (20 minute presentation, 10 minutes Q&A)

   8:10am   Craig Noordmans (20 minute presentation, 10 minutes Q&A)

   8:40am   Open Discussion on Working with First Nations

Mike Williamson, CEO of Cascadia Seaweed, will present the story of Cascadia Seaweed, growing to be the largest ocean cultivator of seaweed in North America.  An important part of this story is the partnerships and relationships with coastal First Nations, stewards of the water in which the seaweed grows.  Mike will talk about his experiences both with this new, emerging Blue Economy sector as well as with working closely with the coastal communities. (Mike's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-williamson-2120843/)

Craig Noordmans is an applied anthropologist with over 30 years of diverse experience working with First Nations peoples and governments. Craig will speak of the different considerations and lessons he has learned throughout his career, and how this learning may apply to companies seeking to strategically engage with aboriginal groups as part of their business plans. He will outline some approaches for companies to context themselves for positive interaction, along with a frank interactive discussion on specific situations faced by attending membership. 

Craig is known for his approach of active listening, creative business solutions, and resolving difficult and contentious negotiations.  Craig was also a founding investor and director of a leading company in the clean energy space (Whitefox Technologies), providing awareness of the many challenges facing startup companies within the technology sector. (Craig's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-r-noordmans-902a8b21/)

Many thanks to Ondrej Richter (Empowered Hydrogen) and Bobbi Leach for securing this month's presenters for us.

For more information on joining VIATEC Peer Roundtables, or to attend this session, please contact Rob Bennett by e-mail at rbennett@viatec.ca and describing how you meet the CEO Peer Roundtable eligibility criteria here.