Candidate Profile – Stephen Pepper, GP LL.M, MBA, B.Eng., P.Eng., CD

NAME Stephen Pepper, GP LL.M, MBA, B.Eng., P.Eng., CD EMPLOYER AND POSITION Chief Financial Officer, S2e Technologies Inc. EDUCATION • Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering – Royal Military College • Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Officer Training (Canadian Forces School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering) • Master of Business Administration (York University) • Global Professional Master of Laws (University of Toronto) EMPLOYMENT HISTORY • S2e Technologies Inc. – Chief Financial Officer, Present • China Construction Bank, Canada – Head of Credit and Risk Management • Fifth Third Bank – Vice President, Structured Finance • Ozz Solar Developments – Chief Engineer • State Bank of India – Assistant Vice President, Special accounts • Bank of Montreal – Senior Relationship Manager • Canadian Armed Forces – Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Officer

ACTIVITIES IN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS 

I have been a member of the OSPE’s Ontario Energy Task Force approximately 10 years and am currently serving as Chair.  In this role, I have represented OSPE in Ontario Energy Board consultations, meetings with Minister of Energy and staff, Opposition Leaders and Critics and Members of Provincial Parliament.

OTHER PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

1. NATO Military Service Medal
2. Canadian Decoration (Military)
3. Guest Speaker, International Conference of Electrical Inspectors (jointly sponsored by Electrical Safety Agency and Canadian Safety Agency – Topic “Emerging developments impacting Ontario’s Electrical System”
4. Previous Treasurer – Emmanuel United Church, Brampton (10 years)

CANDIDATE STATEMENT

As a young engineer, it seemed that while there could be technical solution to virtually any problem, there never seemed to be any money.  So, I obtained an MBA and went into the banking space to learn how the “money business” works. I took a military engineer’s “solution-oriented” mindset into finance and worked with entrepreneurs on many construction, manufacturing and technology businesses. Explaining the technical merits of a project using financial terms understandable to financial risk executives was a unique skill that significantly helped in getting financings done.

Later, I found that regulatory, legal, trade, tax and contractual issues increasingly became critical issues preventing projects and technologies from obtaining financing. I went back to school and obtained a Business Law degree to enhance my ability to manage complex financing, legal and regulatory issues associated with my clients.

Despite our excellent reputation for advocating for the public interest, as reflected in engineering hourly billing rates our professional standing has significantly eroded over time. Peer professions regularly command rates that are multiples of what the most senior consulting engineers can charge.

My two children are engineers (One is a Structural Engineer working towards her chartership at Arup London, UK and the other is completing a Software Engineer undergraduate degree).  I strongly believe that OSPE needs to focus on student engineers.