Canadian Lawyer

www.canadianlawyermag.com 37 managing director, general counsel, and corporate secretary at CPP Investments. "I wear a number of hats in the organization, in addition to my general counsel hat," she says, including roles on the senior investment and investment strategy and risk committees. She leads a global team of 95 people across cities including Toronto, Mumbai, Hong Kong, New York, London, and São Paulo. "We manage through what we call a hybrid model," she explains, balancing internal expertise with external partnerships. For compliance, the team is lean but strategically placed, led by Katie Daniels. "Compliance needs to be fit for purpose, with an understanding of the global regulatory environment and a clear understanding of our business." "We are pretty leanly staffed given our size, and we work really closely with our investment teams," she says. External firms must understand CPP Investments' mandate and its evolving regulatory context. "What's going on in the US right now with all of the regulatory change means that there's regulatory change being looked at in the UK or Australia." Sustainability is embedded in strategy. "When I started in this organization almost 10 years ago, we had a sustainable investing policy." It's a core evaluation lens: "It can give you really good opportunities to increase the value of a portfolio company or to optimize it on its sale." "Generative AI is a big topic for us," she says. CPP Investments uses a sandbox to test legal agents while safeguarding data. "We're always really careful about where the information is going and who has access to it." Walch-Watson's advice to lawyers: "Be curious, be proactive… Take the time to get to know people and stay in touch…" PATRICE WALCH- WATSON Company: CPP Investments Title: Senior Managing Director, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary Steering legal strategy and governance for one of the world's largest pension investment managers Patrice Walch-Watson sits at the intersection of law, business, and leadership as senior Bottling, is at the forefront of addressing the company's economic challenges, particularly concerning trade uncertainties. While the company produces most beverages domestically, it relies on a complex North American supply chain. "There are certain goods, materials, ingredients in our products, that we may source even locally, but that at some point were in the United States," Bowmile explains. This interconnectedness means that abrupt changes in trade policies can have significant impacts. With the evolving landscape of tariffs, Bowmile notes, "Right now, tariffs would be the big buzzword... The Canadian government has said we are going to impose countervailing tariffs on the tariffs that the United States have announced... There's potential for those tariffs to directly impact us." The company is proactively preparing for various scenarios, evaluating how potential tariffs on US goods could affect costs and supply chains. Simultaneously, Bowmile emphasizes, "We are a Canadian company. We're Ontario incorporated. We're owned, majority owned, by Canadians, and we manage our production here in Canada." In his role, Bowmile assesses legal risks, manages regulatory compliance, and strategizes around external pressures. His responsibilities span from contract negotiations and real estate investments to labour and risk management. Reflecting on his career path, Bowmile notes that he began at Dentons, with a secondment at the Ontario Securities Commission. His initial exposure to in-house legal work was at Aecon Construction, where he observed the integral role of in-house counsel in business operations. This experience solidified his interest in becoming not just a lawyer but also a business advisor. Personal circumstances led Bowmile to transition in-house, allowing him to balance professional and family responsibilities. His journey underscores the importance of adaptability and proactive engagement in navigating complex trade and legal landscapes. MICHAEL BOWMILE Company: Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Limited Title: Vice President and General Counsel Navigating trade challenges Michael Bowmile, vice president and general counsel at Coca-Cola Canada

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