Sergio Marchi Named President And CEO of the Canadian Electricity Association

Effective February 9, the Honourable Sergio Marchi assumes the position of President and CEO of CEA, replacing retiring President and CEO Jim R. Burpee.

The top priority for Mr. Marchi will be to lead CEA as the industry meets the challenges and capitalizes on opportunities associated with building the electricity infrastructure of the future. Recognizing that the Canadian electricity system is aging and its basic infrastructure needs to be strengthened, refurbished and expanded, there is an urgent need for informed decision-making both in policy development and on-going infrastructure investment if Canada is to maintain the reliability, affordability and sustainability of the electricity system that Canadians rely upon, says the CEA.

Marchi is Principal of the Marchi Group, and Chairman of the Arton Capital Advisory Board, a financial advisory firm specialized in Investor Immigration Programs. He also serves as a Director of Avalon Rare Metals, a Canadian mining company in the rare earths sector; and with Lithium Americas, a Canadian exploration company with world-class lithium reserves in South America.

Marchi was a Canadian Member of Parliament for 15 years, where he served as a Cabinet Minister for the Environment; Citizenship and Immigration; and International Trade.

After leaving the political arena, Marchi was appointed Canadian Ambassador to the World Trade Organization and United Nations. He was also appointed by the United Nations Secretary General as a Commissioner on the International Migration Commission, and is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Council on Migration. As well, he teaches in the International Affairs Faculty of Webster University in Geneva, and serves as a public speaker on a variety of global issues.