Don Roberts
Don is the only Vice Chair at a financial institution whose primary mandate is to develop a renewable energy and clean tech practice. In 2009, Don took a year-long sabbatical in order to identify opportunities for CIBC in these sectors, and to design and guide the national future “Bio-pathways Project”.
Since 2009, CIBC has arranged over $1.5 billion in equity financings and advised on the purchase/sale of over $10 billion in assets for companies in the Renewable Energy and Clean Technology space. During the past 12 months alone, CIBC has lent approximately $600 million of its own capital to finance specific projects generating electricity from wind, hydro, geothermal, landfill gas, biomass, clean natural gas and transmitting renewable power. The Bank is now one of the top arrangers for renewable power project finance in Canada. To provide focus in the Clean Tech segment, CIBC is emphasizing four specific areas: Energy Efficiency, Waste-to-Energy, Green Chemistry and Water. Last year CIBC co-led the largest Clean Tech IPO on the TSX, and is active in performing private placements.
