Our executive team

Meet our executive team

Meet the members of Ontario Power Generation (OPG)’s Executive Team, who help guide us in keeping OPG a clean energy leader.

Ken Hartwick profile photoKen Hartwick is OPG’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Ken joined OPG in March 2016 as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President - Finance. He was appointed President and CEO in April 2019.

Under Ken’s tenure, OPG has released its first-ever Climate Change Plan, advanced its electrification efforts through the Ivy charging partnership and PowerON subsidiary, launched a Reconciliation Action Plan, and is currently leading the development of Canada’s first Small Modular Reactor. The company is also undertaking multi-billion-dollar overhauls of its hydroelectric and Darlington Nuclear generating stations. The four-unit Darlington refurbishment, one of Canada’s largest clean energy infrastructure projects, remains on time and budget. Ken is currently leading OPG’s commitment to be a global leader in ED&I best practices and one of Canada’s best diversity employers.

Ken joined OPG from Wellspring Financial Corporation, where he was CFO and Treasurer. He held various senior positions in the energy sector, including interim President and CEO of Atlantic Power Corporation, CFO and CEO of Just Energy Corporation, and CFO of Hydro One. Ken previously held senior positions at Capgemini and was a partner at Ernst & Young LLP.

He is a Chartered Professional Accountant with an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Trent University and serves on a number of boards.

Originally from Norwood, Ontario (near Peterborough), Ken now lives in Milton with his wife. He has three grown children.

Nicole Butcher profile photoNicolle Butcher is OPG’s Chief Operations Officer. Nicolle is responsible for all of OPG's generating fleet with a capacity of over 15,600 MW consisting of 10 nuclear units, 66 hydro stations, two thermal stations, and a solar facility. She is also responsible for the engineering function, integrated fleet management, and the energy-related commercial business functions including energy trading, commercial contracting, and market affairs at OPG.

In addition, Nicolle is the Chair of the Board of both Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, OPG’s US hydro subsidiary and Atura Power, OPG’s subsidiary who owns and operates a fleet of combined cycle gas plants.

In her previous role as Senior Vice President, Renewable Generation and Power Marketing, Nicolle was accountable for the operation of hydroelectric and thermal generation in Ontario.

In her 22 years with OPG, Nicolle held a wide range of roles in OPG, including OPG’s Corporate Business Development and Strategy team, focusing on implementing OPG’s long-term strategic plan, including executing on $5B of acquisitions, building an electrification strategy, and driving an innovation culture at OPG. She also worked with Canadian Nuclear Partners (now Laurentis Energy Partners), leading a corporate-wide business transformation and developing the Portlands Energy Centre in Toronto.

In 2021, Nicolle was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and named Women of the Year by WIRE (Women in Renewable Energy) and APPRO (Association of Power Producers of Ontario).

She sits on the Board of Directors of WaterPower Canada and the MaRS-Advanced Energy Centre Advisory Board of Directors. Nicolle holds an MBA from McGill University, is a Chartered Business Valuator, and has earned an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Aida Cipolla profile photo

Aida Cipolla is OPG’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Aida and her team are responsible for providing OPG with strategic leadership and strategy for: business planning; accounting and financial reporting; treasury; taxation; fund management; commercial integration and strategy; internal audit; and enterprise risk management.

An experienced business executive, Aida joined OPG in March 2022 from Toronto Hydro, where she had worked since 2008, most recently as Executive Vice President and CFO. She supported critical initiatives such as electricity rate applications and successfully reshaped Toronto Hydro’s Finance function using transformational strategies that include automation, blending industry best practices, and practical business solutions to drive strong financial performance. She also led their Climate Action Plan financial strategy to support the Toronto’s Transform TO initiative towards sustainability, and Toronto Hydro’s financial response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to joining Toronto Hydro, Aida worked for KPMG LLP in Toronto and Dublin, Ireland, leading audit and advisory engagements.

Aida is known as a forward-thinking thought leader and spokesperson for the electricity industry. She is the first woman to chair the Electricity Canada (formally Canadian Electricity Association) CFO committee. Aida is a mentor through formal mentorship programs and is a strong advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. She was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in 2020 and as an Honouree in Canada's Top 40 Under 40 in 2019.

She is a Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA, FCA) and holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce Diploma with a minor in Economics from McMaster University, Michael G. DeGroote School of Business. Aida sits on the Board of Directors of Laurentis Energy Partners, Women’s College Hospital and Women’s College Hospital Academic and Medical Services Group.

Aida is a devoted wife and mother of two young children.

Heather Ferguson profile photoAs Senior Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Affairs, Heather’s focus includes ensuring progress on the company’s Reconciliation Action Plan, and advancing hydroelectric generation development across the province in partnership with local Indigenous communities. She is also responsible for all stakeholder, public and media outreach, government relations, Indigenous relations, and branding activities in support of OPG’s business goals.

Heather has more than twenty-five years’ experience in the resource development, energy and electricity sectors. This includes roles as OPG’s VP of New Business Ventures & Electrification, VP of Environment, and Director of the Hydro Business Development Group. In these roles, she was instrumental in starting OPG’s electrification business as well as assembling the OPG team working to advance small modular nuclear reactors. As the hydro business development lead, Heather and her team successfully built northern power projects in partnership with Indigenous communities. She also previously worked in the Calgary office of Golder Associates supporting clients from the mining and oil & gas sectors.

Heather currently serves as a Director on the Boards of Atura Power and Electricity Canada, and is Vice Chair of Electricity Canada’s Generation Council. She holds an undergraduate and Master's degree in Science from Queen's University, as well as an MBA from the Rotman School of Management.

Chris Ginther profile photoChris Ginther is EVP Business Strategy and Commercial Management at OPG. He joined the company in July 2012 as SVP and General Counsel, was appointed to Chief Administrative Officer in February 2017, and moved into his current role in October 2021.

Chris and his team are responsible for OPG’s business strategy, development, commercial structuring, negotiations and commercial positioning in support of OPG’s growth strategy. Chris is a member of the OPG’s Enterprise Leadership Team and other committees.

Chris received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1983 and graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1986. He received his Master of Laws Degree from Osgoode Hall in 1999.

Chris began his legal career at Torys LLP in Toronto. He has served as Vice President and General Counsel at BCE/Bell and Chief Legal Officer at Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

Steve Gregoris profile photoSteve Gregoris is the Chief Nuclear Officer for Ontario Power Generation. He is responsible for OPG’s nuclear fleet consisting of two stations and 10 nuclear units.
 
Steve has worked in the Nuclear Power industry for over 30 years, all with OPG/Ontario Hydro at both the Darlington and Pickering Nuclear Generating Stations. He brings expertise in areas such as operational excellence, leader development, performance improvement, and organizational effectiveness.
He started his career in Engineering and then moved to Operations, where he has held several positions including Certified Shift Manager and Operations Manager at Pickering, and Director of Operations and Maintenance at Darlington. In 2017, Steve completed a secondment with the World Association of Nuclear Operators in Atlanta as an Organizational Effectiveness Evaluator. Steve was Deputy Vice President for Pickering and prior to his current position, he was Senior Vice President for the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station.
 
Steve is a graduate of McMaster University with a B.A.Sc in Mechanical Engineering and is a member of Professional Engineers Ontario.
 
Steve is married and has two children. He enjoys motorsports and travelling.

Kim Lauritsen profile photoKim Lauritsen is OPG’s Senior Vice President of Enterprise Strategy & Energy Markets. Kim is responsible for OPG’s strategy development and leads the team responsible for interfacing with Ontario’s energy markets and markets in other jurisdictions.

Kim has more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry, having worked across various parts of the value chain, in several areas of the world. Prior to joining OPG in 2019, Kim worked at Origin Energy in Australia, focused on commercial strategy and transactions, renewable energy generation, liquefied natural gas projects, and customer-facing solutions, such as smart metering and virtual power plants. Prior to that, Kim worked at Shell in Europe, where she started her career with roles in finance, modeling, and economics.

Kim holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University, a Master’s of Science in Renewable Energy Development from Heriot-Watt University and an MBA from INSEAD. She is also a member of the C.D. Howe Energy Policy Council.

Brenda MacDonald bio photoBrenda MacDonald is OPG’s Senior Vice President, Growth, Commercial, and Supply Chain. In this role, Brenda and her team are responsible for structuring and negotiating the commercial relationships that support OPG’s growth strategy and managing these strategic relationships. She is also responsible for all aspects of supply chain and procurement, including OPG’s supply chain strategy that supports OPG’s nuclear and renewable generation operations, as well as growth and corporate functions.

Brenda joined OPG in 2013 as Vice President, Law and General Counsel. In this role she was accountable for the oversight and management of OPG’s legal affairs. In 2017, she took on the role of Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, helping develop and execute OPG’s regulatory strategies and policies, and leading the company’s interactions with economic regulators, market operators, and reliability organizations. In this role, Brenda led OPG’s rate application before the Ontario Energy Board to establish the company’s nuclear and hydroelectric rates for 2022-2026.

Prior to joining OPG, Brenda spent more than 15 years at Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE), holding various positions, including Assistant General Counsel for BCE’s Business Markets and Procurement. She also served as counsel for Abitibi-Consolidated (now Resolute Forest Products).

Brenda received a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from St. Francis Xavier University, and holds a Masters of Political Science in Political Studies and a Bachelor of Laws from Queen’s University. She currently services as President of the Board of the Association of Corporate Counsel (Ontario Chapter).

Carlton Mathias profile photosCarlton Mathias is the Chief Legal, ESG, and Governance Officer at OPG. Carlton lead’s OPG’s Law Division, OPG’s work towards accelerating Environmental, Social, and Governance performance and reporting, the Regulatory Affairs Division, and as the Chief Governance Officer is the trusted advisor to the OPG Board and leads OPG’s Corporate Governance Program. Carlton has received the Institute of Corporate Directors Designation and the ESG Global Competent Boards Designation.

Carlton is called to the Bar of Ontario, having graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School and the University of Toronto before that. He practiced first as a commercial litigator and then in energy and infrastructure law and was a partner at international Bay Street law firms. Carlton also worked at the Ministry of Energy leading the negotiation of inter-provincial power purchase agreements. Carlton has been at OPG for over 13 years.

Carlton is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors Chapter Executive for the Greater Toronto Area. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Governance Professionals of Canada and is the Chair of its Advocacy and Thought Leadership Committee. Carlton is also on the Board of Directors of PowerON Energy Solutions Inc., an OPG subsidiary that is a leader in the transit electrification business.

Carlton has been an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School instructing in both the Trial Practice and the Lawyer as Negotiator courses. 

Paul Séguin bio photoPaul Séguin is the Senior Vice President, Renewable Generation at Ontario Power Generation.  He is responsible for the safe operation of OPG’s hydroelectric, thermal and solar generation in Ontario. He brings an operations focus, with expertise in team building, leader development and organizational effectiveness.

In his 23 years with OPG, Paul has held a wide range of roles in Engineering and Operations at the Pickering Generating Station, as well as corporate support for Nuclear Operations. This includes positions as Certified Shift Manager, Operations Manager and the Director of Nuclear Oversight. Paul completed a secondment with the World Association of Nuclear Operators in Atlanta in 2021 supporting the evaluation of Organizational Effectiveness at a number of US nuclear facilities. Prior to this role, Paul was the Vice President of Niagara Operations.

Paul sits on the Board of Directors of Waterpower Canada and Eagle Creek Renewable Energy. Paul obtained a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick, and is a graduate of their Nuclear and Power Plant Engineering option program.

Dr. Neal Simmons profile photoNeal Simmons is Eagle Creek’s President and Chief Executive Officer bringing strategic leadership and strong innovation and technical expertise. Neal previously served as Senior Vice President of Engineering & Major Projects at Eagle Creek, as Vice President of Engineering at Cube Hydro, and as a professor of mechanical engineering at Duke University for 15 years. At Duke, he played a key role in the formation of Energy Engineering program. Neal remains committed to the importance of energy education and continues to teach courses at Duke on renewable energy technologies, modern power systems, hydroelectric generation, and engineering innovation. He has also overseen the rehabilitation, automation, and management of several damaged and underperforming hydroelectric projects.

Neal has started two successful engineering companies and has been granted over 30 US patents, which are licensed worldwide. He has over 90 peer reviewed publications and conference proceedings.

Neal graduated from Bucknell University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and from Duke University with a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science.

Subo Sinnathamby profile photo

Since joining OPG in 2001, Subo has held a variety of leadership positions at OPG within the Nuclear Division. More recently, Subo was appointed as OPG’s Chief Projects Officer. She plans to continue her focus on project excellence and building strong teams to enable generating clean, reliable power for all Ontarians. Subo recognizes the importance of driving project excellence by leading with world class project fundamentals, leveraging lessons learned and recognizing the importance of great leadership. Subo is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and serves on the Board of Directors for Atura Power and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization.

In her previous role as Senior Vice President, Nuclear Refurbishment, Subo was responsible for all aspects of the Darlington Refurbishment Project, preparing the plant for 30+ additional years of low-cost, safe and reliable power generation. Subo has led the Darlington Refurbishment through several milestones, including Unit 3’s successful return to commercial operations, ahead of schedule. Subo’s continued focus on innovation and building a sustainable culture have enabled the team to execute the Refurbishment scope to the highest standard. With the world watching, Subo’s leadership has propelled the Refurbishment Project to attention on a global stage, with leaders from stations across the world looking to benchmark OPG’s success.

A fierce advocate of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Subo is also the executive sponsor of OPG’s Women's  empowerment groups, designed to create an environment that allows women to thrive in the workplace. Subo also provides mentorship to women both internal to the organization and externally through a number of forums.

Subo is a graduate from the University of Guelph, with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Environmental Engineering and has been a member of the Professional Engineers Ontario since 1998.

Low pressure turbine steam inlet casings with stationary blades, remove from Darlington Unit 2 for refurbishment.

Board of Directors.

Our Board of Directors has extensive expertise managing large companies, including those with nuclear operations, and overseeing regulatory, government, and public relations.

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