The Empire Club of Canada
Monday, April 8, 2013
The Empire Club of Canada Presents:
Blake Hutcheson, Stephen Diamond, Paul Bedford in conversation with Christopher Hume
E.M. Blake Hutcheson, President and CEO, Oxford Properties Group Blake Hutcheson is the President and CEO of Oxford Properties Group and is responsible for overseeing the global business, consisting of approximately 21 billion dollars of assets under management and 1,400 employees in Canada, Europe and the USA. Prior to taking this appointment, Mr. Hutcheson was based in New York as the Head of Global Real Estate Investing for a multi strategy private equity firm, with offices in New York, London, Hong Kong and Mumbai. Prior to that, Mr. Hutcheson was the Chairman and President of CB Richard Ellis Canada from 1999 to 2008, and Latin America from 2001 to 2008, overseeing all operations in multiple countries with over 2.500 employees. Mr. Hutcheson has also served on several boards and committees including: Director of Algoma Central Corporation; Chair of Build Toronto, Chair of the Mayor of Toronto’s Fiscal Advisory Committee; President of the University Club of Toronto, Director of RealNet Canada, Director of REALpac and Chair of the Canadian Real Estate Forum. Mr. Hutcheson is a long time member of YPO and WPO and was selected as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, the London school of Economics, England and Columbia University, New York.
Stephen Diamond, President and CEO, Diamond Corp Stephen Diamond is President and CEO of Diamond Corp, a Toronto based land development company actively engaged in the acquisiti development of real estate. Diamondcorp manages the Whitecastle New Urban Fund and the recently launched Whitecastle New Urban Fund 2. Prior to the creation of Diamondcorp, Stephen served as partner at the law firm McCarthy Tétrault where he was head of the Municipal Law and Planning Group and also served on the Board of Directors. Stephen sits on the board of directors of Sunnybrook Hospital, and is Director of Whitecastle Investments Ltd. He is also actively involved in a number of community organizations including the Partnership to Advance Youth Employment, a City of Toronto initiative with a mandate to increase economic opportunities for youth.
Paul J. Bedford RPP, FCIP, Principal, Paul Bedford and Associates Paul Bedford is a Member and Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners with over 40 years of experience in urban planning. As Toronto’s Chief City Planner for eight years, he championed numerous innovative planning strategies including the Kings, a new City wide Official Plan and a principles plan for the Central Waterfront called Making Waves. Since his retirement in 2004, he has been appointed Adjunct Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Toronto and Ryerson University. He serves on the National Capital Commission’s Planning Advisory Committee, the Waterfront Toronto Design Review Panel and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Property Committee During 2006 to 2011, he served on the Metrolinx Board of Directors and helped develop a 50 Billion dollar regional transit plan called the Big Move. He is also a Senior Associate of the Canadian Urban Institute, a frequent public speaker, writer and passionate advocate of city life.
Christopher Hume, Toronto Star Columnist Christopher Hume is the architecture critic and urban issues columnist of the Toronto Star. In 2009, he won a National Newspaper Award, Canada’s highest award in print journalism, for his columns about architecture and urban affairs. Since the 1980s, when he began working for the Star, he has received five NNA nominations. In 2009, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada gave Hume its President’s Award for Architectural Journalism. He has also received a certificate of appreciation from the Ontario Association of Architects. His book, William James Toronto Views, won a Toronto Heritage Award in 2000 and in 2004 he received a Landscape Ontario award. Hume was named Toronto’s best newspaper columnist by NOW magazine in 2005 2006. In 2009, Hume hosted and wrote a one hour special about Canadian cities for CBC TV’s flagship series, The Nature of Things. Born in England in 1951, he came to Canada as a child. He was educated at the University of Toronto and Glendon College. Known as a champion of cities and the arts, Hume lives in downtown Toronto.
Moderator:
Christopher Hume, Toronto Star Columnist
Speakers:
Blake Hutcheson, President and CEO, Oxford Properties Group
Stephen Diamond, President and CEO, Diamond Corp
Paul Bedford, RPP, FCIP, Principal, Paul Bedford and Associates
*The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.*
*Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*