The Empire Club of Canada
Hybrid
Thursday, February 26, 2026
As global supply chains realign and competition intensifies, Africa and the Caribbean are emerging as critical partners for countries seeking growth, diversification, and access to rapidly expanding markets. Canada’s strengths in finance, natural resources, infrastructure, technology, and education position it to play a more ambitious role as an investor, exporter, and innovation partner across both regions. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech in Davos has set the tone for Canadians to begin this important work.
On February 26, join The Empire Club of Canada for a timely conversation on the next chapter of Africa–Caribbean–Canada trade and investment. The program will feature a keynote address from Dexter John, CEO of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (Ontario), followed by a moderated discussion led by Christopher Nabeta, Director, OEM Sales and Strategy Canada at TD Auto Finance, and Empire Club Board Member, with Nimal Amitirigala, President, Grace Foods Canada, The Honourable Arielle Kayabaga, Member of Parliament for London West and Deputy House Leader in the House of Commons, and Nickolas Steele, Former Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Business of Grenada, to examine on-the-ground trade realities, investment flows, and the policy decisions that will determine whether this moment translates into shared prosperity across Africa, the Caribbean and Canada.
Join us in examining the next chapter of Africa–Caribbean–Canada trade: where the most promising opportunities lie, how to navigate risk and regulatory complexity, and what it will take to move from ad hoc deals to strategic, long term partnerships. From mobilizing capital, to building people-to-people and institutional ties, the discussion will define practical pathways to turn ambition into financially viable projects that convert potential into prosperity.
Dexter John is the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA). He brings more than 25 years of experience across governance, risk management, capital markets, and financial services regulation, and is widely regarded as a thoughtful leader on corporate governance and regulatory modernization.
Prior to joining FSRA, Mr. John served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Morrow Sodali (Canada) Ltd., where he advised public company boards and senior executives on governance, ESG strategy, shareholder engagement, executive compensation, and investor voting analytics. Earlier in his career, he held progressively senior leadership roles at leading governance and advisory firms, supporting issuers and boards on complex governance and transactional matters.
Mr. John’s career also includes early regulatory and market experience at the Investment Dealers Association, the Ontario Securities Commission, and the Toronto Stock Exchange, providing him with a strong foundation in capital markets regulation and oversight. He began his professional career practicing corporate law at Stikeman Elliott.
Christopher Nabeta is the Executive Chairman of Accelerate Auto and a seasoned leader in the automotive industry with a multifaceted career spanning across OEM, retail, and automotive finance. Currently serving as the Director of OEM Sales and Strategy at TD Auto Finance, Christopher’s leadership is defined by his unwavering commitment to fostering inclusive environments that promote equal opportunity and drive innovation.
Recognizing the automotive industry as one of the fastest-evolving legacy sectors, Christopher works to drive tech talent to consider it as a viable career path. He believes that, given the technological advancements of the past decade and the success of Silicon Valley automotive companies, legacy mobility brands would benefit from input from top tech minds in Canada and beyond.
Hon. Arielle Kayabaga is a Member of Parliament for London West, serving as Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Elected to the House of Commons in 2021, she has been a strong advocate for housing, as well as Canada–Africa trade and strategic engagement with African markets and diaspora communities. MP Kayabaga has served as Government House Leader and Minister of Democratic Institutions and previously served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business. She is also the former Chair of the Liberal Black Caucus and is recognized for her leadership and civic engagement, including being named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, and continues to champion equitable growth, democratic governance, and globally connected economies.
First elected in 2021, Ms. Kayabaga became the first Black woman to represent London in the House of Commons after serving as a City Councillor for downtown London. She is now serving her second term as MP for London West.
Passionate about inclusive growth and equitable international partnerships, Ms. Kayabaga is deeply engaged in advancing Canada–Africa relations, with a strong focus on trade, investment, sustainable development, and youth-led innovation. She actively champions deeper economic and strategic collaboration between Canada and African nations, recognizing Africa’s rapidly growing markets and entrepreneurial talent as critical drivers of global growth. She believes that this closer collaboration between Canada and African nations is key to building shared prosperity and advancing global innovation.
In Ottawa, Ms. Kayabaga introduced and passed Private Member’s Motion M‑59, which called on the federal government to improve supports for individuals with non‑visible disabilities as part of Canada’s disability inclusion strategy. She has contributed to the passage of major government affordability measures, played a leadership role in advancing the One Canadian Economy Act to strengthen internal trade and labour mobility, and championed investments in strategic infrastructure and workforce transition in Southwestern Ontario.
She has served on several parliamentary committees, including the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, the Standing Committee on Health, the Standing Committee on Official Languages, and the Standing Committee on Science and Research.
Ms. Kayabaga holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Carleton University. In 2023, she was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and was honoured as Politician of the Year by One Young World. Born in Bujumbura, Burundi, she immigrated to Canada as a refugee at the age of 11.
Nimal Amitirigala is a seasoned global executive with over 15 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, encompassing leadership roles in the UK, USA, and Canada. In his role as President of Grace Foods Canada Inc., a division of the GraceKennedy Group, he oversees the distribution of Caribbean and other multicultural food products across the country, bringing authentic flavors to Canadian homes. GraceKennedy Group is a publicly traded conglomerate of Food and Financial Services headquartered in Jamaica with more than 60 subsidiaries worldwide and revenues exceeding US$1B in 2024.
Throughout his career, Nimal has held senior positions in IT, global marketing, sales, and corporate strategy, contributing to the growth and international expansion of the GraceKennedy Group. His leadership is marked by a commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and community engagement. He has previously served as a Director of his Alumni Association, Club Director of the Kiwanis Club, a Director of Canadian Stage and is now a Director of Food & Beverage Ontario. Nimal was a Commonwealth Scholar to the University of Toronto where he earned a Master of Information Studies Degree specializing in Information Systems.
Nickolas Steele is a former Grenadian politician and Cabinet Minister.
Steele attended Westmoreland School, where he excelled academically—twice earning the distinction of Island Scholar. He went on to Northeastern University in the United States, wherehe majored in International Business and Political Science.
Upon his return to Grenada, he became very engaged in developing and managing various business enterprises, including Steele’s Auto.
In 2011, Nickolas Steele entered politics under the banner of the New National Party. He ran for, and won the constituency of the Town of St. George in the 2013 General Elections, and was appointed to serve in the Cabinet as Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Business.
In November 2014, he was appointed as Minister for Health, Social Security and International Business.
In the 2018 General Elections, he contested and won the constituency of South St. George, and was again appointed as the Minister for Health, Social Security & International Business. He has held the Health portfolio throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, effectively managing the Ministry for Health and helping to safeguard Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
In 2019, Minister Steele was elected to the Executive Council of the World Health Organization (WHO) during the 74th Annual World Health Assembly. He has also served two stints on the Board of the Global Fund. This provided Grenada with a greater influence in the global health
arena.
In 2022 he did not offer himself for re-election into government and has since re-entered private sector spearheading several business ventures in the Import, Export and Tourism sectors as well as a consultancy firm, Alegria Inc that spearheads G2G initiatives as well as B2B investments in the region.
In November 2024 Alegria Inc participated in the joint acquisition Juice Box, EnelxWay North America holdings.
