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Board oversight

Our Board plays an active role in overseeing our governance processes and ensuring management makes decisions in the best interests of our members.

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Board governance

Our Board is independent and oversees management of the pension fund and administration of the pension plan.

The plan sponsors, the Ontario government and Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF), each appoint five Board members and they jointly select the chair. Board members are subject to maximum term limits.

This governance structure plays a crucial role in the plan’s success.

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Proactive, engaged and independent

Our experienced Board is active and engaged. They meet with portfolio companies, investment partners, governments and other stakeholders to help the Board fulfill its governance responsibility by giving it a better understanding of the risks and strategic opportunities the plan faces.

Defined benefit pension plans like Ontario Teachers’ are, by design, lifetime benefits, so the Board needs to have a long-term mindset even when dealing with immediate crises. Considerable time at the Board and management tables is spent on strategy and vision.

Since its inception, Ontario Teachers’ has been overseen by independent, professional Board members who are required to make decisions in the best interest of all beneficiaries of the plan.

Board committees

  • Chair: Debbie Stein

    Members: Martine Irman, Gene Lewis, George Lewis and Tom Wellner

    Responsible for the oversight of:

    • Financial reporting
    • Accounting systems
    • Internal controls over financial reporting
    • Governance-related matters

    Read a detailed description of the Audit & Actuarial Committee [PDF].

  • Chair: Gene Lewis

    Vice-Chair: Monika Federau

    Members:

    • Marie Moftah, L'Association des enseignantes et des enseignants
    • Horst Schweinbenz, Retired, Teachers of Ontario
    • Rick Belisle, Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association
    • Liana Holm, Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario
    • Paul Elliott, Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation
    • Michael Attwood, Kevin Moriarty and Deb Tatters, Government of Ontario

    Considers and determines appeals, as provided in Section 87 of Schedule 1 of the Teachers’ Pension Act, from the decisions of Ontario Teachers’ staff concerning a person’s entitlement to, or the amount of, a pension benefit.

    While this is a Board committee, its 10 members include only two Board members. Five committee members are nominated by the Ontario Teachers' Federation and three by the Ministry of Education.

    Read a detailed description of the Benefits Adjudication Committee [PDF].

    For information on appealing decisions, members can read: Your Guide to Benefit Appeals [PDF].

  • Chair: Patti Croft

    Members: Monika Federau, Cindy Forbes and Debbie Stein

    Assists Ontario Teachers’ in fulfilling its governance responsibilities, which involves reviewing and reporting to the Board on Ontario Teachers’ system of governance, including changes to the:

    • Corporate Governance Principles and Proxy Voting Guidelines
    • Code of Conduct
    • Anti-Bribery/Anti-Corruption Policy
    • Portfolio Company Governance Policy and oversight of portfolio company governance

    Read a detailed description of the Governance Committee [PDF].

  • Chair: Cathy Cranston

    Members: Patti Croft, Monika Federau, Cindy Forbes, Martine Irman, M. George Lewis and Tim Hodgson

    Provides oversight and recommendations on:

    • Succession
    • Compensation
    • Performance results
    • Employee relations
    • Overall human resource matters, focusing on issues pertaining to the CEO, and executives reporting directly to the CEO and the Chief Investment Officer

    Read a detailed description of the People & Compensation Committee [PDF].

  • Chair: M. George Lewis

    Vice-Chair: Tim Hodgson

    Members: All remaining Board members

    Assists Ontario Teachers’ in fulfilling its responsibilities as manager of the pension fund, including:

    • Overseeing the investment of assets
    • Investment-related liabilities
    • Management of surplus (or deficit) of the plan

    Read a detailed description of the Investment Committee [PDF].

  • Chair: Cindy Forbes

    Members: Gene Lewis, Tim Hodgson, Cathy Cranston and Tom Wellner

    Assists the Board in fulfilling its governance responsibilities, including:

    • providing oversight over the identification, assessment, management and reporting of significant and emerging risks
    • maintaining an integrated approach to oversight of all enterprise level risks 
    • remaining knowledgeable about enterprise level risks overseen by other OTPP committees
    • reviewing material areas of operational risk including information technology, cyber security, and vendor risk

    Read a detailed description of the Enterprise Risk Committee [PDF].

Find out more about our Board

Our Board members have a deep range of experience and expertise across a variety of sectors and disciplines.

Meet our board