About Us
Directors Global Risk Consulting Inc. (DGRCI) is a professional services firm based in Canada which focusses in three areas: Enterprise Risk Management; Risk Training for Boards and Executive Teams; and general Risk Management Consulting.
Who we are
Clients of DGRCI are located from around the world. We provide advice on risk management which is internationally recognized and practiced, referring to global standards such as ISO 31000:2018. We are considered a thought leader on risk management and our papers have appeared in numerous publications including New York Times #1 Best Seller “The Handbook of Board Governance” (Wiley Press 2016, 2020 and pending 2023 editions), and in “Enterprise Risk Management: Todays Leading Research and Best Practices for Tomorrow’s Executives, 2nd Edition” (Wiley Press, 2021).
We bring years of risk consulting experience from having rendered advice to large, complex organizations in numerous industries, including in heavy Manufacturing, Electrical and Water Utilities, Professional Services/Accounting, Financial Institutions including Insurance Companies, Health Services, Food and Food Manufacturing, Property Management, Energy and others.
Our teaching and speaking engagements include at the Institute of Corporate Directors, the Governance Professional of Canada, and at York University’s Masters in Financial Accountability program and at other Universities across Canada.
Directors Global is now 100% dedicated to Risk Management Consulting. Effective June 1, 2018 Directors Global ceased to offer insurance products (our insurance operations merged with Benson Kearley IFG).
Visions, Missions, Values
Vision
We aim to be one of Canada’s most highly respected risk management consulting firms.
Mission
To provide value through the provision of superior risk management advice, equipping organizations to meet and exceed corporate objectives with more predictability.
Values
Directors Global seeks to conduct ourselves with the principles of absolute honesty, integrity and fairness in everything we do, and we’ll always do the right thing. We aim to protect our clients’ achievement of organizational objectives with focus on quality first- not always the cheapest price short-term; agility; innovation; creativity; customization; intensity; and discipline… we’ll always do what we say we’ll do.
Our Leadership
Stephen (“Steve”) served as a director on two Canadian Government Federal Crown Corporations, including at VIA Rail Canada (2012-2017) where he served as Chair of the Governance, Risk, and Strategy Committee, and at the Standards Council of Canada (2008-2012) where he sat on the Audit Committee. He served from 20211-2021 on Canada’s CSA/ISO/TC262 Mirror committee: Risk Management.
Steve has provided risk management education to hundreds of executives, directors, and business students across Canada including at the Institute of Corporate Directors DEP/ICD.D program, at the Governance Professional of Canada (GPC) accredited program, and at York University to students in the Masters Financial Accountability program.
Prior to founding his own firm in 2007, he served as CEO, Managing Director and Region Head within two international insurance brokerages. In 2007 Steve founded his own firm and in 2018 Directors Global divested its insurance brokerage operations, and now focusses 100% on risk consulting.
He has led teams providing funding for water wells supplying nourishment to 24,000 people in Africa. Steve is a frequent public speaker, is regularly quoted in business publications, and has written papers appearing in internationally acclaimed books.
Steve and his wife Jill have three wonderful children, and three very energetic grand children.
Advisory Board
The former President and CEO of AIG Canada, Gary McMillan retired in 2012 after thirty-six years but remains the Non-Executive Chairman and Chair of Canada’s Board of Directors. After joining AIG Canada in 1976, Gary was named President of AIG property and casualty companies in 1980. In 2003, Gary was named President and Chief Executive Officer of all AIG companies in Canada, which consisted of eight companies involved in various aspects of Financial Services. During his tenure, Gary led AIG to become the largest commercial insurer in Canada through the establishment, licensing and acquisition of numerous AIG companies.
In his personal time, Gary served as the Head Coach for a travelling Rep baseball team for 11 years. The team played throughout Southern Ontario and tournaments in Ohio and Michigan.
Gary is proud father to two successful children, and has been married for many years to his wife Charlene.
In his capacity as New Brunswick Chair for TEC, Mike advised numerous CEO’s of some the most successful organizations in New Brunswick.
Mike has served as a judge for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year Awards. In addition to building two companies, Mike developed a strategic marketing program for the province of New Brunswick, was also a partner at HarleyMallory Inc., a marketing and public affairs firm.
Mike’s formal education includes a BBA from the University of New Brunswick, an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, and a certificate in French from La Sorbonne in Paris. Mike has taught marketing communications and human resource management to business students at the University of New Brunswick.
Mike and his wife Norah live in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, and have four successful children and numerous grand children.
Andy Poprawa is a former regulator with 40 years of experience in senior financial, risk management and leadership roles. He currently serves on the boards of a number of financial institutions including Educators Financial Group, Motus Bank, the Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation as well as several other corporate and not-for-profit organizations.
He is currently senior strategic advisor to a number of clients including regulatory agencies and private corporations. Andy is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant and Certified Government Financial Manager.
He served as President & CEO of the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Ontario from 1993 to 2016, as a senior regulator with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions for 10 years and as a Chief Financial Officer of an airline subsidiary. Andy was co-founder and long-time Chair of the International Credit Union Regulators Network. He has served on the Ontario Chapter Executive of the Institute of Corporate Directors and the Governance Advisory Committee at the Conference Board of Canada. In 2009, he earned his Chartered Director designation and was awarded the Gil Bennett Gold Standard Award by the Directors College. Andy can be reached through LinkedIn.
Andy and Rita have been married for 40 years and are blessed with a wonderful family.
Eric has an established background in providing consulting advice to insurance brokerages, as well as several major insurers. He is experienced in assurance services and a broad range of specialty services including operations management, corporate finance, acquisitions and divestitures, valuations, tax, sales and regulatory matters. As a founding partner of CooksonWalker LLP, now part of Baker Tilly LLP, Eric has been consulting to insurance organizations for over 20 years in nearly every province of Canada. Recognized by the courts as an expert in the valuation of brokerages, Eric is a Chartered Business Valuator. He has developed and led seminars that have been attended by hundreds of brokers on issues ranging from operations management to enhancing the value of brokerages.
Eric’s education and qualifications include: a Master of Business Administration, McMaster University 1979; Honours Bachelor of Arts, University of Toronto, 1977; Chartered Accountant (C.A.), 1982; Chartered Business Valuator, 2001; Certified Fraud Examiner, 1996.
Prior to starting CooksonWalker, Eric worked at Ernst & Young Inc. (formerly Clarkson Gordon Inc.) performing financial statement assurance, operations consulting, and insolvency services. Eric is a regular speaker to the insurance industry, and regularly writes articles for Canadian business publications.
Eric and his wife Marnie are proud parents of three successful kids.