Independent Review Group (IRG) is a group of independent consultants with expertise in corporate governance, risk management and financial institutions regulation. We have come together to blend our senior advisory and Board-level expertise to help firms find effective models to adjust or improve their governance and risk practices that are scale and mission-sensitive. We have not been contracted by, and are not affiliated in any way with OSFI.

The firms we represent and the individuals who can lead our teams are presented below:
 

Good Governance Specialists

IRI is the leading provider of good governance services to Canada’s investment fund industry. IRI supports over 20 mutual fund groups by running the Independent Review Committees (IRCs) required by NI 81-107.  IRI’s principals all serve on one or more IRCs and/or public company Boards. For the last six years, IRI has been facilitating annual self-assessment reviews by IRCs – as mandated by NI 81-107 – and is now an expert on such reviews.
 

Michele McCarthy, LLB – Banking Specialist – is a former General Counsel of Resmore Trust, UBS Bank (Canada) and Deutsche Bank AG.
Don McCreesh C.Dir - is an experienced board director with 30 years of experience as a Board Chair, Lead Director, Committee Chair and Director of a number of corporate, not for profit and charitable organizations, Don is currently Chair of Brainhunter Inc. (TSX:BH). He is also the Board Chair and Chair of the HR Committee of Educators Financial Inc. (previously known as Ontario Teachers Group).

Risk Management Specialists

RBI is named for our passion – and our competencies – resolving the risk conundrum for Boards, Directors and Executives.
 

Ron Schwartz is the managing partner of RBI. He is a seasoned executive consultant and a former PwC Consulting Partner, and IBM Executive. He has over 25 years of deep business and technology experience, including a role as an Interim CIO of a Canadian airline, where part of his direct operational responsibilities related to risk management and operational risk reduction. He has an MBA and is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC).