Entertainment & Media Outlook Launch Event

Speaker biographies

Tracey Jennings, Partner, PwC Canada

Tracey is the Canadian leader of PwC’s Technology, InfoComm and Entertainment and Media (TICE) practice and is also the Entertainment & Media (E&M) sector leader for Canada. Tracey works with clients in all TICE sectors with a particular focus in the E&M sectors including broadcasting, film production and distribution, digital media including video games, and newspapers. She has over 24 years of experience providing advice including tax consulting, compliance, and international tax advice to E&M companies from large multi-nationals to smaller emerging companies.

Tracey is frequently sought out to speak on a variety of topics relevant to the E&M industry including the challenges and opportunities for businesses on the shift to digital, the key trends as outlined in PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook, and on various tax incentives to companies considering investing in Canada.

Recently, Tracey has been providing services to both the public and private sectors as they address the challenges of the shift to digital including tax policy and issues of various tax incentives. Tracey is on the Advisory Board of nextMEDIA and the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus. She also chairs the Audit Committee and is a board member of Save the Children Canada. Tracey is a graduate in Business Administration and became a Chartered Accountant in 1989. She became a partner at PwC in 2000.

Michael Paterson, Partner, PwC Canada

Michael Paterson is a partner in the Audit and Assurance Group at PwC, on the Entertainment and Media team. Michael has conducted audits and provided advice on financial accounting and reporting matters for both Canadian and American publicly traded companies. He also has extensive experience assessing the effectiveness of internal control systems. Michael’s current and past clients include large public and private companies focused in television and radio broadcasting, publishing, television and film production, online media, and hospitality and leisure.

Michael shares practical advice on financial reporting practices, leads a collaborative team in delivery of services, and brings expertise as needed to address business issues. He has specific experience in complex areas including business acquisitions, financial instruments and valuation of assets. He recently supported the audit of a large multinational company converting to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in 2009.

Michael graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario with a BBA in 1999. He earned his CA designation in 2000 and was the Ontario Provincial Bronze Medalist on the National Uniform Final Exam of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. Michael also holds a Certified Public Accountant designation in the state of Illinois. He joined the firm in 1997. Michael is an editor of PwC’s annual Global Entertainment and Media Outlook.

Jerry Brown, Partner, PwC Canada

Jerry Brown is an associate partner in the Consulting practice of PwC working in the Toronto office. As part of the Performance Improvement team, he works closely with the Entertainment and Media industry and Supply Chain groups. Jerry has an impressive background in the media, consumer and industrial products, and trucking sectors. His clients have included most of the large media companies in Canada and he specializes in helping clients transform their business models to take advantage of the migration to digital media across all formats. He also works with federal and provincial government agencies to determine issues related to digital transformation and helps them to identify industry trends and develop policies.

Jerry has specialized in project management, process redesign and operational performance improvement in Canada and around the world. He had more than a decade of supply chain line management experience prior to joining PwC in 1986, including the operation of large truck fleets in the small package, electronics and rental sectors. Jerry earned a BSc in Mechanical Engineering (CNAA) in the UK in 1976 and is fluent in Portuguese.

In addition to Canada, he has worked for extended periods in the UK, Portugal and Switzerland. He has also been a keynote speaker at the recent Canada 3.0 digital media conference, as well as a regular speaker at industry events including the World Association of Newspapers, Magazines Canada and nextMEDIA.

Chris Dulny, Partner, PwC Canada

Chris Dulny is a Partner in the Audit and Assurance practice of PwC and is the national leader of the Technology practice. Chris is responsible for Canadian and US GAAP reporting for technology, software, and entertainment and media companies and has led a number of internal control initiatives. He has performed key audits and other services for a range of private technology companies and large multinational clients. Chris works exclusively in the firm’s Technology, Information Communications, Entertainment and Media (TICE) group and has a parallel focus on emerging companies in the technology space.

Chris has worked in PwC’s London, England office and holds CA and CPA designations. He graduated from the University of Western Ontario in London and Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo.

Gary Moss, CEO, IMAX

Gary Moss joined IMAX Corporation as Chief Operating Officer in July 2009. Prior to joining the Company, Gary was an independent consultant from 2008 until his employment with the Company. From 2004 to 2008 he served as COO and CFO of Concert Productions international, an operating subsidiary of Live Nation Inc. which promotes rock concerts and tours in North America. Gary worked with EMI Group Canada Inc. as Vice President of Finance from 1995 to 2004, and with Sega of Canada, Inc. as Vice President of Finance from 1993 to 1995. Gary is a Chartered Accountant and received his Bachelors of Commerce from University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Andrew Smith, SVP Corporate Strategy and M&A, BCE Inc.

Andrew Smith is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and M&A at BCE Inc. and Bell Canada. Prior to joining BCE Inc., he worked in the investment banking group of Merrill Lynch and the mergers and acquisitions group of Sullivan & Cromwell. He is a director of Northwestel Inc.

Andrew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Huron College at the University of Western Ontario, and a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Toronto.

Jeff McDowell, SVP, Business & Platform Marketing, Research In Motion Ltd.

Jeff McDowell is the Senior Vice President of Business & Platform Marketing at Research In Motion Limited. He is responsible for the growth of business markets across the globe as well the product marketing of all RIM’s software and service offerings. In his role, Jeff sets segment and vertical marketing strategies across the regions. He also influences the overall platform product direction and leads the product marketing strategies with tactics to bring products to market through its multitude of carrier, IT VAR and distribution channels.

Jeff joined RIM in 2002. Prior to joining RIM, Jeff had worked with companies such as Rogers Communications, Compugen Systems, and Bell Canada (Nexxia) in business development and senior sales positions.

As Manager, Wireless Data Solutions at Rogers, Jeff helped launch the first BlackBerry solution in Canada as well as many other various pioneering wireless data technologies.

Jeff holds an Honor’s Business degree from Bishop’s University.