CIBC has appointed Don Roberts as Vice Chairman, renewable energy and clean technology in its wholesale banking group, the bank announced Tuesday.

Roberts’ role will be to integrate the bank’s expanding efforts in investment banking, lending and trading to provide capital and advice to companies within these high-growth sectors.

“It is clear that the market for clean and renewable sources of energy is growing in Canada and across North America,” says Richard Nesbitt, chairman and CEO of CIBC’s wholesale banking division.

“Many Canadian companies are emerging as leaders in the sector and will need increased access to capital,” explains Nesbitt. “CIBC has assisted many of these companies in the past and we plan to reach out to all players in the marketplace to determine how we can help them respond to growing opportunities.”

While Roberts will focus on companies in the renewable energy and clean technology sectors, he will also explore opportunities in the emerging carbon and water markets, as well as the future of the forest industry.

Roberts has been a leading equity analyst in Canada for the past decade, ranking number one in seven of the past 10 years. He is regarded as a global thought-leader in the fields of bio-energy and forest products, and spent the last year analyzing opportunities for growth in both the clean energy and forestry sectors. He holds an M.B.A. (Hon), in Finance, from the University of Chicago, an M.S. in Forestry Economics from the University of California at Berkeley, and a B.Sc. (Hon) in Resource Economics from the University of British Columbia.

“Having studied this space extensively, I believe the sector provides significant growth opportunities for developers and investors alike,” says Roberts, who will coordinate CIBC’s corporate lending, debt and equity financing, M&A advisory and trading activities.

“Total capital invested in clean energy has increased 60% over the last five years. I expect investment to grow even faster in the coming years with technological and cost breakthroughs coming at a rapid rate,” he adds.

IE