Nick Le Pan has been appointed chair of the Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB) for a three-year term, the board announced today.

Le Pan is replacing Gordon Thiessen, who is retiring from the position he’s held since the CPAB’s founding in 2002. Le Pan will begin his term in April 2008.

Le Pan has served the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) in various roles, including superintendent of financial institutions from 2001 to 2006, and deputy superintendent from 1995 to 2001.

Before joining the OSFI, he was a senior officer in the federal Department of Finance, where he led a task force that finalized a government white paper on the supervisory, deposit insurance and policyholder protection regime and pursued legislation to implement the proposals.

As assistant deputy minister, financial sector policy branch, Le Pan led the 1992 review of Canadian financial institutions legislation, and was actively involved in international negotiations on financial services.

Most recently, he acted as a special advisor to the commissioner of the RCMP to review and report on its integrated market enforcement teams.

“Nick Le Pan was the unanimous choice of the Council. He was involved in the formation of the CPAB and we believe he will provide great leadership,” said David Wilson, chair of the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and chair of the Council of Governors of the CPAB, in a release.