MICHAEL WALSH is Principal & International Managing Partner with Midgard Consulting Inc. Mr. Walsh is an economist and has been in the energy business since 1996. He has built First Nations project partnerships, shaped regulatory & electric industry policy, and participated in numerous generation asset acquisitions. Mr. Walsh spent over six years with Brookfield Renewable Power, where he was responsible for hydroelectric project development in Canada. Mr. Walsh also spent six years with CIBC World Markets and their commodities trading team. Mr. Walsh has lived and worked abroad. Mr. Walsh holds a Master of Industrial Relations from Queen’s University and a Bachelor in Economics from the University of Ottawa. Mr. Walsh has managed the technical team in charge of performing feasibility design work for a 25 MW hydroelectric project in Sierra Leone. Mr. Walsh has prepared financial models, has advised the owner on the power purchase agreement and associated terms, has advised the owner on the project valuation and has given investor presentations. Mr. Walsh has also acted as project manager and commercial analyst lead for a 45 MW Hydroelectric cluster located in British Columbia. Mr. Walsh has delivered economic studies across a range of energy related fields including natural gas price forecasts, electricity price forecasts, transmission cost forecasts, and construction cost forecasts to utility, government and industrial clients. In addition to economic forecasts, Mr. Walsh also regularly provides inter-jurisdictional market assessments and strategy assessments for client seeking to participate in the energy marketplace. Mr. Walsh played a key role in establishing mutually respectful relationships with First Nation communities across Canada, which subsequently facilitated the negotiation and implementation of several co-developments on Greenfield renewable energy projects. He also has previous experience advising First Nations communities in British Columbia regarding the technical and commercial development of a 50 MW hydroelectric project with storage. In this role, he advised the client in negotiations with BC Hydro, the provincial regulated electrical utility, on the means to secure the rights for a hydroelectric energy purchase agreement .Mr. Walsh has also acted as IBA Negotiator for various partnerships. His responsibilities included leading consultation with First Nation, negotiating and executing successful impact benefits agreement with the First Nations. He was also responsible for concluding, reaching and securing partnership agreements.