Banff Summit 2026

Rick Christiaanse serves as Chief Executive Officer of Invest Alberta Corporation, leading Alberta’s global investment attraction strategy. He works with international investors and corporations to expand capital deployment across energy, technology, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors.

With extensive experience in economic development and private-sector leadership, Mr. Christiaanse focuses on positioning Alberta as a competitive destination for innovation and large-scale industrial investment. His work connects global capital markets with regional economic opportunity.

He contributes perspective on investment competitiveness, energy diversification, and economic growth strategies essential to maintaining strong energy economies in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Mark Little is Founder and CEO of Jotson, a technology company focused on improving household energy efficiency through data-driven solutions. He previously served as President and CEO of Suncor Energy, one of Canada’s largest integrated energy companies.

During his leadership at Suncor, Mr. Little oversaw major operational transformation initiatives and strategic investments supporting safety performance, sustainability objectives, and long-term shareholder value. His background spans engineering, operations, and executive management across global energy markets.

His current work explores how digital technology, consumer behavior, and decentralized energy systems can reshape energy consumption patterns. He brings valuable insight into innovation leadership and the evolving relationship between traditional energy producers and emerging technology platforms.

Jerry Lai is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of aetherEV Energy Corporation, a company developing integrated electric vehicle charging and energy infrastructure solutions. His leadership focuses on enabling scalable electrification through vertically integrated technology deployment.

With experience in entrepreneurship and clean technology innovation, Mr. Lai has led initiatives supporting sustainable mobility solutions and distributed energy systems. His work addresses infrastructure readiness challenges associated with growing electrification demand.

He contributes perspective on how transportation electrification, power infrastructure modernization, and digital energy management systems are converging to shape future urban and industrial energy ecosystems.

Steven Hitchinson serves as Chief Operating Officer at aetherEV Energy Corporation, overseeing deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and integrated energy systems. His leadership experience spans engineering, project execution, and operational scaling within emerging technology environments.

He has contributed to infrastructure initiatives requiring coordination between utilities, municipalities, and private-sector partners.

Mr. Hitchinson focuses on translating innovation into operational reality, supporting expansion of electrified transportation networks and modern energy systems.