Business News
Open Text Appoints Gar Emerson to Board of Directors
Wednesday 27. August 2008 - Accomplished Businessman and Lawyer Brings Extensive Governance Expertise
Open Text(TM) Corporation (NASDAQ:OTEX)(NASDAQ:TSX:)(NASDAQ:OTC), a leading provider of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software, announced the appointment of Harry Garfield (Gar) Emerson, Q.C., to its board of directors effective immediately. Mr. Emerson’s extensive business experience includes significant M&A and strategic advisory roles as a senior investment banker and corporate and securities lawyer, as well as a corporate director of major Canadian corporations. Currently, Mr. Emerson is the Principal of Emerson Advisory, an independent business and financial advisory company that provides insight to organizations on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, governance, restructurings and strategy.
“Gar brings with him incredible experience and knowledge in the areas of corporate governance and strategy,” said Tom Jenkins, Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer of Open Text. “His deep-rooted command of corporate law as well as securities and investment banking will be a strategic asset to our board.”
Mr. Emerson is a certified director of the Institute of Corporate Directors and a member of the Directors in Residence faculty of The Directors College sponsored by the DeGroote School of Business (McMaster University) and the Conference Board of Canada. Mr. Emerson is the past National Chair of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, a national Canadian law firm with overseas offices, and is the former President and CEO of NM Rothschild & Sons Canada Limited, an investment banking firm affiliated with NM Rothschild & Sons Limited, London, England, where he provided investment banking and financial advisory services in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, restructurings, and privatizations. Prior to this, Mr. Emerson was a senior partner of the law firm, Davies, Ward & Beck, engaged in securities and corporate law and mergers and acquisitions.
As a corporate director, Mr. Emerson is currently the Chairman of the Board of First Calgary Petroleums Ltd. and a director of CAE Inc.; Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited; Sentry Select Capital Corp.; Wittington Investments, Limited and Pelmorex Investments Inc.
Mr. Emerson has frequently participated as a panelist and speaker and has published numerous papers and articles on governance, securities and corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance.
Mr. Emerson is a graduate of the University of Toronto, and holds an LL.B. and an undergraduate honours degree in history. He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1968 and appointed as a Queen’s Counsel (Q.C.) in 1980.