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Canada has announced policies and plans to encourage diversification of trade and investment into nontraditional markets such as Asia and Africa. This is in large part so as to not have reliance on uncertain traditional markets like the United States as a result of new tariff imposition.

However, are Canadian businesses ready for this expansion into new markets? For example, Canada’s anticorruption laws are among the strictest in the world. How will Canadian companies deal with the compliance challenges that will arise when dealing with these new markets which have poor rankings on the Transparency International index? How about the challenges in transacting in new digital currencies like the stable coins, which is popular in developing countries where there is sometimes scarcity of forex for payments and remittances of profits?

And what happens when there is a dispute-such as for nonpayment for goods and services exported? Are Canadian companies well versed in effective dispute resolution mechanisms available internationally? This event will explore the challenges Canadian companies will face and explore practical strategies to help them address these challenges.

Date: February 27, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. EST
Location: Armstrong building, Room 370

Objectives

• Explain Canada’s trade diversification strategy and opportunities.
• Clarify anticorruption compliance requirements for Canadian businesses.
• Identify key risks in high-corruption markets and how to mitigate them.
• Share practical compliance solutions and best practices for market entry.
• Explore compliance as a competitive advantage in global trade.

Speakers

• Manuel Balán, Associate Professor in Political Science and International Development Studies (ISID), ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï.
• Alessandro Caruso, CEO of the International Division at La Vie en Rose
• Sue Steffen, Director General, West Africa and the Maghreb, Global Affairs Canada
• Karl Boustany, Founder and CEO of Kiamin

Moderator

• Franca Ciambella, Executive in Residence, Laidley Centre for Business Ethics and Equity

Agenda

11:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. | Check-in, networking, and lunch

12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m. | Panel discussion

1:00 p.m. - 1:20 p.m. | Audience Q&A

1:20 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Additional networking

About the Panelists

Manuel Balán

Manuel Balán is Associate Dean Academic and Faculty Affairs in the Faculty of Arts and Associate Professor of Political Science and International Development at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï. His research focuses on comparative politics in Latin America, with emphasis on corruption, governance, and democracy.

Dr. Balán holds a PhD in Government from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from Argentina. An award-winning educator, he received ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï’s Principal’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching in 2019. He has also consulted with the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank, bridging academic research with policy practice in governance and development.

Alessandro Caruso

Alessandro Caruso is CEO of the International Division at La Vie en Rose, a Canada-based lingerie, sleepwear, and swimwear retailer with over 400 stores and global franchise partnerships across the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, and other international markets. He leads international expansion with full P&L accountability, overseeing market entry, operations, sourcing, and brand continuity. He works closely with local partners to balance growth targets, unit economics, operational discipline, and brand compliance. His experience is grounded in launching and scaling businesses internationally, structuring cross-border supply chains, and making commercial decisions in markets with uneven regulatory and governance conditions.

Sue Steffen

Susan Steffen is the Director General, West Africa and the Maghreb, at Global Affairs Canada. She was most recently the Director General, Pan-African Affairs, covering foreign relations, development and trade portfolios from a continental perspective.

Susan’s 25-year career – focused mainly on Sub-Saharan Africa – has spanned policy and operations, field and headquarters work, as well as positions in NGOs and with the UN. She served for Canada overseas in Tanzania and in Rwanda for the United Nations.

Susan holds a Bachelors of Arts (Economics) from Queen’s University, Canada and Bachelors of Laws (Civil and Common Law) from ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï, Canada.

Franca Ciambella

Franca Ciambella is the Laidley Centre Executive in Residence. She has a degree in business from ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï, and law degrees from New York University, National University of Singapore and Universite d’Ottawa. She has practiced law for over 30 years in international business, corporate compliance, M & A, contracts, and dispute resolution. Since 2016, her practice includes fintech and blockchain (cryptocurrency). Based in Lagos, Nigeria, Franca currently works as a Senior Consulting Counsel at Dentons Law Office and as an Independent Business Advisor & Consultant. She is an Executive in Residence at the Lagos Business School, where she teaches MBA students, and participates in training projects. She is currently a Board Director at the Nigerian-Canadian Business Association, and is the Head of its Trade & Investment Committee.

Karl Boustany

Karl Boustany is a Canadian entrepreneur, investor, and strategic advisor recognized for building cross-border platforms that expand Canadian expertise and technology into global markets, with a strong focus on the Middle East and the critical minerals ecosystem. Karl also serves as Special Advisor to the Canadian Saudi Business Council, supporting bilateral trade, investment flows, and strategic collaboration between Canadian enterprises and Saudi institutions, particularly within the mining, industrial, and technology sectors. Beyond mining, Karl has deep roots in Canada’s industrial packaging and sustainability sectors. He is actively scaling North Water, a premium Canadian aluminum-bottled water brand built around circular economy principles, while advising manufacturing and packaging groups on sustainable materials, digital production, and international expansion. His work consistently aligns Canadian environmental innovation with global sustainability mandates. He also serves on the Board of Directors of AluQuébec, Canada’s aluminum industrial cluster, where he contributes to strategic development, talent initiatives, and the international positioning of Quebec’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem.