Copyright © 2024 APMA. 10 Four Seasons Place, Suite 801, Toronto, ON M9B 6H7 | Tel: 416-620-4220 | info@apma.ca
Managed by Kloman Studio
Flavio Volpe is an internationally recognized champion of Canada’s automotive industry. Since 2014, he has proudly led the APMA, representing 200+ suppliers to the worldwide automotive industry.
Working closely with officials in Ottawa, Washington & Mexico City during the 2017-19 NAFTA renegotiations, he led the effort to secure an unprecedented increase in Regional Content for suppliers in the new USMCA. In 2022, he was named to the Ontario Premier’s Council on US Trade & Competitiveness.
When the global COVID19 pandemic created a dangerous medical equipment shortage in Canada in 2020, he launched one of the biggest peacetime mobilizations of the country’s industrial capacity in its history. Dubbed a ‘Manufacturing Hero’ by the Toronto Star for his leadership, this work resulted in the largest build-orders of critical ventilators, PPE & test swabs in Canada’s history.
In 2022, when anti-government actors illegally blockaded the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor costing the industry $1B, he led the APMA to secure an injunction in Ontario Superior Court to force the reopening of Canada’s most critical international border crossing.
A passionate technology leader, his response to the Prime Minister’s challenge for a net-zero economy by 2050 was to launch an all-Canadian, zero-emissions, autonomous concept prototype, Project Arrow. Described by the Globe and Mail as ‘an audacious play to build an all-Canadian electric car’, Project Arrow was revealed at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to global coverage & serves as a premier showcase of Canada’s automotive technology cluster.
Flavio is a sought-after voice by leading global publications including The Economist, New York Times, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, CNN, BBC, CNBC, FOX & the Washington Post. He speaks frequently on industry issues at House of Commons Standing Committees in Finance, Industry and Trade.
Top 100 Most influential People in Government and Politics, The Hill Times, 2023 Top 50 People Influencing Canadian Foreign Policy, The Hill Times, 2021, 2022. 2023 Industry Leader of the Year, Canada Newsmakers, Automotive News Canada, 2017 Impact Award, Champion for Diverse Talent, Center for Automotive Diversity, Inclusion & Advancement, 2021 Industry All-Star, Automotive News Canada, 2018, 2019, 2020 Top 100 Lobbyists in Canada, The Hill Times, 2022, 2023 ‘Next Generation’ Honoree, ICCO, 2011Flavio holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Toronto & an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business.
Colin Singh Dhillon is the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) at Canada’s Automotive Parts Manufacturer’s Association (APMA). He provides leadership to the Canadian automotive industry through national initiatives like Project Arrow, Canada’s first zero-emission concept vehicle. His ongoing work in the fields of Connected, Autonomous, Security and Electrification of mobility (CASE) provides Colin with a global platform as a thought leader in the digitisation of the automotive sector.
With over 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, Colin has provided leadership in automotive Design, Advanced Product Development (R&D), Advanced Materials and Technologies for ABC Technologies Inc.
Colin represents Canada as the only Canadian judge at the prestigious EyesOn Design judging panel at the annual North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). In addition to his automotive experience, Colin has lectured Design & Innovation for over a decade.
Warren Ali is the Senior Vice President of Innovation for the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’
Association (APMA).
As the automotive industry transitions and transforms from a manufacturing-based business model to one that is more technology based, Warren’s primary responsibility is to increase the APMA’s engagement with and connection to the broader technology and innovation ecosystems.
Warren has expanded the APMA’s reach and efforts beyond the automotive and auto tech sectors. Some key examples include him being a member of the Board of Advisors to ventureLAB’s Hardware Catalyst Initiative as well as a key member of Canada’s Advanced Air Mobility Consortium.
He is Chair of the APMA’s Digital Manufacturing Committee that is comprised of industry leaders from Global OEMs and Tier 1s along with SMEs and Global Leading Technology Startups. Warren’s venture capital and economic development experience in both the private sector and at the Federal and Provincial levels of government are key contributions to the APMA’s efforts to lead Canada’s auto sector towards the broader opportunities in Future
Mobility.
He has led Canadian trade missions and spoken at events around the world in leading mobility jurisdictions such as Germany, Japan, Singapore, the UK as well as across North America including Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Ann Arbor, Atlanta and Monterrey. Warren holds an Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Statistics and Actuarial Science from the University of Toronto and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Schulich
School of Business at York University.
Lauren Tedesco is the Senior Vice President at the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association.
Lauren leads the Future of Work portfolio, building the first industry-wide digital learning program and establishing the Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Fund which invests in the careers of those historically excluded. The latter won her the CADIA Impact Award as the Champion for Diverse Talent. Lauren was recently profiled in the Globe and Mail as one of “Five Trailblazing Women in the Male Dominated Auto Industry”. In 2021, she was named “Canadians to Watch” by Automotive News Canada.
Prior to joining the APMA, Lauren was an advisor for the Law Society of Ontario while teaching communications at Sheridan College. Her experience at leading public relations agencies set the groundwork for senior roles in the public sector including Director of Communications to the President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Education. At each step, her insight and foresight guided the formulation and launch of major public policy initiatives, underscoring the need for strong strategic planning for disruptive agents of change.
Lauren completed a Honours B.A. at the University of Toronto, a Postgraduate Certificate in Communications at Sheridan College and recently completed her certificate in International Project Management from UofT.
Gian Paolo oversees all of the APMA’s legal matters ranging from complex contract management and negotiation to the administration of all technical and legal requirements under the APMA’s public-partnership programs. Gian Paolo also serves as the Secretary to APMA’s Board of Directors.
Prior to joining the APMA Gian Paolo was in private practice at a Toronto-based law firm where he practiced in the areas of civil litigation, corporate-commercial and real estate law. Gian Paolo has managed and facilitated complex transactions and has represented clients before the Ontario courts at different levels. Gian Paolo has also held roles in the public sector working for the Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade.
Further to his role at the APMA Gian Paolo also sits on the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) for Defence Research & Development Canada (DRDC) as the legal member. He advises the Committee on informed-consent matters, consent-form construction, privacy and conflict of interest issues.
Gian Paolo holds a B.A. (Hons) from York University in Political Science, a Law Degree with Honours from the University of Leicester and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2015.