CIBC’s Don Roberts” Vice Chairman” Renewable Energy and Clean Technology” has been named the financial services industry’s top contributor to sustainable development in Canada.

The recognition places him among Canada’s 2012 Clean16″ a select group of individuals and teams from a range of professions who have “advanced the cause of sustainability and clean capitalism over the last two years.”

The award was announced today by Delta Management Group and is reported in Corporate Knights Magazine” copies of which are being distributed through The Globe and Mail in Vancouver” Calgary and parts of Toronto over the next week.

“This recognition is a testament to Don’s client focus and dedication to helping grow Canada’s renewable energy and clean tech sectors”” says Geoff Belsher” Group Co-Head” Wholesale Banking.  “Don is a catalyst for driving sustainable development and we are proud of the contributions he’s making to support these efforts and CIBC’s role in it.”

Don is the only Vice Chair at a financial institution whose primary mandate is to develop a renewable energy and clean tech practice. In 2009″ Don took a year-long sabbatical in order to identify opportunities for CIBC in these sectors” and to design and guide the national “Future Bio-pathways Project”.

Since 2009″ CIBC has arranged over $1.5 billion in equity financings and advised on the purchase/sale of over $10 billion in assets for companies in the Renewable Energy and Clean Technology space.  During the past 12 months alone” CIBC has lent approximately $600 million of its own capital to finance specific projects generating electricity from wind” hydro” geothermal” landfill gas” biomass” clean natural gas and transmitting renewable power.  CIBC is now one of the top arrangers for renewable power project finance in Canada.    Also notable is that last year CIBC co-led the largest Clean Tech  IPO on the TSX” and is active in performing private placements.

To support growth in the clean tech sector” CIBC’s financial and advisory services are focused on four specific areas: Energy Efficiency” Waste-to-Energy” Green Chemistry and Water. 

For more information visit .