January 21, 2026

yáqʷa Development Corporation (yáqʷa) is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Independent members to its Board of Directors, effective immediately.

Mr. Stephen Nairne and Mr. Michael Tees join the yáqʷa board at a pivotal time for the company and Haisla Nation. Together with our existing board members, Mr. Nairne and Mr. Tees will support yáqʷa in driving sustainable economic growth and business development in alignment with Haisla Nation values, while reinforcing our commitment to strong governance.

yáqʷa undertook a comprehensive, transparent and merit-based recruitment and selection process in identifying new members for its board of directors.

Learn more about our new appointees below, and about yáqʷa’s current Board of Directors here.

Biographies

Stephen Nairne, Independent Director

Stephen is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, an Indigenous-controlled venture capital firm that invests exclusively in Indigenous enterprises across Canada and the United States. He currently serves on the board of 8 Indigenous companies in the areas of software, media, agricultural technology, renewable energy, aviation, waste recovery, and modular housing.

Prior to joining Raven, Stephen was Managing Partner at AHL Venture Partners, an impact-focused venture firm headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and Managing Director of the Lundin Foundation, where he designed and led initiatives to leverage sustainable community benefit streams from major projects in infrastructure and resource development. Stephen’s 25 years of experience in finance and development have spanned many sectors and roles, including with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Export Development Canada and the University of British Columbia.

Stephen holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance/Economics) from McGill University and a Master of Arts in International Political Economy.

Michael F. Tees, Independent Director

Michael is Vice President of Indigenous Services & Financial Institutions at Marsh McLennan, where he drives growth in risk management advisory and specialized insurance brokerage services across the financial services sector. He also serves as a Board Director at Farm Credit Canada, Canada’s largest agricultural financial institution, where he sits on the Audit, Risk, Governance, and Human Resources Committees.

Michael has over 25 years of experience in finance and business development with many of Canada’s leading financial institutions, including CIBC, BDC, HSBC, TD Bank, and BMO. He has extensive experience in diverse sectors including renewable energy, real estate development, agriculture, aviation, manufacturing, and Indigenous economic development.

Michael holds an MBA from the University of Washington and a BA from the University of Toronto. He is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and serves on the Board of Directors of CV Trust Company.

A member of Dokis First Nation, Michael is dedicated to advancing Indigenous economic development across Canada.