Board of Directors

Mandate:

The members of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) have the duty to supervise the management of the business and affairs of The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (the “Company”). The Board, directly and through its committees, as applicable, shall provide direction to senior management, generally through the Chief Executive Officer, to pursue the best interests of the Company. In fulfilling its mandate, the Board of Directors, among other matters, is responsible for:

Reviewing, at the beginning of each fiscal year, the business plan and financial goals of the Company as well as longer term strategic plans prepared and elaborated by Management and, throughout the year, monitoring the achievement of the objectives set;
Ensuring that it is properly informed, on a timely basis, of all important issues and developments involving the Company and its business environment;
Ensuring the implementation of appropriate systems or plans to manage the important issues and developments involving the Company;
Overseeing the Company’s strategic direction; and
Appointing senior Management and monitoring key executive performance and business results.

Read the full Mandate of the Board of Directors here.

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Chairman of the Board

Stephen Watt, PhD, DSc h.c., ICD.D

Dr. Watt is a professor of Computer Science at Western University and an expert in mathematical modeling. He currently serves on the board of Waste Diversion Ontario, a special act corporation that oversees Ontario's recycling programs, and has been a member of the research staff at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center at Yorktown Heights, New York. He has also spent considerable time in France, as a professor at the University of Nice and at INRIA, the French national institute for research in computer science and control. Dr. Watt's research is focused on mathematical software, for which he has received numerous awards. He has served on the Descartes board since 2001 and was appointed Chairman of the Board in September 2003. He served in that role until 2007, was appointed Lead Director in 2011 and then again Chairman of the Board in December 2013.

Dr. Watt serves as the Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee, the Chair of Nominating Committee and as a Member of the Compensation Committee.

Member of the Board of Directors

David Anderson, B.A., Ph.D.

Mr. Anderson is managing director of Supply Chain Ventures, LLC, a venture capital and consulting company specializing in marketing, sales and operations software investing. Prior to founding Supply Chain Ventures, from 1990 to 2002, Mr. Anderson was a managing partner at Accenture, where he was instrumental in building Accenture's supply chain management practice in North America, Asia and Europe. Before joining Accenture, Mr. Anderson previously served as a vice president in charge of logistics consulting of Temple, Barker & Sloane, Inc. (now Oliver Wyman) and a vice president of Data Resources, Inc. (now part of IHS/Global Insights, Inc.). Mr. Anderson is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the United Kingdom and a Member of the Supply Chain Management Professionals in the United States. Mr. Anderson has been awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Connecticut and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in econometrics and finance from Boston College.

Mr. Anderson serves as Chair of the Compensation Committee and a Member of the Nominating Committee.

Member of the Board of Directors

David I. Beatson

Mr. Beatson is currently the CEO of GlobalWare Solutions, a full-service provider of supply chain management solutions with operations in North America, Europe and Asia. Mr. Beatson has over 30 years of senior executive experience in the global supply chain, logistics and transportation industry with Panalpina North America Inc., Emery Worldwide, Circle International Group Inc., American Airlines and Northwest Airlines. Most recently, he served as the Principal and Founder of Ascent Advisors, LLC – a strategic advisory firm that provides industry consulting and M&A advice to private equity and venture capital firms, and strategic advisory services to corporations in the transportation, logistics and supply chain industry. Mr. David Beatson earned his B.S. in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Marketing from the University of Cincinnati. He joined Descartes' Board of Directors in March, 2006.

Mr. Beatson serves as a Member of the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee.

Member of the Board of Directors

Eric Demirian, B.BM., C.G.A., C.A.

Mr. Demirian is a Chartered Accountant and Certified General Accountant. Mr. Demirian is president of Parklea Capital, Inc., an investment banking and corporate finance firm providing services to small- and mid-market public and private companies. Prior to Mr. Demirian's position at Parklea, he held the position of executive vice president of Group Telecom, Inc. ("GT Inc.") from 2000 to 2003. From 1983 to 2000, Mr. Demirian was with Price Waterhouse Coopers LLP where he was a partner and head of Information and Communication Practice. Mr. Demirian serves on the board and is chair of the audit committee of Enghouse Systems Ltd. (TSX:ESL), and is a director of Imax Corporation (NYSE:IMAX) (TSX:IMX). Mr. Demirian is a former director and chair of the audit committee of a number of public companies, including Menu Foods Income Fund (2005-2010) and Keystone North America Inc. (2007-2010).

Mr. Demirian serves as the Chair of the Audit Committee, as well as a Member of the Corporate Governance Committee.

Member of the Board of Directors

Chris Hewat, LL.B., M.B.A.

Mr. Hewat is a partner in the law firm of Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, having joined the firm in 1987. Mr. Hewat's practice consists of advising companies and investment dealers with respect to securities and business law matters, with particular focus on private and public offerings of securities, mergers and acquisitions, and securities regulatory requirements. Mr. Hewat has served as a director of a number of private and public companies, and is a director of The Arthritis Society, Ontario Division. Mr. Hewat has been a member of the Board of Directors at Descartes since 2000.

Mr. Hewat serves as a Member of the Corporate Governance Committee.

Member of the Board of Directors

John. J. Walker, C.P.A.

John J. Walker is a Certified Public Accountant with twenty-one years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer with public companies. Mr. Walker served as Chief Financial Officer, and Senior Vice President of Bowne & Company, a New York Stock Exchange-listed provider of services to help companies produce and manage their investor and business communications, from 2006 until its acquisition by R.R. Donnelley & Sons in 2010. Prior to Bowne, Mr. Walker was an executive with Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation, then the fouth largest motion picture theatre exhibition chain in the world, including 16 years as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to Loews, Mr. Walker served as Controller of Corporate Property Investors, then one of the largest REITs in the United States. Mr. Walker started his career in the New York office of Price Waterhouse and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Mr. Walker serves as a Member of the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee.

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