Carleton’s Sprott School of Business announces two In-Residence appointments

The Sprott School of Business at Carleton University will benefit from the expertise and guidance of two new In-Residence appointments.

Former President of the Public Service Commission Maria Barrados was appointed Executive-in-Residence, while Niraj Bhargava, serial entrepreneur, educator and energy management specialist, was appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence. Both will serve two-year terms, commencing immediately.

“Maria and Niraj have immense expertise in their respective fields and know the school well through their involvement on our business advisory board,” said Jerry Tomberlin, dean of the Sprott School of Business. “Maria has deep experience with the federal public service in the areas of human resources and auditing. Niraj is an entrepreneur who has had a lot of success in his ventures, within large organizations and with startups. As the former dean of a school of business, he really understands our business.”

Tomberlin added that the involvement of the business community in the school and its programs is important to stay relevant and connected to business. He sees the In Residence program as a key initiative to help the school expand and deepen its links to industry and business.

“As an alumnus of Carleton, being involved with Sprott in this way gives me the opportunity to combine my experience and stay connected to the university,” said Barrados. She plans to make herself available to students and faculty, and would also like to explore research interests tied to her background.

“I am passionate about entrepreneurship, international development and sustainable energy” said Bhargava. “I look forward to leveraging my experience in these areas to help the Sprott School enhance its entrepreneurship programs with an international and sustainable focus.” As Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Bhargava will also work closely with the Carleton Entrepreneurs accelerator and ecosystem.

Executive-in-Residence: Maria Barrados

Maria Barrados spent the majority of her career in the federal public service. She is the former President of the Public Service Commission of Canada (2003-2011). Prior to joining the Public Service Commission, Barrados served as the Assistant Auditor General in the Office of the Auditor General, where she spent over 17 years and held numerous management positions. Barrados holds a PhD in Sociology from Carleton University and began her career at Carleton as a lecturer.

In addition to her work with the Sprott School as Executive-in-Residence and member of its Business Advisory Board, Barrados serves as Chair of Accreditation Canada International, a non-profit organization focused on improving the quality of health care worldwide, and is a member of several boards.

Entrepreneur-in-Residence: Niraj Bhargava

Niraj Bhargava is the co-founder and former CEO of Energate, a provider of home energy management and smart grid solutions. Under his leadership, Energate raised over $15 million of capital, delivered over 40 utility projects for residential demand response in partnership with many of the top smart grid companies, was awarded full approval and software installation for Ontario’s Peaksaver PLUS® Program with the Ontario Power Authority, and was a three-time Green 15 and 2013 Technology Fast 50 Award Winner. He now leads The New Energy Group where he advises a number of tech companies.

Previously, Bhargava was President and CEO of Enerstat Limited, the company that first commercialized the electronic programmable thermostat.

Following Enerstat, he joined Queen’s School of Business in 1998 where he served as a faculty member in Entrepreneurship, a director of Queen’s Executive MBA, and the CEO and Founder of the Queen’s University Centre for Enterprise Development. He served as Dean of the Business School at Royal Roads University from 2004-2006.

Earlier in his career, Bhargava practiced engineering at Bell-Northern Research, marketing and business development at Northern Telecom and General Electric, and was General Manager of GE Energy Management.

About the Sprott School of Business:

Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business is an internationally accredited, full-service business school located in Canada’s capital of Ottawa. Sprott explores complex business issues through innovative programs, interdisciplinary research and collaborative partnerships, which are aligned to three core strengths: international focus, innovation and responsible management. For more information, please visit sprott.carleton.ca.