James Burron

President

Canadian Association of Alternative Strategies & Assets

James co-founded CAASA in response to industry support for a Canadian alternatives association to serve all aspects including: hedge / alternative strategies; private lending; private real estate; private equity; plus emerging areas where Canada is a leader such as digital assets / blockchain and robo-advisors.

Prior to CAASA, James was the Chief Operating Officer of AIMA Canada where his team of three worked with 12 committees to produce 50-60 events per annum across Canada, organize 100+ committee meetings, and increase member numbers over his 7-year tenure from 66 to 164 corporate entities.

James also has experience in research and writing for the CAIA Association as well as serving on CAIA’s Exam Council and as a grader for the Level II portion of the exam. He also had roles in institutional sales and FoHF structuring in Seoul, South Korea, as a Product Manager at ICICI Wealth Management, and an Investment Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities. He graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BBA (Finance).

Adam Posman

Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager

PCJ Investment Counsel

Adam is Vice President, Portfolio Manager and CIO at PCJ Investment Counsel (PCJ), which he joined in 2011. Adam is the lead PM on the PCJ Absolute Return Fund, a multiple CHFA Award winning fund in the market neutral category. He is responsible for portfolio management across all PCJ investment strategies, as well as fundamental research and analysis. Prior to joining PCJ Adam worked at Brookfield Investment Management (Canada) Inc., National Bank of Canada and UBS Securities Canada Inc. Adam earned his MBA at the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario and his BComm from McGill University. He holds the CIM designation. PCJ is part of the Connor, Clark and Lunn Financial Group, one of Canada’s largest independently owned asset management firms, responsible for approximately $85 billion in AUM on behalf of institutional and individual investors.

Anthony Faiella

Senior Vice President

AGinvest Farmland Properties Canada Inc.

Anthony has almost 30 years of experience in the investment industry and is a licensed portfolio manager. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and member of the CFA Institute, earned an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University and a CPA from the State of Illinois. Anthony is a member of the Board of Directors for the Ronald McDonald House in Toronto, as well as the Finance and Audit Committee and is Chair of the RMH Investment Committee. He sits as an Executive-in-Residence at the Schulich School of Business at York University, where he oversees the student-run Student Investment Fund, working with students to guide and mentor them as they manage actual investment portfolios.

David Jarvis

President, Portfolio Manager and Chief Executive Officer

Corton Capital

David Jarvis, CFA, MBA, is the founder and a principal of Corton Capital and acts as the firm’s Portfolio Manager. Mr. Jarvis is a veteran of the Canadian hedge fund and financial services industry with over 30 years in senior-level positions. As a founding partner of Spartan Fund Management, he conceived, designed and co-built one of the first incubator hedge fund platforms in Canada with over 15 funds and a wide array of investment strategies. Mr. Jarvis is also one of Canada’s leading experts in capital markets compliance. As a former Chief Compliance Officer at Forge First Asset Management (“Forge First”) he spearheaded compliance and risk management guidance. While at Forge First, Mr. Jarvis developed enhanced compliance systems, designed and ran “mock” compliance audits and developed internal risk management guidelines addressing key risk areas – market risk, liquidity risk and credit risk. Mr. Jarvis is currently Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Leviathan Cannabis Group Inc. (“Leviathan”), a publicly traded cannabis company.

He has also been active within the Canadian investment industry by serving on the Financial Administrators Section of the IDA (now IIROC) and was one of the co-founders and first Vice-Chairman of AIMA Canada (Alternative Investment Management Association). Until recently, Mr. Jarvis was a member of the Practices and Standards Committee and the Compliance Officers’ Network of the Portfolio Management Association of Canada (PMAC).

Robert Anton

Partner and Managing Director

Next Edge Capital

Robert Anton is a Managing Director and founding partner at Next Edge Capital. Robert has been active in the financial services industry for over 25 years, beginning his career as an Investment Advisor. Prior to the formation of Next Edge Capital, Robert was the Executive Vice President, Sales for Man Investments Canada. Prior to Man, he served as Executive Vice President, National Sales Manager of BluMont Capital, joining the company in 2001 as a start-up operation overseeing its asset growth.

Robert holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wilfred Laurier University as well as the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation.

Allison M. Taylor

Chief Executive Officer and Portfolio Manager

Invico Capital Corporation

Allison Taylor is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Invico Capital Corporation. Allison is a registered Portfolio Manager, a graduate of the Haskayne School of Business with a MBA in Finance and a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with an Honors Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science and Statistics. Allison brings over 20 years of experience in corporate finance in both the private equity and financial advisory services within the energy sector. Allison has been actively involved in the assessment of investments, ongoing regulatory compliance and accounting on behalf of the Invico managed investment offerings. Allison started her career at Mercer Management and Towers Perrin in pension consulting doing actuarial valuations for large company pension plans. She then moved into investment banking at RBC Dominion Securities doing mergers and acquisitions. She advanced her career by moving to Ernst & Young Corporate Finance Inc. doing merger and acquisitions and working with unique situations and niche opportunities to help private companies structure capital raising. It was these experiences that highlighted the opportunity to start Invico Capital with co-founder Jason Brooks. Allison is currently a member of the Investment Committee at the University of Calgary. She was also the proud recipient of the WP Female Executive of the Year Award, at the 2019 Women in Wealth Management Awards.

Francis Sabourin

Director, Wealth Management and Portfolio Manager, Investment Advisor

Richardson Wealth

Financial Planner and Portfolio Manager, Francis Sabourin, Director, Wealth Management at Richardson Wealth, was awarded the Distinguished Advisor Award (prix Conseiller émérite) for the year 2016 by the publication Finance et Investissement, highlighting the good performance of his portfolios, both equal to or higher than the benchmarks, while minimizing the risks, thereby focusing on good capital protection. The Advisor of the Year Award is designed to recognize an advisor with at least 20 years of experience, who has marked the financial industry with a unique and remarkable practice. Francis celebrated 25 years of practice on October 5, 2017.

Among the most highly prized awards of excellence in the Canadian financial world, the Wealth Professional Awards are designed to recognize leaders in the wealth management industry and honour their contributions and outstanding achievements in Canada’s financial industry.

Against this backdrop, in addition to taking home the top award of Global Advisor of the Year in 2016, 2017 and 2019, Francis took home the award for the Discretionary Portfolio Manager of the Year for 2018. In 2020, Francis won the Silver Award for Advisor of the Year – Alternative Investments

Gleb Sivitsky

Mackenzie Investments

Associate Portfolio Manager

Gleb Sivitsky joined Mackenzie in May 2014 and is an Associate Portfolio Manager on the Mackenzie Multi-Asset Strategies Team. Gleb’s primary responsibilities include: systematic alpha research, strategic asset allocation and performance analysis. His research is implemented on over 20 billion CAD of assets from traditional mutual funds to alternative products. Gleb completed his Master of Financial Economics (MFE) in 2015 from the University of Toronto, graduating as the top student in his class while employed at Mackenzie. Gleb completed a double degree in 2012 – Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics with distinction from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, from Wilfrid Laurier University. Gleb is a CFA Charterholder and holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation (CAIA). Gleb is co-author of an article “Asset Allocation and Factor Investing: An Integrated Approach” published in the Journal of Portfolio Management in April 2018.

Brian D’Costa

Founding Partner

Algonquin Capital

Brian D’Costa is a founding partner of Algonquin Capital; a boutique specializing in alternative fixed income.

Prior to starting Algonquin Capital, Brian was the Global Head of Fixed Income and Rates for CIBC where he was responsible for the bank’s entire bond and rate trading business, overseeing 40 traders globally.  Before that, Brian spent 11 years with TD Securities, where he was the Global Head of Vanilla Interest Rate Derivatives, managing trading teams in Toronto, London, Tokyo and Sydney.

Before building a career in trading, Brian spent seven years in the Canadian Armed Forces where he served as a Captain in the Airborne Regiment and participated in a peacekeeping tour in Iraq.

When not in the office, Brian can usually be found in the gym, at a hockey rink or undertaking an ambitious gardening project.

Tim Pickering

Founder, Chief Investment Officer & Lead Portfolio Manager.

Auspice Capital Advisors

Tim Pickering is Founder, President and CIO of Auspice. Tim leads strategic decision making and the vision for Auspice’s diverse suite of award winning, rules-based quantitative investment strategies. Tim believes that in the future, non-correlated alternative investments will be a core holding in all portfolios, regardless of investor size or sophistication. Alternatives will no longer be viewed as risky, but as conservative and prudent, given the measurable accretive value to investment portfolios. He is passionate about creating innovative investment strategies and products that the market needs with distribution through reputable partners at a fair price. In 2015, Tim was selected by Alberta Venture Magazine, one of Alberta’s most widely respected business publications, as one of Alberta’s 50 most influential people. In 2017, Tim was named to the University of Calgary Accounting and Finance Advisory Council and in 2019 became Chair of the Finance Advisory Council at the Haskayne School of Business. In 2020, Tim was elected to the Board of the Calgary chapter of Pheasants Forever, a globally respected habitat organization dedicated to wildlife, land management, conservation and education.

Prior to forming Auspice, Tim was VP of Trading at Shell (North America). He began his career at TD Securities (Toronto) in their elite trading development program ultimately holding the Senior PM position for the Energy Derivatives portfolio. Outside of Auspice, Tim has been involved in grain farming in Western Canada. Through the founding of Auspice, Tim ties together a career in commodity and financial risk and portfolio management that has spanned institutional experience along with entrepreneurial vision.

Ted Karon

Wealth Advisor & Portfolio Manager

Tucker Wilson Group – Scotia Wealth Management

As a Wealth Advisor and Portfolio Manager at the Tucker Willson Group, Ted brings with him 28 years of extensive experience in investment banking, equity research, venture capital, mergers and acquisitions and multi-family office. A true practitioner of total wealth planning, Ted’s holistic perspective translates into clarity and certainty for those with complex, multi-generational situations.

Known for his astuteness, succinct performance assessments and transparency, Ted takes a diligent approach, helping to make sure that his clients’ financial lives and wealth potential are well looked after. His clients understand that his advice and recommendations derive from doing the right thing and that his priority is to make the most of their financial well-being — now and for the future.

Andrew Torres

Founding Partner & Chief Executive Officer

Lawrence Park Asset Management

Andrew is a 25 year veteran of global fixed income markets, having managed multi-billion dollar bond portfolios in London, New York, and Toronto. Andrew is a former Vice-Chair and Global Head of Credit Products at TD Securities, where he held a variety of senior trading roles over a 15-year career. Prior to founding Lawrence Park Asset Management in 2011, Andrew was a partner and portfolio manager at Aladdin Capital Management in London, England.

Matt Shandro

Portfolio Manager & President

Fulcra Asset Management Inc

Matt founded Fulcra Asset Management in 2009. Matt has 19 years of investment management experience, with an extensive background in fixed income and corporate investing. His previous experiences include managing corporate bond funds at Great Pacific Capital Corp, CI Investments and Marret Asset Management. In 2004, the $2 billion Signature High Income Fund that he co-managed at CI Investments was awarded the “Canadian Income Trust Fund of the Year” by Morningstar. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of British Columbia.

Craig Machel

Director, Wealth Management and Portfolio Manager, Investment Advisor

Richardson Wealth

Éric Lapointe

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

CEOS Family Office

Eric Lapointe is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at CEOS Family Office and is based in the Montréal area. Seeking to define the next generation of Family Offices, CEOS offers the full range of services including asset management and aggregation, book keeping and accounting, taxation, estate planning, family governance, concierge services, and medical access.

An accomplished professional athlete, Eric was introduced to the CFL Hall of Fame in 2012. He feeds the same passion into his work in the global financial industry and he keeps his clients’ peace of mind at the centre of everything he undertakes. «Fewer clients, more services» is his motto.

Prior to founding CEOS, Eric had 20 years of experience in the wealth management business, among others with Assante Wealth Management and Stonegate Private Council. He graduated with distinction from Mount Allison University and is a member of YPO.

Richard Laterman

Portfolio Manager

ReSolve Asset Management

Richard is a Portfolio Manager of ReSolve Asset Management and has 15 years of investment experience on both the buy and sell side of capital markets. He spent the first 5 years of his career as a trader for two of Brazil’s largest independent brokerage firms. He then spent almost 2 years as a portfolio manager for one of Brazil’s largest pension plans and the following 3 years as a partner and co-portfolio manager at a boutique asset manager. He joined ReSolve Asset Management in 2017. Richard has held the CFA charter since 2013.

Robert Duncan

Senior Vice President – Institutional Strategy & Portfolio Manager

Forstrong Global Asset Management

Robert is responsible for advancing sub-advisory relationships with pensions, foundations, endowments, family offices and broker dealer platforms. He is also responsible for managing Forstrong’s institutional client base.

Prior to joining Forstrong in 2018, he gained invaluable experience as Vice President at BlackRock leading their iShares institutional business in Canada. Robert has a Bachelor of Economics from Concordia University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.

In his spare time, he likes to spend weekends at the cottage with his wife and 2 sons. He also enjoys pretending to play hockey and golf while avoiding the chiropractor as much as possible.

Scott Starratt

Senior Vice President, Investment Advisor & Portfolio Manager

Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management

Scott Starratt is a Certified Financial Planner and a Chartered Investment Manager.  He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta in 1993 majoring in Finance, Game Theory and Chemistry and draws on more than 29 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Scott’s role is to lead the team and perform astute due diligence, manage portfolios and select top-tier alternative and hedged investments for our clients’ downside protection. Scott gets to know company management teams on an up-close-and-personal basis to be able to assess funds based on more than figures on a balance sheet: he also considers each managers’ ethics, track records and integrity under pressure.

Jason Mann

Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer

EHP Funds

Prior to co-founding EHP Funds, Jason Mann was Managing Director, Co-Head of the Absolute Return/Arbitrage Group at Scotia Capital. The Absolute Return Group is responsible for developing and delivering cross-platform “alpha” generating ideas for the hedge fund community, and for the executing of trading for these clients. Jason also managed Scotia’s merger-arbitrage, event-driven and quantitative proprietary trading strategies, and had responsibility for trading and overseeing a proprietary trading book – a group that generated profits in each year of operation. Prior to this role, Jason was Head of Agency Trading at Scotia overseeing eighteen trading professionals covering fundamental and hedge fund clients. Jason holds an Honours Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and is a CFA® charterholder.

Mark Allen

Vice President and portfolio Manager

RBC Wealth Management

With 20 years in banking including 10+ years at RBC, Mark has experience co-managing over $1 billion of private client assets, including as a portfolio manager in head office roles handling institutional level asset pools.

Mark spent eight years in RBC’s global portfolio management team. As a Vice President, Mark was a member of the Global Portfolio Advisory Committee, which establishes investment strategy for the firm. He chaired a Private Investment Management portfolio designed for RBC’s $100 billion Canadian discretionary investment platform. He sat on investment committees including: Active Asset Allocation and PAG A+ Canadian Core Dividend Portfolio. Mark was also a long-standing contributor to the firm’s monthly investment outlook published around the world in four languages.

Mark has advised numerous centimillionaire families ($100+ million) and their investment committees in Canada and the U.S. He has also designed the portfolios for institutional level assets including a $40 million pension fund. Prior experience includes investment banking from 2000-2008 primarily at the global bank, UBS, working with corporate executives in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. Mark has advised on mergers & acquisitions and corporate financings including approximately 20 transactions totaling $18 billion. Mark graduated first academically in his MBA class at the University of Toronto (Rotman), and first in the Faculty of Applied Science (Chemical Engineering) at Queen’s University.

Mark lives with his wife, Chantal, and their young twins in Toronto.

Joseph Bakish

Director, Wealth Management, Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor

Richardson Wealth

Named one of Canada’s top 40 under 40 Investment Advisors by Wealth Professional Magazine, Joseph Bakish has built his career by putting the best interests of his clients at the forefront of his objectives.

Joseph Bakish has a long track record of high achievement. He graduated Academic All-Canadian in 2005 from McGill University with a B.Sc (Biochemistry major/ Management minor) where he won the Dimock-Meloche Award for excellence in academics, athletics and team building and was involved in Varsity Swimming. Committed to continuing his education, Joseph earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2012, recognized as the gold standard for the global investment industry. In addition, he holds the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Certified Financial Planner (CFP, outside of Quebec) and Certified Health Insurance Specialist (CHS) designations.

In 2005, Joe joined Investors Group, where he twice received the Pillar award recognizing outstanding early career growth; he also teamed up with his brother, Nick Bakish. In 2015, the pair moved to Richardson Wealth to provide Bakish Wealth clients with a wider universe of investment options, better technology and more transparency and clarity regarding cost and performance. Coming from a family of scientists & physicians, Joe specializes in dealing with the wealth complexities physicians face, & has successfully made the counsel of healthcare professionals a cornerstone of his practice.

Joe is actively involved in promoting educational seminars called ‘From Resident to Retiree’, in which he provides financial advice & literacy seminars to both the ARM (Association of McGill Residents) & the McGill faculty of Dentistry.

In addition, Bakish Wealth was selected to partner with CMEatSEA, Canada’s largest cruise retailer based in Vancouver, British Columbia, a company that prides itself providing for-credit educational courses aboard spectacular cruise ships. Joseph is the official sponsor & has presented his seminars on Wealth Management & Preservation to over 400 medical residents & physicians in later stages of their careers. He has thus presented his financial literacy courses in over 15 countries (including Canada, the United States, Italy, Israel, Spain, Mexico, Panama, Bahamas, Columbia, Guatemala, Costa Rica) to the OMA (Ontario Medical Association), the CPA (Canadian Psychiatric Association), CADDRA (Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance), & the 2019 Chronic Disease Management Update.

In the past, Joe was very active in the financial community as a volunteer for the Financial Planning Standards Council to mark and design exam questions for the CFP examination and served on the board of the Financial and Estate Planning Council of Montréal, a pillar of advanced financial education in the community. He was also very involved in his local community as President of the Citizen’s Association of Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs Citizen’s Association and Treasurer of a prominent youth club to promote athletics and strong values. Currently, he has now given that all up to focus on the most important thing to him: raising his three children with his wife, which he considers a full time job on its own!

Darren Coleman

Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager

Private Client Group, Coleman Wealth – Raymond James Ltd.

Darren Coleman started in the industry in 1992 and with Raymond James in 2012, providing comprehensive wealth services for a variety of clients. During this time, he has been managing brokerage offices, spearheading industry trends and leading his team at Coleman Wealth to new territory.

Darren’s many professional accreditations include: Canadian Investment Manager, Financial Management Advisor and Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute, with a Level II Life Insurance License. He was one of the first Canadian professionals to attain the Professional Financial Planner, Certified Financial Planner and Certified Hedge Fund Specialist designations. Due to his success as an advisor in alternative investments, he was the first advisor to sit on committees for the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), and on the Board for the Hedge Fund Association, as a member and an instructor.

An industry veteran before coming to Raymond James, Darren held management and advisor positions at major bank-owned brokerage and financial services firms. He frequently speaks at conferences and educational events and currently sits on the Editorial Board for Advisor’s Edge Report for Canadian investment professionals, and is frequently interviewed for the Globe and Mail, Investment Executive, BNN Bloomberg and other media.

David Stephenson

Director, ETF Strategy and Development

CIBC Asset Management

David Stephenson is Director, ETF Strategy and Development at CIBC Asset Management. He is responsible for helping to set the strategic direction for the business and monitoring industry trends as well as launching new products and managing existing products.

Prior to joining CIBC Asset Management in 2018, Mr. Stephenson worked for ETF providers BlackRock and Vanguard. He has over 20 years of experience in product development and management roles.

Mr. Stephenson holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Ryerson University. He is also a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA), Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) and Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI).

Jaime Purvis

Executive Vice-President

Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc

Jaime Purvis is Executive Vice-President for Horizons ETFs. Mr. Purvis manages institutional sales and national accounts/head office relationships for Horizons ETFs with Canadian investment dealers, as well as managing relationships with the dealer managed asset and discretionary management programs. Mr. Purvis is also responsible for the self-directed investing channel and delivering key concepts and product knowledge to senior management, operations, and investors. Mr. Purvis has been with Horizons ETFs and its predecessors and affiliates since 1995.He graduated from Queen’s University with a BAH in Political Science.

Grahame R. Lyons

President & Founder

Arbutus Partners

An investment fund industry pioneer in the growth and origination of many large well known investment funds over the past 25 years in financial services. Early adopter of major trends in mutual funds, ETFs and alternative investments. Leading role in the growth and origination of many large well known investment funds.

Senior and executive roles at Fidelity Investments Canada Ltd, Strategic Value Corp, Loring Ward Investment Counsel, Barclays Global investors Canada Ltd. and Claymore Investments.

Obtained a Bachelor of Administrative and Commercial Studies from the University of Western Ontario as well as passing the Canadian Securities Course and Investment Funds Institute of Canada Course early in his career.

Daryl Boyce

Executive Vice President & Corporate Finance Trustee

Centurion Financial Trust

Mr. Boyce’s investment and financing experience spans over 35 years and encompasses the management of equity and debt financing portfolios. Most recently, Mr. Boyce was the President of Evergreen Capital Group, a consulting firm involved in providing corporate finance, business transition, as well as expansion- and succession-related advisory services to mid-market clientele. Prior to forming Evergreen, he managed the private equity portfolio of Trimel Investments Inc., with the portfolio comprising investee companies in a number of diverse sectors throughout North America. Before Trimel, Mr. Boyce held a variety of lending roles in The Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank), where he managed a senior lending portfolio, which included leading and arranging a variety of specialized and syndicated financing. Over the years, Mr. Boyce has acquired expertise in a variety of sectors, including consumer products, specialty pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and distribution, transportation and logistics, and professional sports. He received his Honours Bachelor of Arts in Commerce and Economics from the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1981.

Daniel Child

Partner

YTM Capital

YTM Capital was founded by Daniel Child CPA, CA, CFA, who has more than 25 years of financial market experience.  Daniel spent nearly 15 years as a bond trader with CIBC Wood Gundy and then Scotia Capital, where he was a Managing Director, Head Corporate Bond Trader.  Daniel traded investment and non-investment grade bonds and credit default swaps as well as asset backed securities and both mortgage backed securities and commercial mortgage backed securities. Daniel is a graduate of the Ivey School of Business and is a Chartered Accountant as well as a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Ronnie Shah

Head of Equity Research

FORT L.P.

Dr. Ronnie Shah joined FORT L.P. in August 2020 as an Executive Director and Head of Equity Research. Prior to FORT L.P., he led quantitative research efforts in various roles as Director and Head of US Quantitative Equity Research and Quantitative Investment Solutions for Deutsche Bank, Senior Director of Research for Gerstein Fisher Funds, Senior Researcher at Dimensional Fund Advisors and as a Portfolio Manager for the Scientific Active Equity team at BlackRock. His research has been published in various academic and practitioner financial journals including the Journal of Portfolio Management, Journal of Index Investing and Journal of Investment Management. Dr. Shah graduated summa cum laude with a BS in economics from the Wharton School and BAS in Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, an MSc in Finance and Economics from the London School of Economics, and an MA and PhD, both in Finance, from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and is a CFA charter holder. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of Finance at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business.

Nick Griffin

Founding Partner & Chief investment Officer

Munro Partners

Nick is a founding Partner and the Chief Investment Officer of Munro Partners. Nick is responsible for the investment management of Munro’s key investment funds and the formulation and implementation of the proprietary investment process. Nick has been managing global long / short equity mandates for over 12 years. Key career highlights include:

• Over 20 years working in financial services with 13 years funds management experience.
• 2005-2015, Head of International Strategy on the K2 Select International Absolute Return Fund.
• Member of the K2 Asset Management asset allocation and currency exposure committee.
• 2000-2005, Senior Analyst (Global Oil and Gas) at Deutsche Bank UK.
• 1996-1999, Manager Australian Equities for Commonwealth Financial Services.

Nick holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) degree from the University of Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment and a Registered Representative of the Sydney Futures Exchange.

Matthew Dennis

Vice President, Senior Analyst, Multi Asset Class Mandates

Cidel

Matthew is responsible for Cidel’s alternative investment mandates and third party manager research efforts. He oversees the sourcing, due diligence, and selection of third party managers at the firm. Matthew is also a member of Cidel’s ESG Committee. Prior to joining Cidel in 2018, Matthew was Vice President and a core member of the investment team at Optima Fund Management LLC – an NYC-based alternative investment firm specializing in hedge fund multi-manager programs and advisory services.

Matthew currently serves as a member of the Leadership Development Advisory Council of Capitalize For Kids (C4K). He is a graduate of Brown University (Providence, RI) where he received a BA in Economics and holds the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) Designation from the Canadian Securities Institute.

Jason Streicher

Senior Legal Counsel

AUM Law

With over twenty years of legal experience, Jason’s practice is focused on registration matters and securities compliance for portfolio managers, investment fund managers, exempt market dealers, family offices, mortgage investment entities and other financial services providers.

Geoff Castle

Portfolio Manager

PenderFund Capital Management

Geoff Castle is the Fixed Income Portfolio Manager at Pender.

Geoff’s experience as a professional investor spans two decades. His area of expertise is in fundamental business analysis and valuation. As a fixed income manager, Geoff’s focus has been on seeking enhanced yield or price appreciation opportunities in situations where substantial margins of safety exist. In both 2018 and 2019 the Pender Corporate Bond Fund was recognised with a Lipper Fund Award, which is awarded for superior risk-adjusted returns.

Geoff’s philosophy involves controlling risk through careful consideration of credit duration and fixed charge coverage, and the fair valuation of each security class on an as-liquidated basis. Geoff also has been an active proponent of the use of objective, market- and fundamentals-derived risk measurement systems, which he believes are more useful than agency credit ratings.

Geoff began his investing career in 2000 and has experience in both public mutual funds and proprietary investment fund management for ultra-high net worth individuals. From 2000 to 2007  Geoff was a senior analyst and co-manager at Burlington-based AIC Ltd. His experience in credit analysis began with experience gained at Vancouver-based Powerex Corp where he focused on evaluating the creditworthiness of counterparties in the North American energy industry and was active in reviewing credit provisions of high value, long-term custom energy trading contracts. Before joining Pender in 2015, he spent four years at the family office of a Vancouver-based high net worth individual where he managed fixed income and equity investments.

Geoff holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UBC and a Master of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. In 1996 he joined global top-tier strategy consulting firm, Bain & Co where he spent four years advising clients on issues relating to mergers and acquisitions, strategic cost analysis, and capital expenditure optimization. He is a member of the CFA Institute.

Robert Tasca

Vice-President, Derivatives Trading and Client Solutions

TMX Group

Robert Tasca, Vice-President, Derivatives Trading and Client Solutions with TMX Group, Montréal Exchange, is responsible for managing the derivatives business, specifically fixed income and equity derivatives. Robert’s team focuses on business development, account management and strategic initiatives to help drive value to its clients. He joined the Montréal Exchange in 1998, where he began his career in the open outcry pits or “floor” in Montréal, transitioning to the electronic platform in October of 2000. With over 20 years of derivatives experience, Robert brings a full-service perspective to customers of the Montréal Exchange.

Jay Barrett

Managing Director, National Sales

SmartBe Wealth

Jay Barrett is Managing Director, National Sales at SmartBe Wealth Inc.  He has held positions with some of Canada’s most notable firms including RBC, BMO and most recently with CIBC Asset Management as Executive Director.  Jay completed his undergraduate degree at St. Francis Xavier University in 2001 and graduated in Financial Management at Cornell University in 2018.

Jay lives in Montreal with his wife and daughter and is actively involved in a number of benevolent causes.  As an avid golfer and squash player, he holds memberships at Redtail Golf Club in St. Thomas, ON, the Montreal Athletic Association and Montreal Rackets Club.

Ida Khajadourian

Director, Wealth Management, Portfolio Manager, Investment Advisor

Richardson Wealth

For over 20 years, Ida has worked closely with Institutions, Family Offices, wealthy entrepreneurs, and high net worth families building trusted relationships and delivering a high level of holistic Wealth Management services.

Ida’s beliefs include the importance of estate planning, tax minimization, capital preservation and evolutionary portfolio construction using alternative strategies to achieve consistent absolute returns with a risk reward-oriented approach.

Ida obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Toronto with specialization in Finance and major in Economics. Ida is a multi award winning Portfolio Manager and obtained her Chartered Alternative Investment Advisor (CAIA®) designation in 2005.

Vikram Rajagopalan

Senior Vice President & Head of Retail Markets

Trez Capital

Vikram joined Trez in 2013 and introduced Trez’ capital investment solutions to retail channels, including family offices and investment advisors.

With over 15 years of experience in the investment management industry, he was promoted to the role of Vice President, Retail Sales and National Accounts at Trez in 2016 and to Senior Vice President, Head of Retail Markets in 2020.

Prior to joining Trez, Vikram was Vice President of Client Relations at a boutique private wealth management firm serving and sourcing high net-worth clients. He started his career in sales with one of Canada’s largest independent mutual fund firms.

Vikram is a CFA charterholder and has a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Economics from York University. He lived in 11 countries prior to his immigration to Canada, and brings a global perspective to his leadership role at Trez Capital.

Roland Austrup

Co-founder, Chairman and Managing Principal

WaveFront Global Asset Management

Roland Austrup is a co-founder, Chairman and Managing Principal of WaveFront Global Asset Management Corp., a Toronto based global hedge fund company with $1.7 Billion in AUM. Relatedly, Mr. Austrup is a Director of both AGF|Wave Asset Management Limited, a JV between WaveFront and AGF Management Limited, and its China-based subsidiary, Jun Feng Investment Management (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd. Mr. Austrup also a co-founder and Director of Envest Corp., a downstream energy company, and an Advisory Board member of both the Master of Quantitative Finance program at the University of Waterloo and Frist Tracks Capital, a Canadian private equity firm. Prior to joining WaveFront, Mr. Austrup was an Investment Advisor with BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., and began his career as a Commodities Broker with ScotiaMcLeod Inc. where he was primarily involved with hedging commodity price risk for corporate clients. Mr. Austrup holds a B.A. with Honours from the University of Western Ontario .

Bill DeRoche

Chief Investment Officer and Head of AGFiQ Alternative Strategies

AGF Investments LLC

Bill DeRoche is Chief Investment Officer, AGF Investments LLC (formerly FFCM LLC)¹, and Head of AGFiQ Alternative Strategies. Bill is co-founder of AGF Investments LLC, a Boston-based investor advisory firm founded in 2009 and subsidiary of AGF Management Limited. He is a leader of AGF’s quantitative investment platform, known as AGFiQ. AGFiQ’s team approach is grounded in the belief that investment outcomes can be improved by assessing and targeting the factors that drive market returns. Bill has long-tenured expertise employing quantitative factor-based strategies and alternative approaches to achieve a spectrum of investment objectives. Previously, Bill was a Vice-President at State Street Global Advisors (SSgA), serving as head of the firm’s U.S. Enhanced Equities team. His focus was on managing long-only and 130/30 U.S. strategies, as well as providing research on SSgA’s stock-ranking models and portfolio construction techniques. Prior to joining SSgA in 2003, Bill was a Quantitative Analyst and Portfolio Manager at Putnam Investments. Bill has been working in the investment management field since 1995. Prior to 1995, Bill was a Naval Aviator flying the Grumman A-6 Intruder as a member of Attack Squadron Eighty-Five aboard the USS America (CV-66). Bill holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College. He is a CFA® charterholder and holds FINRA licenses 7, 63 and 24. ¹An investment professional with AGF Investments LLC (formerly FFCM LLC), a U.S.-registered investment advisor firm and affiliate of AGF Investments Inc.

Jeff Bradacs

Portfolio Manager, Canadian Equities

Picton Mahoney Asset Management

Jeff Bradacs is a Portfolio Manager at Picton Mahoney Asset Management (PMAM), specializing in Canadian Equities. Prior to joining PMAM, Jeff was a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at BMO Global Asset Management where he was the lead Portfolio Manager for Canadian large cap equity portfolios (over $6 billion AUM). Prior to that, he spent over a decade at Manulife Asset Management, joining as an Analyst and progressing to Managing Director, Portfolio Manager, with responsibility for Canadian equity portfolios managed with a blend of fundamental and quantitative analysis. Jeff holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and an Honours Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at University of Western Ontario.

Tim Cestnick

Co-Founder & CEO

Our family Office

Daniel Dorenbush

Managing Director and Head of Canadian Prime Services

Scotiabank

Daniel Dorenbush is a Managing Director and Head of Canadian Prime Services for Scotiabank. He is responsible for Prime Brokerage and Securities Financing activities in the region. Previously, Daniel was a Managing Director, holding several senior positions in Toronto and New York with another investment dealer and was also a senior member of a Toronto-based alternative investment firm. Daniel is a Board Member of the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA Canada) and has served as Co-Chair of the Women in Capital Markets Return to Bay Street program since 2018. Daniel is actively involved in providing mentorship to young adults through several organizations including the United Way. He has completed a MBA in Finance at McGill University, an Honours Degree in Economics at the University of Toronto and is a CFA Charterholder.

Matthew Langsford

Director, Wealth Management, Wealth Advisor

Richardson Wealth

Drawing on over 20 years of experience in the industry, Matthew focuses on serving the distinct needs of the affluent business owners and their families. He specializes in implementing comprehensive wealth management solutions that integrate all facets of his clients’ financial lives. The result: clarity and peace of mind about their financial future.

Matthew began his career in the industry in 1999, building an experienced team and solid client-base. In 2014, Matthew and the team joined Richardson Wealth, broadening their suite of offerings while continuing to serve their clients’ wealth management needs with distinction.

Matthew continues to pursue education to enrich the solutions he is able to offer to his clients and currently holds some of the industry’s highest designations in wealth management (Portfolio Manager, Certified Financial Planner, Certified Investment Manager). He is also licensed to consult on any insurance plans when required.
Recently, Matthew has become an accredited FAMILY ENTERPRISE ADVISOR™ (FEA), certified through the Family Enterprise Exchange (FEX). The FEA is representing the pinnacle of professional expertise in the field of family enterprise advising. Matthew can provide a sophisticated level of understanding to affluent business families and their unique challenges.

Matthew earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Concordia University, where he also played hockey for the men’s varsity team, Concordia Stingers (CIAU). His hockey career included playing for St. Michael’s College as well as OHL team, Niagara Falls Thunder. He currently resides in Burlington with his wife Carla, their children, Ella and Drew, and their Australian Shepherd, Piper. When he has the time, Matthew enjoys playing golf, hockey, tennis and guitar.

Neil Nisker

Co-Founder, Executive Chairman, and CIO

Our Family Office

With investment management and wealth advisory experience dating back to 1972, Our Family Office’s Co-Founder, Executive Chairman and CIO enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a trusted and respected figure in the Canadian financial services industry. His keen intellect and deep expertise make him particularly well-qualified to revolutionize the shared family office segment in Canada and grow Our Family Office into the market-leading service provider and partner to the nation’s wealthiest families. Highlights of Neil’s career to date include:

• Fiera Capital Corporation: Neil was active with Fiera Capital Corporation, one of Canada’s largest investment managers, from 2006 to 2014, serving as the President of Fiera Private Wealth and as the company’s Executive Vice Chairman and a member of the company’s board of directors and governance committee.
• YMG Capital Management Inc.: Neil served as President of the YMG Private Wealth Management division from 2000 to 2006. Fiera Capital Corporation purchased YMG Capital Management in 2006.
• Nisker Associates, Strategic Wealth Management: From 1997 to 2000, Neil was the Chairman of Nisker Associates, Strategic Wealth Management, a Canadian registered investment counselling firm. It was acquired by YMG Capital Management in 2000.
• Best Investments International Inc.: In 1990, Sir John Templeton selected Neil to be one of the three managers of Best Investments International Inc., a global equity mutual fund he owned. Neil held this position until the fund was closed in 2000.
• Brown Baldwin Nisker Ltd.: For more than 25 years, Neil was a driving force behind Brown Baldwin Nisker. Through his diligence, the firm grew into one of the premier institutional brokerages in Canada. It was sold to HSBC Securities in 1988.

In addition, Neil has been the President of Privatech Investments Inc., an investment company headquartered in Toronto, Canada since 1994.

Volunteerism and Philanthropy Neil has been extensively involved in philanthropy and a range of activities, including acting as:

• Co-Chair of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Annual Campaign  Co-Chair of the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Campaign
• Vice-Chair of the Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation and Chair of the Investment Committee  Chairman of The Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto and Chair of the Investment Committee
• Co-Chair of the 2011 JFNA Investment Institute in Palm Beach, Florida
• Frequent speaker at Investment Conferences for family offices, and foundations and endowments