Nicole Musicco is the Co-founder & Managing Partner of Square Nine Capital, an opportunistic private credit fund. Prior to Square Nine Capital, Nicole was the CIO at CalPERS, a $500 billion US pension plan. She was previously a Partner at RedBird Capital Partners, a $10 billion private equity firm, predominately in Sports, Media, & Entertainment. Additionally, Nicole spent over 16 years in a broad range of senior investment leadership roles at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (“OTPP”), a $200 billion Canadian pension plan, overseeing Private & Public Equity asset classes, and establishing OTPP’s presence in Asia by building out its Pan-Asian investment platform based in Hong Kong. At Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (“IMCO”), a $70 billion pension asset management firm, Nicole led the $20 billion Private Markets investment program, across Private Equity, Infrastructure, and Real Estate.
Mr. Guazo was appointed RSG for the investment of the assets of the UNJSPF on 29 July 2020.
Mr. Guazo was the Finance Director at the United Nations in New York for almost eight years. He managed a portfolio of more than USD$10 billion and an annual revenue of US$13 billion. He led the Organization’s finance operations in practically every country in the world.
Prior to joining the United Nations in 2012, he served in a similar capacity for more than two years as the Director of Finance and Treasury at the United Nations World Food Programme, managing a Portfolio of USD$4 billion and supervising finance officials in more than 75 Country Offices.
During a 15-year banking career, he contributed to the modernization of the Mexican Financial System, while serving as its regulator and supervisor. As CFO and Treasurer at the Federal Mortgage Bank (SHF), he negotiated and managed loans from the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Similarly, he championed financial inclusion among people with low and middle incomes as CFO and Treasurer of the National Savings and Financial Services Bank (BANSEFI). His government service included posts at the Ministry of Finance and at the National Banking and Securities Commission, as a member of its Financial Sector Supervisory Body. While a student, he started his professional career at PWC.
A former professor of Finance at ITAM, Mr. Guazo received an International Executive MBA from the IE Business School in Madrid. He earned a Master’s degree in Business Economics from ITESM and graduated from ITAM in 1996 with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
Pierre Abadie joined Tikehau Capital in 2018 and holds the position of Group Climate Director and co-head of the Private Equity strategy dedicated to decarbonization. He has over 20 years’ experience in the energy and energy transition sectors. He previously worked at TotalEnergies for 16 years in the Gas and Renewables division.
Education: Université Paris-Saclay (CentraleSupélec)
MBA
Youssef is Managing Director, Sustainable Investing at IMCO. He brings a decade of experience in consulting and operational roles, including leading strategic projects at BCG with investors and industrial companies on climate investment themes, decarbonization levers, ESG due diligences, digital enablement, and operational value creation. Youssef’s previous experience also includes managing teams in operations at Rolls-Royce in the energy and aerospace divisions. Most recently, Youssef served in a leadership role at BCG’s Centre for Canada’s Future, helping shape a national agenda around Net-Zero across key industries. He also led research on topics including critical minerals, EV battery supply chain, carbon credits, green premium, climate tech, climate scenarios, and headed a multi-company project to define Net-Zero pathways for agriculture. Youssef is a thought leader on key climate and sustainability topics and has co-authored three flagship publications including RBC’s “The Next Green Revolution: How Canada can produce more food and fewer emissions”, BCG’s “Climate Tech: The Canadian Venture Opportunity”, and BCG’s “Canada has an EV edge, if it acts now”.
Youssef holds a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
MBA, CFA, CAIA
Venelina Arduini is a Co-Leader, Alternative Investments Canada. Venelina works with institutional investors to build and maintain their alternatives portfolios, helping them with portfolio construction, program development and deployent. She joined Mercer in 2011. Venelina is also a Board of Director member for the West Park Hospital Foundation based in Toronto. Venelina holds an MBA from Ivey Business School. She also earned the CFA and CAIA designations.
Avi Banyasz is a Partner of TPG, Inc. (NASDAQ: TPG) and Co-Head of TPG Real Estate and is based in New York. Prior to joining TPG Real Estate in 2011, Mr. Banyasz served as a Managing Principal of Westbrook Partners. At Westbrook, Mr. Banyasz had primary responsibility for investing in the United States, but additionally spent several years focused on Westbrook’s Western European business. Prior to his 13-year tenure at Westbrook, Mr. Banyasz worked at Bear Stearns & Co. Mr. Banyasz received a BCom degree in Economics and Finance, with High Distinction, from the University of Toronto. Mr. Banyasz serves on the Boards of Directors of TPG RE Finance Trust, Inc. (NYSE: TRTX), Dogwood Properties, B2R Partners, Alloy Properties, and Cinespace Studios and is a Trustee of the Harlem Academy, and Girls Who Invest.
MBA, CAIA
Arijit Banik is the treasurer for York University, responsible for the university’s endowment fund and balance sheet. Prior to his role at York, Arijit had experience in treasury, pension, and product management functions within RBC Financial Group, working in asset liability management, pension investments, forecasting and treasury desk roles, as well as securities lending functions. Arijit graduated from the University of Waterloo with bachelor’s degrees in chemical engineering and economics. He has an MBA from the Schulich School of Business (York University) and holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation.
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) (Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen), Graduate Diploma in Environmental Risk and Technology (Edinburgh Napier University)
Joined IFM Investors in July 2023
Cameron leads environmental sustainability for IFM’s Global Infrastructure and Net Zero Infrastructure funds. With over 25 years of experience spanning the full spectrum of sustainability practices, he brings a wealth of operational expertise to the role. His most recent position was at the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), a pioneering organisation dedicated to innovative infrastructure development and financing in emerging markets. As the Global Head of Health, Safety, Environment, and Social, Cameron was instrumental in shaping PIDG’s ESG landscape. Earlier in his career, Cameron spent over a decade at Shell, where he led an ESG team and spearheaded numerous decarbonisation, environmental engineering projects across Africa and the Middle East.
Janet is the Founder and Managing Partner of Staircase Ventures, which invests in Canada’s most promising early-stage technology companies. Staircase recognizes that founders are the bedrock upon which companies are built, and therefore provides unparalleled support to accelerate founders’ development and performance. Staircase Ventures is backed by leading institutional investors and successful entrepreneurs. Prior to launching Staircase Ventures, Janet was Managing Partner at Real Ventures, one of Canada’s largest and most active early-stage investors. Janet is also a graduate of the prestigious Kauffman Fellows program, a global network of the world’s top 1% of venture investors and innovation leaders. In addition, Janet is very active in the Canadian tech ecosystem; she is the Co-Chair of C100 and on the Boards of the Ivey Business School and LEAP, a social venture accelerator. She is a mentor at Creative Destruction Lab and advisor to One Eleven. In addition, Janet was Honorary Co-Chair of the Princess Margaret Ride to Conquer Cancer in 2023, the largest single fundraising event in Canada. Janet has won numerous awards and recognition including Toronto Region Builder of the Year Award for 2023, Business Insider’s 2024 and 2023 “Best Women Early-Stage Investors”, Venture Capital Journal’s 2021 “Women of Influence in Private Markets”, Pitchbook’s 2021 “Female Founders & Investors to Know”, and American Bankers’ 2019 “Most Influential Women in Payments”. In 2004, Janet launched Kijiji.ca and grew it to become one of the most visited websites in Canada. Subsequently, she led the Kijiji Global business, launching the website in new countries and accelerating growth in North America, Europe, and Asia. Janet also spent four years at eBay in Silicon Valley where she helped transform eBay from a collectibles-focused site to a mainstream marketplace, growing the business four-fold, year-over-year, for four years. She started her career as a Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble and then joined McKinsey & Co. where she was an Engagement Manager. She also founded and built a successful consulting business and was CEO at a venture-backed start-up. Janet was a varsity long-distance runner at Western University, where she completed her business degree at Ivey, earning the Gold Medal. Post university, she took up the sport of triathlon, and two years later, became Canada’s National triathlon champion. She competed internationally on the National team for several years while working full time. Janet is married with a 19-year old son.
MBA
Richard is a senior partner at Penfund focused on strategy, fundraising and operations. He has completed Penfund investments in the food, pet, industrial distribution and automotive aftermarket sectors.
Richard has a BA (Philosophy) from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from Harvard University. He is a former Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors of The Bishop Strachan School where he also served as Chair of the Finance Committee and Co-Chair of the Development Committee. He is a former Director of The Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation and the Canadian Venture Capital Association.
Sarah Butcher, Managing Director, is the Canadian territory lead in BlackRock’s Institutional Capital Formation (ICF) team within the Americas Institutional Business (AIB). In this role, she is responsible for delivering the firm’s private market capabilities to clients across Canada. Prior to rejoining BlackRock in 2024, Sarah was the Head, Private Markets Distribution, Canada at Fiera Capital. Previously, she worked at Neuberger Berman as a Senior Vice President in the Institutional Client Group and at BlackRock as a Director in the Institutional Client Business. Earlier in her career, she also worked at Mercer Investment Consulting and at Goldman, Sachs & Co. Sarah earned a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Finance from the University of British Columbina and an MBA from York University. She is also a Leslie Wong Fellow in recognition of her participation in the UBC Portfolio Management Foundation.
CFA
Alex Chase is the Manager of the real assets portfolio at the NAV Canada Pension Plan. His responsibilities include overseeing real estate, infrastructure and agriculture investments, in addition to the Plan’s Responsible Investment initiatives.
Alex previously worked for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation as a member of the private markets team. Earlier in his career, Alex worked for KPMG and government entities in a financial advisory role on major infrastructure projects throughout Canada. Alex is a CFA charterholder.
CFA
Daniel Conti joined HarbourVest’s investor relations team in 2018 and focuses on coordinating, monitoring, and enhancing relationships with new and existing Canadian investors and consultants. Dan joined the Firm from CI Institutional Asset Management, where he was most recently a vice president responsible for institutional business development and client service for consultants, pension plans, foundations, family and multi-family offices as well as banks and insurance company platforms. Prior to this, he was an investment counsellor for CI’s Private Counsel division. His prior experience includes roles for a single family office and a multi-family office in Eastern Canada. Dan received a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance and Economics from École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montreal. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Planning designations. Dan currently serves as co-director of the CFA Montreal Mentoring Program.
Tori brings extensive experience to her role as Senior Director, Secondaries at Nicola Wealth, where she leads a dedicated Secondaries strategy. Prior to joining Nicola in April 2024, Tori was a Partner at Morningside Capital and led the Firm’s single asset secondaries strategy. While at Morningside, Tori played a pivotal role in growing the firm from nascency to over $400 million in assets under management. Prior to joining Morningside, Tori worked in the Funds, Secondaries and Co-Investments team at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Toronto and London, UK where she gained extensive experience in private equity. Her experience spans North America, Europe and Asia in the mid, large and mega markets. Tori actively contributes to the community as a board member at Urban Squash Toronto and a member of the Finance Committee at the North York Harvest Food Bank.
CFA
Jeff Chan is Director, ESG Investing at Canada Post Corporate Pension Plan. In this role, Jeff leads all aspects of the plan’s ESG efforts including ESG integration, stewardship efforts and the implementation of the plan’s climate change strategy. Prior to this role, Jeff was Director, ESG at a large Canadian asset management firm where he developed and led the implementation of the firm’s ESG strategy and roadmap, including policy and process creation. Jeff also played an integral role in ESG product development and ESG-related client servicing.
Jeff is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and has completed a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science (Life Sciences) from McMaster University. Jeff also holds the FSA Credential from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR) Certificate from the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP).
Jenny is a Senior Managing Director with Macquarie Asset Management (MAM) and is currently the Head of Portfolio and Strategy for Macquarie Infrastructure Partners (MIP). In this role, she oversees investment activities within the MIP fund series. In February 2023, Jenny was also appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the MIRA Infrastructure Global Solutions (MIGS) platform.
Prior to these roles, Jenny had responsibility for developing and executing the debt capital management strategy across MAM Private Market’s portfolio assets and new acquisition targets. Before joining MAM in 2015, she worked in the Macquarie Capital advisory business and Macquarie’s direct lending business, making credit investments on behalf of Macquarie Bank Limited.
Jenny serves on the Investment Committees for the MIP and MIGS funds, and she is a board member for GreenWaste (a California-based waste business) and Goethals Bridge (a toll road in New York).She earned her Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from The University of Queensland.
Matt is a portfolio manager in the Emerging Markets Fixed Income team at Ninety One with responsibilities for Emerging Market credit strategies. He also has a specialism in illiquid, private and special situations Emerging Market credit with a strong focus on the decarbonization of Emerging Markets.
Prior to joining the firm, Matt worked for Gramercy Funds Management as a portfolio manager focusing on opportunistic Emerging Market credit. Before this he was a portfolio manager at BlackRock responsible for the fixed income portfolios of insurance clients.
Matt graduated from Middlebury College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and French and Columbia Business School with an MBA where he was also a graduate of the Value Investing Program.
Philip Coté is a Director at bfinance Canada. Philip has more than 16 years of financial services industry experience across institutional investment consulting, manager research and product development roles. Prior to joining bfinance Philip was a Director at Pavilion Alternatives Group where he led manager research and due diligence assignments in the area of private markets investment, with a focus on real estate, infrastructure and private debt. Earlier in his career Philip worked at CIBC Asset Management and National Bank. Philip is a CFA charter holder and holds the FRM designation. He completed a Bachelor of Commerce at Concordia University and a graduate certificate at McGill University.
As Founder and Managing Partner of August Advisors, Katie recognized the need to connect exceptional private investment managers with Canadian institutional capital. Prior to launching August Advisors, Katie was Managing Director, Co-Head Capital Raising at a $15bn private equity firm, where she was directly responsible for building out the team and raising institutional capital globally, with direct coverage of Canadian institutional capital. She began her career in Investment Banking and Institutional Equity Sales at CIBC, one of Canada’s largest banks. She is a graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University, where she earned an Honours in Business Administration.
LL.B, ICD.D
Tanya is committed to creating catalytic impact pathways through a systems thinking approach. With more than 20 years of investment experience, Tanya carved out an executive pathway in private equity on the back of one key differentiator discovered early in her career: a passion for ESG injection into investment strategy and leadership. She went on to manage a $12B fund portfolio and global investment team as Managing Director and Head of Global Funds, Private Capital for Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. A firm believer in the power of global collaboration, Tanya served as Chair of ILPA and was also a member of the UN PRI Private Equity Steering Committee.
Tanya holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Western University and earned her ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and Rotman (University of Toronto). With a non-traditional background in the world of private equity and corporate finance, she brings a progressive perspective and vision for a reimagined infrastructure of finance to support people, profit and purpose in equal balance.
Tanya serves as a speaker and advisor partnering with pension fund leaders, Boards, and institutional investors to re-imagine ESG, culture, and DE&I initiatives as part of their broader investment strategy. She believes the next frontier of sustainable, future-proofed investment can be achieved by leveraging holistic systems thinking, interconnectedness of investor and society, purpose loops and operational pathways for change.
MBA
Andrew Garrett is Senior Principal, Real Estate at IMCO. He is responsible for growing the global real estate portfolio through strategy development, proactive asset management, and new investment partnerships. His primary focus is overseeing teams of asset managers and expanding the portfolio with new development partners in major global cities.
Before joining IMCO in 2019, Andrew spent more than 12 years at Cadillac Fairview (CF), where he was Director, Real Estate Development. In that role, he built and oversaw the team of specialists that evaluated and prioritized development-related growth opportunities to meet the long-term objectives of CF’s owner, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.
Andrew holds a Global Executive MBA from Kellogg School Management and a Real Estate Development Certification from MIT Centre for Real Estate.
Andrew sits on the board advisory committees for real estate private equity firms KingSett Capital, Royal York Hotel LP, Carttera, and Forgestone Capital. He also founded a B Corp social enterprise and serves on the management committee of the Urban Land Institute, supporting and advising on social purpose real estate projects.
CFA
Michael is responsible for leading the relationship management team in Quebec, overseeing the existing client relationships and partnering with our business development team to grow CIBC Mellon’s regional footprint. He also develops and manages initiatives that enhance client partnerships.
Prior to joining CIBC Mellon in 2013, Michael worked in progressively senior roles at a large, diversified financial institution in Canada, most recently as a relationship manager for domestic and international institutional investors.
In addition to his 20+ years of experience in the financial services industry, Michael is a CFA charter holder and earned his bachelor of commerce degree from Concordia University, with a major in finance at the John Molson School of Business.
Miguel sets investment strategy and leads the firm’s risk management function while collaborating with investors to formulate strategies that leverage Adams Street’s global investment capabilities. He works closely with investors in the management of their portfolios, including the development and ongoing monitoring of their private market programs. He is actively involved in the portfolio construction and monitoring of our various fund of funds programs and separate accounts.
Previously, Miguel was Head of the Performance Analysis Group in the Asset Allocation/Currency Group of Brinson Partners where he oversaw the design and management of Brinson’s performance attribution and analytics systems.
Miguel is a member of Adams Street’s Executive Committee, Portfolio Construction Committee, New Product Committee, and Investment Pricing Committee, and Co-Chair of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. He is also a member of the CFA Society of Chicago and the CFA Institute.
Sofia Gertsberg joined HarbourVest in 2016 to lead the Firm’s Quantitative Investment Science team. The team’s objectives are to utilize HarbourVest’s proprietary data set to develop quantitative tools and models to enhance fundamentally-driven investment and portfolio construction process across the firm.
Sofia joined the Firm from State Street Global Advisors, where she was the global head of Fixed Income and Money Market Risk leading the investment risk oversight of assets across active, smart beta, and passive strategies for fixed income, cash, and currency portfolios. Her responsibilities included leading a global team of investment risk managers and analysts, designing and implementing investment risk monitoring framework, setting internal risk limits, and conducting risk management due diligence for outside managers. Sofia was also a voting member of SSGA’s Sub-advisor Oversight and Valuation Committees. Prior to that, she was a market risk manager at State Street Global Markets. She also held a director of analytics role at Debt Exchange.
Sofia received a BS in Economics from the University of Latvia in 2000 and an MBA from Boston University in 2003. She speaks fluent Russian and Latvian.
CPA, CMA
Gary became the Executive VP, Investments and Chief Investment Officer (EVP&CIO) of Investment Services at Plannera Pensions and Benefits (Plannera). Over the 19 years with Plannera, Gary has held several positions in Investment Services, including Investment Analyst, Manager, Assistant Director, Director, and Executive Director. Before joining Plannera, Gary progressed through several roles at Crown Life, Canada Life and Great West Life, giving him 25 years in the investment industry. Gary also worked as an accountant prior to moving into the investment industry. As the EVP&CIO, Gary is responsible for the Investment Services area, focusing his time on the strategic vision for his two teams. This includes the strategic investment structure and direction of the pension and benefit plans administrated by Plannera and the $18 billion they have invested. This includes strategic reviews of Plannera’s largest pension plans, Municipal Employees’ Pension Plan (MEPP) and Public Employees Pension Plan (PEPP); leading service provider competitions and engagements; facilitating any investment research; training and education; transitions; and budget and human resource considerations. Gary has a Bachelor of Administration degree from the University of Regina and is a Certified Professional Accountant (Saskatchewan). He has also taken several industry courses, such as the School of Pension Investment Management, the Humber College Pension Plan Administration Certificate, and the Institutional Limited Partners Association Private Equity Executive Education.
CPA, CA (UK), ICD.D
Previously he served as President of China Monitor Inc (CMI), a platform for macroeconomic and industry forecasting and analysis in partnership with CEInet, a thinktank under the NDRC in Beijing. Earlier in his career he served as a Director of Sovereign and International Public Finance ratings with Standard & Poor’s in Hong Kong, and as the General Manager of Global Insight’s Beijing office prior to its acquisition by IHS in 2008.
CFA
Brian is an investment specialist in the Clients Department and is a member of the Private Companies Team. Prior to joining Baillie Gifford, he was head of Alternative Investments at Allen & Co Investment Advisors, where he oversaw investment research on opportunistic investments, alternatives, and third parties. Before Allen & Co, he was an analyst within global capital markets at Morgan Stanley in New York, focused on private capital markets and student loan securitizations. He graduated with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Brown University in 2008 and is a CFA Charterholder.
CFA
Elaad Keren is Senior Managing Director, Co-Head of Private Fixed Income for SLC Management. Elaad leads the Structured Credit strategy and Private Fixed Income Portfolio Management. He joined SLC Management in 2019 as a Senior Managing Director and assumed his expanded role in 2024 Elaad’s portfolio of work includes four years as Vice President of Credit for CWB Maxium Financial, where he was a member of the senior management team responsible for the strategic and operational success of the organization. During that time, Elaad helped build and manage a multi-billion dollar loan portfolio while leading various credit-related and governance functions. From 2008 to 2015, Elaad was a key member of Sun Life’s Mid-Market Private Debt team. During his tenure, Elaad built and maintained relationships with financial intermediaries throughout North America, where he sourced, negotiated and closed Canadian/U.S. unrated mid-market senior corporate loans and co-managed a portfolio of private equity funds. Prior to that, Elaad held progressive roles on the corporate finance teams of Celestica and RR Donnelley. Elaad obtained his MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Elaad is a CFA Charterholder and a member of the Toronto CFA Society.
Mr. Koman is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of ElmTree and provides strategic guidance and leadership for all aspects of the firm’s operations. As Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Mr. Koman assumes primary responsibility for firm management and project coordination, with a commitment to developing and managing quality assets as well as providing clients with unparalleled service. Mr. Koman founded ElmTree in 2011 and brings over 40 years of commercial real estate and development experience to ElmTree. Mr. Koman is a member of the Investment Committee and is active in all areas of ElmTree’s activities, including investment strategy, acquisitions, dispositions and portfolio management. Including affiliated investments, Mr. Koman has transacted approximately $20 billion of net lease and other real estate assets.
A long-time proponent of community building and youth development, Mr. Koman has served on numerous boards and participated in his surrounding community groups. He previously served a two-year term as the president of the board of Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, MO, and remains very involved in other capacities with the hospital today. Mr. Koman’s commitment to supporting youth development has translated into the foundation of the Bill Koman Game Plan for Success program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2020. The creation of this program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill aims to support disadvantaged student-athletes, and through providing access to critical resources and mentorship, prepare student athletes for collegiate and lifelong success.
Professionally, Mr. Koman is a member of the Urban Land Institute (“ULI”), Pension Real Estate Association, Society of Industrial and Office Realtors and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (“NAIOP”). As a respected leader in the net-lease sector, Mr. Koman has been a keynote speaker on numerous industry-wide panels across the nation. Over his career, Mr. Koman has been featured as one of the Net Lease Real Estate Icons in the Real Estate Forum. Mr. Koman holds an AB degree in Economics from the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kenneth Koon is a Managing Director, Infrastructure at IMCO. He leads a team on direct infrastructure investments and oversees the active management of the direct infrastructure portfolio with a focus on new energy vectors.
Kenneth has experience investing in a broad range of infrastructure assets across EMEA and North America, with expertise in strategic M&A, debt and equity capital markets transactions including IPOs and take-privates. Before joining IMCO in 2021, he was a Director at RBC Capital Markets, specializing in the energy, midstream and energy infrastructure sectors, and helped launch the team’s energy transition coverage when the sector was still in its infancy. Kenneth holds a Master’s in Chemistry from the University of Oxford, where he was an AstraZeneca and Mary Somerville prize winner. He is also exam qualified with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and ACA Financial Management prize winner.
CAIA
Majlinda Kamberi, CAIA, is Head of Investment Strategies for the Private Markets CIO Office at Fiera Capital. In this role, Ms. Kamberi leads innovation and strategic planning, market research and intelligence, and strategy development. Her prior experience at Fiera Capital encompasses leading a team of analysts focused on bottom-up analysis, including research, due diligence, risk management, performance analytics, and portfolio construction, across Fiera Capital’s private market strategies that include private credit, real estate, agriculture, timberland, infrastructure, and private equity. Ms. Kamberi began working in the alternative investments industry in 2006. She joined Fiera Capital in 2016 upon its acquisition of Larch Lane Advisors LLC. She worked at Larch Lane Advisors LLC from 2011 through 2016 as a hedge fund research analyst and became a partner in 2013. From 2008 through 2011, Ms. Kamberi worked at Alternative Investment Solutions, the Fund of Hedge Funds group of UBS Global Asset Management, where she started as an investment analyst and received the title of investment officer in March 2011. She started her career at UBS in July 2006 as a hedge fund credit risk analyst, managing the investment bank’s counterparty relationships with hedge funds. Ms. Kamberi graduated simultaneously with BA and MA degrees in Economics from The City College of the City University of New York, and holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation.
Nicholas is a real estate investment professional with over a decade of experience across various roles for both investment allocators and managers. In his current position at Richter Family Office, he is responsible for manager selection, due diligence, and investment underwriting, focusing on evaluating and assessing opportunities across all real estate asset classes. Prior to joining Richter, Nicholas worked at Starlight Investments, where he managed a national multi-residential portfolio, leading efforts to maximize operational efficiency and drive value creation, representing both private and institutional capital interests across North America and the EMEA region. Before his time at Starlight, Nicholas held a position at Barnhart Asset Management, overseeing the Fund’s real estate value-add and development program in Mexico on behalf of one of Canada’s largest pension plans. Nicholas holds a BComm. (Finance) from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University in Montreal.
Peter Martin Larsen is UPP’s Senior Managing Director, Head of Private Markets, responsible for UPP’s Private Markets portfolio comprising the infrastructure, real estate, private equity, and private debt asset classes. Prior to joining UPP, Peter held senior investor roles at one of Europe’s largest institutional investors, PensionDanmark, and advisory firm and investment banking positions at PwC and Macquarie Capital. Peter has served on the Boards of Directors of multiple large infrastructure companies, and currently sits on the Investment Committee of the Danish Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Investment Fund, a DKK 5bn public-private partnership contributing to the realization of the 17 UN SDGs through investments in developing countries. Peter has Master’s Degrees in Finance and Economics from the London School of Economics and the University of Copenhagen.
CFA, MBA
Charissa is a South African-born Canadian investment professional with an expertise in Investing, Strategy, and Portfolio Management, with a focus on Private Equity. With over a decade of experience in the pension industry at CPPIB and IMCO, as well as tenure in Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a global perspective to her work. Charissa’s international career has taken her across South Africa, England, Canada, China, and the USA, equipping her with a diverse and nuanced understanding of global cultures and markets.
Her expertise encompasses selecting top fund managers and co-investments, crafting innovative alternative investment strategies, and cultivating strong relationships with key stakeholders. Charissa’s leadership and impact in the industry were recognized with the Woman in Capital Markets Emerging Leaders Award in 2016.
She earned her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in Chicago and holds an H.B.Sc in Computer Science and Commerce from the University of Toronto. As a CFA Charterholder and a Board Director of the Toronto Humane Society, Charissa exemplifies both professional excellence and a commitment to community service.
CFA
Stéfanie brings 20 years of expertise in private placements, risk management, and strategic planning. As iAGAM’s Senior Vice-President, Head of Corporate Bonds and Private Debt, she oversees the teams in charge of more than $20bn invested in corporate bonds and in investment grade private debt, both for the general accounts and external clients. She is also a member of iAIFS’ Pension Committee.
Previously, Stéfanie worked on strategic mandates for Revenu Quebec and spent a decade at Développement International Desjardins, where she managed investment funds providing both private equity and debt to microfinance institutions. She holds an M.Sc. in Finance from HEC Montreal, is a CFA charterholder, and has completed the LEAD program at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
MBA, ICD.D
Bertrand Millot leads the Stewardship Investing team, which is responsible for defining and implementing CDPQ’s strategic directions, including integrating ESG factors into all activities and deploying the climate strategy. His responsibilities have three aspects: helping investment teams structure impactful investment opportunities (particularly with regard to social, climate and energy transition investments); managing risks related to ESG, climate change and reputation and contributing to the organization’s outreach in collaboration with the CDPQ Global team. Mr. Millot is one of the architects of CDPQ’s climate change strategy and a seasoned investor in infrastructure and corporate debt in emerging markets, fields where ESG considerations have historically been at the forefront. At CDPQ since 2015, he previously held various positions in risk management and stewardship investing, including Business Unit Risk Manager for the Fixed Income, Capital Solutions and Cross-functional Risk portfolios. He also served as Head of Climate Risk and Issues and led the Stewardship Investing team. Before joining CDPQ, Mr. Millot was CEO and CIO at Cordiant Capital, an emerging market corporate debt fund manager. Earlier in his career, he was active in infrastructure project finance with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London, U.K. and with BNP Paribas in Paris, France. Mr. Millot holds an MBA from McGill University, a Master’s in Engineering from École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers in Paris and is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD.D designation).
Stacey is a Director of the Nicola Private Debt Fund, having joined the Toronto office in July 2022 with more than 15 years of U.S. and Canadian leveraged finance experience. Nicola Private Debt manages a diversified portfolio with more than $1.2 billion in AUM today, primarily focused on direct lending to Canadian and U.S. middle-market businesses. Prior to joining Nicola Wealth, Stacey was Director, Debt Capital Markets at Scotiabank in Toronto, where she focused on high yield bond origination for Canadian corporate clients. Additionally, Stacey brings ten years of U.S-based leveraged finance experience across multiple lending platforms, including Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and Mizuho Bank, where she was involved in the origination, structuring, credit underwriting and marketing of large-cap LBOs, leveraged loans and high yield bonds. Stacey is a Bachelor of Commerce graduate from McGill University and holds a Master of Business Administration from NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Sherry Larjani brings over a decade of real estate development and entrepreneurial experience to her role as President at Spotlight Development. She is responsible for leading the company’s visionary projects, ensuring that each development reflects innovation, inclusivity, and design excellence. Since founding Spotlight Developments in 2010, Sherry has specialized in high-density residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects, with a growing focus on pioneering affordable multi-residential housing through impact investments. She is spearheading collaborations with the non-profit housing community, working alongside organizations that provide housing subsidies, wrap-around services, and accessibility programs to ensure that affordable housing is not only built but sustainable and supportive. A champion of collaboration and inclusivity in real estate, Sherry is known for breaking barriers in the industry, most notably partnering with Urban Capital to create Reina, Canada’s first all-female development team, which raised awareness about gender equality in real estate and construction. Her leadership has driven award-winning projects that push the boundaries of urban development while prioritizing community impact. She continues to advocate for bold, forward-thinking solutions that address Ontario’s housing crisis while creating long-term social and economic benefits. Sherry holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from TMU (formerly Ryerson University).
CFA, ASA, FRM
Guillaume Morency serves as Manager and Head of Infrastructure Investments at Desjardins Global Asset Management.
Guillaume is responsible for cultivating relationships with first-rate fund managers to capitalize on co-investment opportunities. He also collaborates with his teammates to determine top-quality infrastructure assets.
Guillaume joined Desjardins Global Asset Management in 2021. His career in the investment industry began at Normandin-Beaudry in 2005. He subsequently joined Desjardins Group, holding several roles of increasing seniority in the risk and alternative investment space before accepting his current appointment.
Guillaume holds a Bachelor of Science (Actuarial Science) from Université Laval and is a CFA charterholder. He has also attained the Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA) designation and is a certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM).
CPA Auditor
Private Markets investment specialist with deal origination, portfolio construction, value creation and asset management experience, with a demonstrated track record in infrastructure, private equity and consulting.
As Managing Director, Funds, Real Estate, within CDPQ’s Investment Funds and External Management team, Isabelle Martin plays a key role in optimizing business relationships with the Real Estate team’s strategic partners and liaises with all internal stakeholders to drive the best investment decision-making for the organization. Ms. Martin joined Ivanhoé Cambridge in 2011 as Senior Director, Transactions. She then served as Senior Director, Real Estate Investment Funds. Prior to joining the organization, she held various positions at Ernst & Young in Montréal, Paris and New York. Ms. Martin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from HEC Montréal and is a member of the Quebec CPA Order. She received the 2022 Excellence and Leadership Award from CREW M. She is vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA) and the Fondation Santé Urbaine, and previously chaired the Board of Directors of the Fondation Baluchon Alzheimer.
James has been investing in all forms of European real estate private equity since 1997 with a focus on value-add asset repositioning, distressed credit, operating company restructuring, development and platform building. Prior to joining Schroders Capital in 2021, James was Co-Head of European Real Estate at SVP Global, a specialist distressed credit and restructuring firm where he invested in hotels and residential sectors and repositioned healthcare operating businesses. Prior to that he was a partner at Kildare Partners, a European real estate private equity firm founded in 2014, where he acquired: a €700m German real estate business; a €700m Dutch real estate office portfolio and management team and various non-performing loans. James was also a Managing Director at Mount Kellett, a special situations firm where he invested in and restructured a business owning and operating 31 hotels across UK and Ireland as well as various real estate investments across UK, Netherlands and Spain. James was also a Principal at Perella Weinberg Real Estate (subsequently Aermont) at the launch and investment of its first fund in 2007. He started his career in 1997 at Deutsche Bank, RREEF Opportunity Funds working on acquisitions and asset management of owner/operated, real estate-heavy businesses across Europe such as the €1bn acquisition of Printemps department store, various French and German residential portfolios, and the acquisition and asset management of a 790-room hotel in bankruptcy.
James graduated in 1997 from Christ’s College, University of Cambridge with an MA (Hons) Natural Sciences.
CFA
Michael joined the Canada Post Corporation Pension Plan in 2024 to oversee the private markets infrastructure investment portfolio. Prior to joining Canada Post, Michael was the Head of the North American Private Markets Infrastructure practice at Mercer Alternatives, where he chaired Mercer’s Infrastructure Research Review Committee; was a member of the Infrastructure Investment Committee for Mercer-managed private markets funds; and, provided consulting advice to large institutional pension plans on portfolio construction, fund manager selection, and direct investing. Michael has also worked as an equity research analyst at BMO Capital Markets covering North American power, utilities and renewable energy sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of British Columbia, is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CA), and a CFA Charterholder.
As Managing Director, Sustainability, Sunita Mahant is responsible for supporting the sustainable investment credit and equity activities in the real estate sector, in addition to overseeing sustainable development projects. She optimizes risk and opportunity management based on environmental, social and governance criteria, in addition to acting as an ambassador for the culture of sustainability within the organization.
Prior to this role, Ms. Mahant was Head of Social Impact and Inclusion, Sustainable Investment, at Ivanhoé Cambridge. Previously, she held various management roles in the organization’s Legal Affairs department. Ms. Mahant holds a Bachelor’s of Political Science from Glendon College, York University, and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor. She also earned a Mini-MBA from Boston University’s Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) and is a member of the Ontario Bar.
With a keen interest in diversity, equity and inclusion, she services as Director, DEI, on the Board of Directors of NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association. She is also a member of Toronto CREW, which works to advance women to positions of leadership and influence in commercial real estate. In 2015, Ms. Mahant was ranked one of the best lawyers under 40 in Canada in the Lexpert Rising Stars awards. She is fluent in Hindi, Punjabi, French and English.
MBA
Simon Oak is a Managing Director on the Secondary team primarily focused on the origination, evaluation, and execution of secondary opportunities including partnership and GP-led transactions. Simon joined Lexington in 2006 as an associate on the CIP team and rejoined as a member of the secondary team in 2010 after business school. Prior to that, he was an analyst in investment banking at Credit Suisse. Simon graduated from McGill University with a BCom in Finance and from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with an MBA.
Chad is responsible for leading dedicated teams of sector specialists in local offices around the world that focus on workplace, healthcare, retail and mixed-use investments. He oversees the overall strategy, performance and day-to-day activities of Nuveen Real Estate’s investments across these sectors, which represent approximately $50 billion of value. He is also a member of the Global Executive Leadership Team and Americas Investment Committee. Prior to joining the firm, Chad was a portfolio manager and managing director at Guggenheim Real Estate, where he oversaw all facets of their U.S. open-end funds, including one that was a member of the NCREIF NFI-ODCE Index. During his 15-year career at Guggenheim, Chad was a member of the Investment Committee and participated in the acquisition of over 90 direct property assets. He started his career as an associate at Banc of America Securities in the Real Estate Investment Banking and Debt Capital Markets groups. Chad graduated with a B.A. from Davidson College and a Master’s in Real Estate from Georgetown University.
CIPM
Cynthia Shaw-Pereira is Head of Asset Owner Solutions at CIBC Mellon.
Cynthia is responsible for establishing strategic priorities for CIBC Mellon’s asset owner segment and services for institutional investors active in the Canadian market. In addition, Cynthia works closely with sophisticated clients to understand, identify, and develop new solutions, helping shape CIBC Mellon’s delivery of solutions today and build for the future based on clients’ needs.
She has nearly 20 years of experience in asset servicing. Cynthia’s previous roles across the BNY Mellon global enterprise include client solutioning of performance and risk analytics products and services, and advising on the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) space in the Canadian market.
Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto, and certificates in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM) and ESG Investing from the CFA Institute. She is a member of the Responsible Investment Association (RIA) Toronto Working Group.
MBA
Barrett Sigmund joined RISE Properties in 2017 and is Chief Executive Officer based in Seattle, WA. RISE and affiliated companies have over 500 employees in Canada, and in the States of Washington and Oregon.
Reporting to the Board of Directors, Barrett leads a North American staff team of 20 professionals in acquisition, investment & asset management, renovations, compliance, finance, and sales & marketing. Barrett is a senior member of the investment team, and brings 20+ years of experience in acquisitions, renovations, risk management and dispositions.
He is a deeply entrenched apartment market specialist in Pacific Northwest multi-family real estate, and sources many off-market deals not seen by broader market participants. Barrett has built large and successful joint venture partnerships with global institutions while at RISE.
Prior to joining the Firm, Barrett was Senior Director of Investments at Security Properties from 2014 – 2017. In this role, Barrett significantly increased annual acquisitions volume to over $1 billion, with $100+ million in ongoing renovation work taking place at any given time. Barrett holds a BA in Economics and Communication from Allegheny University (2002), an MBA from the University of Washington (2008) and a Certificate in Real Estate (2004) from the University of Washington. Barrett has lived in the Pacific Northwest for over 20 years, is an avid skier and golfer, and enjoys outdoor adventure with his wife and young son.
Ben is responsible for the Aviva Investors real estate equity fund management business and is part of the real assets senior leadership team. The Aviva Investors real estate equity business has a team of 45 professionals based in Paris and the London headquarters.
Ben is the current chair of the UK Investment Property Forum (IPF) and is chair of the IPF international Special Interest Group.
Prior to joining Aviva Investors, Ben was an Executive Director in fund management at Federated Hermes real estate where he was responsible for the global investment programmes made on behalf of Federated Hermes real estate clients as well as overseeing ESG strategy, UK residential and real estate debt investment programmes.
Ben was previously with M&G/Prudential where he was manager of the M&G global real estate securities fund and managed UK Prudential’s global real estate securities exposure as well as leading the global view formation and strategy team for their private real estate investments. From 1998 to 2003 Ben worked in London and Tokyo for Jones Lang LaSalle.
Ben has BA and MA degrees in economics is a member of the CFA and is a regular speaker at real estate conferences globally and at leading universities.
CFA, ICD.D
Robert Sturgeon is Senior Managing Director and Head of Global Investment Strategy at Ontario Teachers’. In this role he oversees the Global Investment Strategy department and Ontario Teachers’ analysis of the changing global business environment, the development of strategic responses and the integration of those responses across asset classes, regions, and the broader enterprise. Since joining Ontario Teachers’ in 2017, Robert has held progressively senior roles in the Global Strategic Relationships and Global Investment Strategy groups. Prior to joining Ontario Teachers’, Robert spent more than 17 years investing in private markets. This includes nine years’ experience in private equity, venture capital and infrastructure fund investing globally and eight years’ experience in direct growth equity investing with an impact investment firm in the Andean region of South America. He is a CFA Charterholder, has ICD.D certification from the Institute of Corporate Directors and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Victoria.
CFA, CPA
Taylor oversees the University of Ottawa’s 30% real assets allocation for the Endowment and Pension Fund. He previously spent 7 years at CMHC Pension Fund overseeing their real estate portfolio, which covered Canada, the U.S., Europe and the U.K. During his time at CMHC, Taylor also obtained exposure to private equity, private debt, and agriculture. He is a graduate from the University of Ottawa where he was a varsity athlete with the Gee-Gees football team.
Katherine co-heads the North America Institutional Client Group at Ninety One, responsible for business development and strategic relationships with institutional investors, consultants and stakeholders across the US and Canada. Katherine joined Ninety One in 2012 to build the firm’s Investment Institute, a thematic research and client engagement platform that today forms part of Ninety One’s Global Multi-Asset investment team. In 2017, she helped launch Ninety One Canada which has successfully grown into a multi-billion-dollar business, providing customized investment solutions to a diverse range of sophisticated institutional investors. Prior to Ninety One, Katherine was Head of Africa at the World Economic Forum responsible for CEO and government engagement at Davos. She started her career in investment banking and private equity with roles at BMO Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Partners, and HSG-Stonehage Fleming. Katherine currently serves as the Chair of the Board of the Investor Leadership Network, a CEO-led initiative of the G7 representing over $10 trillion in AUM, she is a Moderator and Fellow of the Aspen Institute Finance Leaders program and sits on the Board and Investment Committee of Women’s College Hospital Foundation in Toronto. Katherine holds a Master’s degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Victoria, and FINRA Series 7,63 licenses.
Surinder founded Arjun Infrastructure Partners in 2015 and was formerly the Head of Europe for J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Infrastructure Investment Group (JPMAM). At JPMAM, Surinder was globally responsible for the existing portfolio of investments, including regulated utilities (gas, electricity, water, and wastewater), power generation (gas and wind) and transportation (airports and seaports) and new investment in Europe. He was a member of the Investment Committee and managed the London office, a team of 12 professionals.
Before that, he was Chief Financial Officer and co-head of Scotia Gas Networks. Scotia Gas Networks was the £5bn joint venture between Scottish and Southern Energy plc, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Borealis Infrastructure and operates the UK gas distribution network for Scotland and South England, serving 17.6m customers with over 6,000 employees and contractors.
Previously, Surinder was Managing Director of American Electric Power’s (AEP) European operations. AEP’s European presence consisted of 4,400MW of power generation capacity in the UK, regulated electricity networks and commodity trading activities.
He was previously a consultant in Arthur Andersen’s Energy & Utility practice, focusing on transaction support for European energy and utility transactions.
Surinder holds a Master’s degree in Engineering, Economics & Management from St John’s College, University of Oxford and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.
MBA
Parnaz is the Director of Innovation labs at AIMCo. In her role, she is researching the applications of advanced analytics and emerging technologies that can enhance the investment outcomes for their clients and the millions of Albertans they serve.
Before joining AIMCO, she was part of CPP Investment’s Alpha Generation Lab and Investment Research team. With over a decade of experience in technology consulting, Parnaz has been instrumental in the lifecycle management of transformative AI projects across diverse sectors.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Parnaz is a university lecturer at Concordia University and a passionate advocate for diversity in tech. She actively participates in initiatives that support women in STEM and provides mentorship to emerging fintech and AI enterprises. Parnaz holds a Bachelor of Engineering from McGill University, a Master of Science from Concordia University, and an MBA from HEC.
CFA, ICD.D
Terri Troy, CFA, ICD.D is Co-Founder of Placemore Capital Inc., an advisory firm that works closely with investment managers/GPs and accredited investors to match the right solutions with the right partners. In 2018 Terri retired as CEO of the Halifax Regional Municipality Pension Plan. She has more than 25 years of experience in investment management, pensions, corporate strategy, and mergers and acquisitions. As CEO of the Halifax Regional Municipality Pension Plan, she transformed the governance structure, investment strategy, and customer service function. Innovative investment strategies implemented included factor investing, portable alpha, and a significant emphasis on private investments including co-investments, syndications/club deals with other large institutional investors, and direct investments, etc.
While CEO, Terri was a Board member of a UK based energy company and a Board member of a Canadian financial services corporation. She was a member of Investor Advisory Committees for various global private investments including UK, European and US private equity; UK, Australian and Canadian infrastructure; European, UK, Asian, US and Canadian real estate; and European, UK, and US private debt.
Prior to the CEO role, Terri was responsible for the investment strategy for RBC’s 33 global pension plans between 2000-2006. Prior to RBC, Terri held various roles at CIBC including corporate strategy, mergers & acquisitions, and wealth management.
Terri has held various leadership roles in the pension industry including being a Board Member of the Pension Investment Association of Canada (PIAC), Chair of PIAC, Chair of PIAC’s Investment Practices Committee and Chair of PIAC’s Government Relations Committee.
Terri was a member of the International Limited Partnership’s Association’s Education Committee 2016-2018 and is currently on ILPA’s Teaching Faculty.
Over the course of her career, Terri has received many awards including the Leading Pension Plan Sponsor Award and the Top 25 Most Influential Plan Sponsors.
Terri has an MBA from York University and an HBBA from Wilfrid Laurier. She also holds the CFA charter and completed the ICD Rotman, Directors Education Program
Victoria Tellez re-joined FCLTGlobal in 2023 following her time at the TPG Rise Fund, where she helped maximize impact for the world’s largest private equity impact investing platform. In this role, Victoria conducted impact and ESG assessments to inform capital allocation decisions in education, life sciences, healthcare, financial inclusion, and climate sectors.
Prior to TPG, Victoria was part of the FCLTGlobal team for four years as a Senior Research Associate and is thrilled to continue contributing to its mission as Associate Director.
Victoria holds a B.S. in Labor Relations from Cornell University and a M.Sc. in Social Policy from The University of Pennsylvania, where she was the singular recipient of the Wilson-Spigner Social Policy Excellence award.
Thiago Valdo joined the CMHC Pension Fund in 2023, where he currently oversees the infrastructure, private equity and agriculture portfolios. Before CMHC, Thiago held roles in institutional equity research and sales before transitioning to the direct renewable energy development and investment side, conducting research and due diligence for wind, solar, BESS and hydrogen project acquisitions.
Thiago is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and has completed an MBA from the Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto) and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Mackenzie Presbyterian University. Thiago is also an FSA Level II candidate.
MS, CFA
Joy Xu is a Senior Investment Director at Verizon Investment Management Corp (VIMCO), where she oversees a diverse portfolio encompassing pension, savings plan, various welfare trusts, and the Verizon Foundation, with total assets approaching $50 billion. Joy’s responsibilities include portfolio construction, strategic asset allocation, and asset-liability management. She also manages a derivative-based tactical overlay portfolio for the pension fund and oversees external managers specializing in multi-asset and credit mandates, spanning both liquid and illiquid investments. As a member of the Executive Committee and Investment Committee, Joy plays a key role in shaping the company’s investment strategy. Prior to her tenure at VIMCO, she served as a Risk Analyst at BlackRock. Joy holds an MS in Finance from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, is a CFA charter holder, and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts.
Gilly Zimmer, Executive Director, is an Investment Specialist in the Infrastructure Investments Group. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan Asset Management in 2015, he was Head of Infrastructure at Frontier Advisors, and before that, Vice President at Macquarie Capital working within their infrastructure advisory group. Prior to his infrastructure career, Gilly worked as a pension actuary for Watson Wyatt for ten years in Melbourne and New York. Gilly holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and is a designated Actuary of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia.
MBA, LL.B., BA (Hon.)
Jeff Zweig is Partner, Vice Chair, Head of Natural Capital (Agriculture and Timberland) at Fiera Comox. He sits on the Management Investment Committee and the Fiera Comox Board of Directors. With 25 years experience, Jeff provides governance oversight across Fiera Comox’s global portfolio of private investments to drive long-term value and improve sustainability outcomes.
Jeff was most recently the President & CEO of Mosaic Forest Management (“Mosaic”), Canada’s leading timberland manager with 585,000 hectares (1.45 million acres) of privately owned forest, a role he held at Mosaic and predecessor companies for over seven years. In 2018, he successfully led the multi-billion-dollar transaction that brought together Island Timberlands and TimberWest under the ownership of two leading Canadian pension funds to create Mosaic Forest Management.
During his tenure, he drove significant improvements in safety, sustainability, and financial performance. Mosaic became the first forest company in British Columbia to achieve the Progressive Aboriginal Relations certification and the first forest company globally to certify its organizational carbon footprint through the UK Carbon Trust. Most recently, the organization launched the largest nature-based carbon credit project in Canada.
Prior to Mosaic, Jeff held senior executive roles at BHP and Inco in Australia, Europe, and Canada. He is past Chair of the Business Council of British Columbia, and the current Chair of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the federally funded organization responsible for stewarding Canada’s national cancer control strategy.
Jeff holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws, and a Master of Business Administration (gold medalist) from the University of Western Ontario.
CFA, MBA
Wanfeng Zhou is a Principal, Senior Sustainable Investment Consultant at Mercer, advising asset owners across Canada on integrating sustainability and climate considerations throughout investment processes. She has extensive global experience in sustainable investing, investment management and financial journalism. Before joining Mercer, she was an ESG and Climate consultant at MSCI. Prior to this, Wanfeng worked in portfolio management and product strategy at Vanguard in Australia. Wanfeng began her career as a financial journalist for Reuters in New York, focusing on the global financial markets and the investment industry. Wanfeng holds the CFA Institute’s Climate Risk, Valuation and Investing Certificate and the ESG Investing Certificate, as well as the IFRS Foundation’s FSA (Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting) Credential. She is a CFA charterholder and holds an MBA degree from INSEAD.