GUARDIAN CAPITAL GROUP LIMITED - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Senior Portfolio Manager and Engineer, I Investments™
Adam joined Guardian Capital LP (Guardian Capital) in 2008. Adam has over 15 years of experience in portfolio engineering and data science. As a Senior Portfolio Manager and Engineer, i³ Investments™, his responsibilities include portfolio and risk management for the suite of growth mandates. Adam has co-managed the global, US and International quality growth strategies since 2016. Adam is responsible for the integrity of the statistical, machine learning and AI models.
Prior to joining Guardian Capital, his career in the financial services industry began in 2005 when he joined TD Securities as a market risk analyst.
Adam graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Industrial Engineering) and earned a Master's degree (Mathematical Finance). He is a CFA® Charterholder and Financial Risk Manager.
Adam Low is Portfolio Manager, Canadian Growth Equity for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2015 as an Equity Analyst, and was promoted to his current role in 2021.
His career in the financial services industry began in 2005, when he joined Raymond James. Prior to joining Guardian, Adam analyzed small and mid-size Canadian mining & metals companies, and before that, he analyzed the Canadian technology sector, for Raymond James.
Adam graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and is a CFA® Charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Calgary / Vice President - Client Portfolio Manager
- Client Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors
- Toronto / Senior Vice President - Operations & Administration
Ala Ramahi is a Client Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA) a role he was promoted to in 2022 where he manages investment portfolios for high-net-worth individuals and families and not-for-profit organizations. Ala's career started in 2014 when he joined GCA in its operations group and organically grew over five years as an analyst, supporting portfolio managers in constructing portfolios, individual securities research, and maintaining client relationships through to his current role.
Ala graduated with a BA (Economics) from the University of Waterloo. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Administrator at Guardian Capital Advisors
Aleksandra Bityutsky is a Portfolio Administrator at Guardian Capital Advisors. She joined our Calgary team in 2021 and prepares and administers account documentation, contracts and transfers, and statement and year-end reporting duties. Aleksandra entered the industry in 2013 in customer service for TD Canada Trust. In 2018, she moved to HUB Financial and was an Investment Product Administrator for two years.
She graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Management - Financial Services and earned a Business Administration, Financial Services Major from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).
Job Titles:
- Associate Investment Counsellor
Alex Lyon is an Associate Investment Counsellor for Guardian Partners, where he is responsible for designing, recommending, and implementing customized investment strategies for institutional clients and ultra-high-net-worth families.
Alex entered the investment industry in 2017 when he joined Guardian Partners (formerly BNY Mellon Wealth Management Advisory Services Inc.) as a Performance Analyst. Through his continued growth and contributions, he has advanced steadily to a more senior role with the firm.
Alex graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honors) degree with a specialization in Finance from McMaster University (DeGroote School of Business) and is a CFA® Charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Investment Manager
- Investment Manager - GuardCap Asset Management Limited
Alice Yin is an Investment Manager for GuardCap Asset Management Limited. She joined GuardCap in 2017.
Prior to joining GuardCap, Alice spent five years working for Barclays Investment Bank as an associate on the M&A team, focusing on mergers and acquisitions in EMEA, cross-border transactions and working directly with companies on their financial and strategic options across a wide range of sectors.
Alice graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Mathematics and Statistics and is a CFA® charterholder.
Amanpreet Lamba is a Trader for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). He joined Guardian in 2023 in this role with responsibility for core trading and a specific focus on credit markets.
His career in the financial services industry began in 2019 when he joined TD Asset Management as an Analyst. Directly prior to joining Guardian, Amanpreet was a fixed income Trader for TD Asset Management. During his seven-year tenure at TD, Amanpreet supported the streamlining of operational processes for investments, expanded his knowledge of portfolio theory (construction) and sourced liquidity for fixed income instruments.
Amanpreet graduated from York University with a BA degree in Business Economics. He is a CFA® Charterholder.
Andrew Cox is Senior Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian Capital). He joined Guardian Capital in 2016, to manage three concentrated equity strategies.
Prior to joining Guardian Capital, Andrew spent 14 years at Phillips Hager & North where he co-managed a number of US equity portfolios for institutional and retail clients. Before PH&N he spent four years with Merrill Lynch in London, England as a trader on the Global Foreign Exchange desk.
Andrew graduated from University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Finance (Honours) and is a CFA® Charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Investment Counsellor
Although Andrew Dimock, CFA is known for his role as Vice President, Investment Counsellor for Guardian Partners, where he focuses on addressing clients' wealth management and investment needs, he holds a diversified portfolio of interests outside of work.
He likes to travel and has studied abroad in England and Australia, worked at BMW Group in Germany, attended major sporting events such as The World Cup in Brazil, skied in the Rockies and Alps, and scuba-dived in the Great Barrier Reef. Andrew has toured more than 40 countries around the world.
Andrew Dimock is a Vice President, Investment Counsellor for Guardian Partners where he counsels ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families and institutional clients about their wealth management and investment needs. He has a breadth of experience advising and managing complex family structures, foundations, endowments, not-for-profits, and charitable organizations.
Previously, Andrew was a Principal and Relationship Manager at Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. (Burgundy), working with family offices, foundations and endowments. He started out in Burgundy's rotational program and worked in various departments, including the Canadian private and institutional client groups, compliance and trading departments, and then later joined their US client group. Prior to working in the investment industry full time in 2008, Andrew interned with BMW M in Munich, Germany.
He obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Acadia University, in Finance and Economics, and completed a study term at the University of Sydney in Australia. He is a CFA® Charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute and Toronto CFA Society.
Andrew has a long history of volunteer work as a swim and gym instructor with special needs children at Acadia University, in Toronto as a Leaside baseball coach, and then as a member of St. Michael's Hospital Foundation Young Leaders, and MLSE Foundation Game Changers as a Director of Fundraising. Presently, he volunteers with a community awareness and fundraising group for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Job Titles:
- Associate Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors
- CIM
Andrew McLeod is an Associate Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA) based in Vancouver, working closely with Client Portfolio Managers to monitor and rebalance portfolios for select client relationships and administration of client and portfolio accounts. He joined GCA in 2017, after progressing his career since 2005 with Raymond James Ltd. and as a sales consultant for Desjardins Investments.
Andrew graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Arts (Economics Major) degree. He holds the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) designation.
Job Titles:
- High Yield Credit Analyst
Job Titles:
- Head
- President
- Calgary / Vice President - Client Portfolio Manager
- Head of Private Wealth
- Toronto / Senior Vice President - Operations & Administration
- Toronto / Vice President - Client Portfolio Manager
- Vancouver / Senior Vice President - Client Portfolio Manager
Anthony Messina is the Head of Private Wealth - including President of Guardian Partners and Managing Director for Guardian Capital Advisors. He served previously as President and CEO of Worldsource Securities and Worldsource Financial Management from 2018 to 2021.
Before joining the Guardian team in 2016, Anthony played a key role in building I3 Advisors, the predecessor to BNY Mellon Wealth Management Canada's Outsourced Chief Investment Officer business. As President, he was a member of various global operating, pension, and investment strategy committees, and served as director of the Canadian and Cayman Island businesses. Anthony began his career at Coopers & Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers), and his extensive experience spans investment management, venture capital, business and operations management in private and public companies.
Anthony is a graduate of the Schulich School of Business, holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) designation and is a CFA® Charterholder. He is active in several charitable organizations, including serving as Chair of Villa Colombo Vaughan, and is a member of the MacKay CEO Forums - a leading peer learning organization for CEOs.
Job Titles:
- Head of Canadian Fixed Income
Aubrey Basdeo is Head of Canadian Fixed Income, Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). His mandate includes the responsibility to develop and execute the firm's Fixed Income strategies for Institutional and Retail clients.
Aubrey began his career in the financial services industry in 1990. From 2005 onwards, and directly prior to joining Guardian, Aubrey worked at Blackrock/Barclays Global Investments (BGI) in a variety of roles in both San Francisco and Toronto, culminating in the role of Managing Director, Fixed Income Investment Strategist. Prior to joining BGI, Aubrey spent six years with the Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan Board as a Fixed Income Portfolio Manager.
Aubrey graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He earned his MBA from the University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management.
Barry Gordon - Managing Director, Retail Director
Job Titles:
- Head of Retail
- Managing Director
- Managing Director, Head of Retail Asset Management
Barry Gordon is the Managing Director, Head of Retail Asset Management, Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). His mandate includes the responsibility to develop and execute the firm's strategy in respect of the origination, distribution and marketing, and operations of investment solutions addressing the needs of retail investors.
Barry began his career in the financial services industry in 1997. Directly prior to joining Guardian, he was a Partner at Blindspot Inc. making investments in early stage wealth-tech companies. From 2003 - 2017, Barry was the Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of First Asset Capital Corp. which he successfully steered throughout the retail landscape. Under his leadership, First Asset evolved into a highly credible and competitive, independent Canadian ETF company. Upon acquisition by CI Investments in 2015, it managed over $3 billion of assets, and the firm continues today to formulate the core strategy for CI's ETF business with more than $8.5 billion AUM.
Barry graduated with a Law degree from the University of Toronto and an undergraduate degree from Queen's University.
Benjamin Peng is a Risk and Quantitative Analyst for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). He has the responsibility to develop investment analytical tools and perform quantitative research to support fixed income portfolio positioning, risk measuring and reporting. Benjamin joined Guardian in 2019 as a Product and Corporate Initiatives Analyst. His career in the financial services industry began in 2009, when he joined Hwabao Trust, an investment management firm in China, as a junior analyst. For nine years, he progressively assumed more responsibility, focusing on investment trust asset management in alternative fixed income sectors. Prior to joining Guardian, Benjamin worked as a Manager, Asset Management for Bridge Trust Co. Benjamin graduated with a Bachelor degree in Financial Engineering and earned a Master of Finance from Southwestern University of Finance & Economics, China, and a Master of Management Analytics from the Smith School of Business at Queen's University. He is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Director, Northeast Region for Alta Capital Management LLC
Bob Leahy is Director, Northeast Region for Alta Capital Management LLC (Alta). He became part of the Alta team in 2019 and has responsibility for business development in the Northeast Region of the United States.
Bob brings more than 25 years of investment industry experience. His career in the financial services industry began in 1993 when he joined NATIXIS. Directly prior to joining Alta, Bob was Director Northeast Regional Manager, Broker Sales at AMG Funds. Bob was responsible for the business development in the Broker Dealer Channel, Northeast region.
Bob received a Bachelor degree in Communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst campus.
Job Titles:
- Investment Manager
- Investment Manager - Guardcap Asset Management Limited
Bojana Bidovec is Investment Manager for GuardCap Asset Management Limited (GuardCap). She joined GuardCap in 2016.
Bojana's career in investment management started in 2004 with Driehaus Capital Management in Chicago, where she was an analyst and later portfolio manager. In 2010 she joined the global equities team at RobecoSAM in Zurich, as a senior analyst covering the industrial and technology sectors. Bojana also spent time in the firm's Hong Kong office, expanding the team's coverage of Asian companies.
Bojana graduated from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia with a degree in Banking and Finance, and has an MBA from London Business School. She is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Chief Investment Officer
- Head of Research
- Chairman of the Guardian Partners Investment Committee
- Chief Investment Officer, Multi - Asset Strategies and Solutions
Cameron "Cam" Richards is the Chief Investment Officer (CIO), Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions and Head of Research at Guardian Partners. He combines disciplined portfolio construction, investment strategies, and risk management practices - commonly used by pension funds and endowments - with the customization and client responsiveness required by private clients, enhancing both the robustness of investment solutions and the overall client experience.
Before joining the Guardian team in 2021, Cam served as CIO of the Nova Scotia Health Employees' Pension Plan, where he developed the infrastructure that led to strong performance against the plan's objectives. He also held the position of Head of Real Assets at Albourne Partners in London, England - a leading alternatives research and advisory firm - and was Co-CIO at University of Toronto Asset Management, where he chaired the Investment Committee overseeing the university's full investment portfolio. Also predating his time on the Guardian team, Cam founded Isengard Capital Management, which provided capital markets research to Albourne Partners and developed a research platform combining global macro, stock selection, and quantitative strategies for long and short positions.
Cam is the Chair of the Guardian Partners Investment Committee and a member of the Guardian Capital Asset Mix Committee, which oversees asset allocation and tactical decisions across all Guardian business units. He is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Queen's University, earned an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and is a CFA® Charterholder. He has been called to the Bar in Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Principal and Co - Chief Investment Officer - Alta Capital Management LLC
Casey Nelsen is Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer for Alta Capital Management LLC (Alta), a member of Guardian Capital Group Limited.
His career in the investment management industry began with Alta in 2007.
Casey is a graduate of Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management (Bachelor degree in Business Management, Finance Emphasis). As an undergraduate, Casey was a founding member of the Brigham Young University student investment fund. He continues to work with students managing the fund, making annual visits to share investment insights. He is a CFA® Charterholder and a member of the CFA Society of Salt Lake.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice - President and Head of Distribution, Canadian Retail Asset Management
Chris Winchell is Senior Vice-President and Head of Distribution, Canadian Retail Asset Management at Guardian Capital LP (Guardian Capital). He joined Guardian Capital in 2003. Since that time, Chris has taken on progressively more senior roles, assuming his current position in 2023, with the responsibility to apply his proven leadership skills in support of ongoing relationship building and the expansion and reach of the Canadian Retail Asset Management team and its investment solutions.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1997, when he joined Guardian Group of Funds as a client service representative, subsequently transitioning into sales roles. His first role with GCLP was as Regional Sales Manager, and subsequently, he was promoted to Vice President, Investment Services in 2011.
Chris is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Calgary / Client Portfolio Manager
- Vice President - Client Portfolio Manager
- Vice President and Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors
Christie Rose is a Vice President and Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA), where she has applied her extensive experience by specializing in advisory relationships developing, implementing and managing customized investment portfolios for individuals. Entering the financial services industry in 1994 as a portfolio analyst, she joined GCA in 2008 following roles managing private HNW portfolios in the independent advisory channel of a global mutual fund company, and the investment counselling arm of a prominent Canadian bank.
Christie graduated with a BA (Economics) from the University of Calgary and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- Chief Compliance Officer, Wealth Management
- Toronto / Director - Operations & Administration
- Toronto / Portfolio Analyst
Christina Forster Pazienza is the Chief Compliance Officer, Wealth Management at Guardian Capital Group Limited (Guardian). Christina is responsible for the oversight of the Wealth Management Compliance program which includes several affiliates of Guardian, including Guardian Partners, Guardian Capital Advisors, and Modern Advisor Canada Inc. She joined the Guardian team in 2022 to build and lead the Wealth Management compliance team.
Christina brings both breadth and depth of knowledge to her responsibilities, entering the industry over 30 years ago with TD Bank, after starting out in public accounting. In the years since, she has assumed progressively more senior roles, including Assistant Manager, Compliance at the Ontario Securities Commission, and Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at MFS Investment Management Canada Limited.
Christina earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario, and holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) designation.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President - Operations & Administration
- Senior Vice President of Operations and Administration for Guardian Capital Advisors
- Toronto / Chief Compliance Officer
Darryl Workman is the Senior Vice President of Operations and Administration for Guardian Capital Advisors and Guardian Capital LP (Guardian Capital), where he leads a team responsible for investment administration procedures, compliance, system integration, as well as technology infrastructure for both the private client and institutional divisions. Darryl has over 35 years of industry experience, beginning with a large Canadian insurance company where he managed the technology and operations of their investment division. Directly before joining Guardian Capital in 2001, he specialized in system conversions and establishing admin processes for a leading Canadian bank.
Darryl graduated with a BA (Economics) from Trent University and has completed the Canadian Securities Course.
Job Titles:
- Risk Management Specialist - Guardcap Asset Management Limited
David Jensen is Risk Management Specialist - GuardCap Asset Management Limited (GuardCap). He joined GuardCap in 2010 as a Risk Analyst for the Emerging Markets strategy, where he performed statistical analyses and econometric modeling for the emerging market strategies. He assumed his current role in 2014, and is responsible for risk management for both the Emerging Markets and Global Equity strategies.
David graduated from Open University with an honours degree in Mathematics and Statistics.
Job Titles:
- Vice - President, Economics & Multi Asset Solutions
- Vice President, Economics
David Onyett-Jeffries is Vice President, Economics & Multi Asset Solutions, Guardian Capital LP (Guardian Capital). He joined Guardian Capital in 2017 and provides macro-economic guidance to the firm and its affiliates, Alta Capital Management LLC and GuardCap Asset Management Limited.
David began his career in the public sector before moving into the financial services industry in 2009 when he joined RBC Capital Markets as an Economist. Directly prior to joining GCLP, David was a Senior Economist with Gluskin Sheff + Associates.
David holds a BA in Economics & Financial Management from Wilfrid Laurier University and a MA in Economics from York University. He is also a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director, Western Region - Alta Capital Management LLC
David Robinow is the Director, Western Region, for Alta Capital Management LLC (Alta). David is focused on the US Western Region for Alta. He became part of the Alta team in 2018 with the acquisition of Alta by Guardian Capital Group Limited. He joined Guardian in 2016 and is responsible for building and servicing financial intermediary relationships in the Western United States.
He brings more than 20 years of investment industry experience to his role. Prior to joining Guardian, David was a partner with Aston Asset Management, as well as holding numerous sales consulting positions with Callan Associates and Charles Schwab.
David received his Business Economics degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara and holds his Series 6, 7 and 63 FINRA licenses.
Denis Larose - Chief Investment Officer
Denis Larose is Chief Investment Officer for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2011 to assume his current role. Denis is Chairman of a number of investment committees for Guardian.
In his role as CIO Denis adds depth to the executive team responsible for managing the investment management business of GCLP. During his successful career he has demonstrated leadership in the investment management industry and consistently garnered the respect of clients, peers and his colleagues.
Previous to GCLP Denis served as Chief Investment Officer, Americas and a Principal, National Partner for Mercer Global Investments. He also performed the role of CIO for the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology.
Denis graduated from Université Laval with a BA, Actuarial Science. He is a CFA® Charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income Investments
Derrick Knie is Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income Investments for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2010 as a senior credit analyst with responsibilities for credit analysis of high-yield bonds, with a secondary emphasis on the corporate credits in the Core Fixed Income strategy. Derrick was later promoted to his current role and is lead manager for the Short Duration Bond strategy along with his credit analyst responsibilities.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1994 when he joined RBC Dominion Securities. Prior to joining Guardian, Derrick worked for Standard & Poor's, Laketon Investment Management, Legg Mason, and, most recently, Dundee Securities.
Derrick graduated from University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Applied Science, (Engineering Science), an M.Fin from University of Toronto Rotman School of Management and is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Manager and Head of Investment Solutions
Dino Bourdos is a Portfolio Manager and Head of Investment Solutions for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2018 as a Solutions Architect. In his current role, he builds on GCLP strategies while creating new and innovative investment solutions to support and develop strategic client relationships, leveraging his extensive engagement with a wide array of market participants.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income Investments
Domenic Gallelli is Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income Investments for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined Guardian in 1996 as a database analyst for the Guardian Group of Funds, transitioning to GCLP in 1998 as fixed income analyst with responsibilities for credit analysis, quantitative analysis, yield curve analytics and money market management. Dom was later promoted to his current role and is responsible for management of Core Fixed Income, Real Return Bonds, Global Bonds, and Liability Driven Investments.
Donald Yi is the Chief Financial Officer of Guardian Capital Group Limited ("Guardian"). He joined Guardian in 2006 as Risk Management Officer. In August 2013, Donald was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Guardian. He is responsible for Finance for Guardian and its subsidiaries.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1995 when he joined First Marathon Securities Limited. Previous roles included Director of Finance for Assante Corporation. Directly prior to joining Guardian, Donald held the role of Corporate Controller and Managing Director of Canadian Depository for Securities Limited.
Donald graduated with a Bachelors of Commerce degree from University of Toronto. He holds the Chartered Professional Accountant designation.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors
Douglas (Doug) Farley is Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA) and a member of the firm's asset mix team. He provides portfolio management services for not-for-profit organizations and private clients, an area of expertise he developed in the years before joining GCA. Doug has an enduring and well-earned reputation for his unparalleled knowledge of the healthcare space and its capital needs, and for guiding client philanthropic efforts to benefit this arena.
An economist by formal training, Doug received his Honours BA (Economics) from the University of Western Ontario. He has also completed the academic credits required to obtain his MTI designation from the Trust Companies Institute. Doug is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President - Client Portfolio Manager
Job Titles:
- Investment Manager
- Investment Manager - GuardCap Asset Management Limited
Ed Wallace is Investment Manager for GuardCap Asset Management Limited. He joined GuardCap in 2015.
His career in the investment industry began in 2001 when he joined Gartmore Investment Management on their global equity team as a graduate trainee, subsequently becoming an analyst and portfolio manager. In 2011 Henderson Group acquired Gartmore and Ed moved with the team to Henderson Global Investors where he helped manage global and international equity funds for institutional and retail clients. Over an 18-month period (2003-05), he also participated in developing UK government policy on institutional investment at HM Treasury.
Ed graduated with a first-class honours degree in Modern History & Economics from Oxford University. He is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Senior Investment Analyst
Elisa Ichii is Senior Investment Analyst for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). She joined GCLP in 2003 as Performance Analyst; in 2007 she was promoted to Supervisor - Performance Analytics. In 2012 she joined the GCLP investment team to assume her current role, where she works directly with the Chief Investment Officer overseeing the firm's investment strategies and to work on numerous research projects. She is also closely involved in the management and structuring of the firm's multi-asset strategies.
Prior to GCLP, Elisa held various positions in account management at Guardian Capital Advisors and before that, Guardian Group of Funds.
Elisa graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Science degree and is a CFA® charterholder.
Erik Brandt joined Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA) in 2020. He focuses on developing customized investment and wealth planning strategies for high-net-worth individuals and families, corporations, foundations, and endowments. Erik's career in the industry began in 2004 with CI Investments and since then has progressively grown in responsibility, from Account Manager servicing institutional insurance clients to an eight-year tenure as Director of Investment Management for Stonegate Private Counsel supporting clients and overseeing portfolio models and strategies.
Erik is a graduate of Laurentian University where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder and earned the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) designation.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Investment Counsellor
Errol Kuszner is a Vice President, Investment Counsellor for Guardian Partners, specializing in the investment needs of ultra-high-net-worth families and institutional clients. He has extensive experience managing complex family structures, pension plans, foundations, endowments, not-for-profits, and corporate accounts.
Before joining the Guardian team, Errol held a pivotal role at BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Advisory Services Inc. (BNY Mellon WMAS), where he led the investment analysis team and collaborated with senior leadership on pooled fund advisory, portfolio construction and client engagement. While at BNY Mellon WMAS, Errol was instrumental in enhancing service delivery for wealthy families and institutional clients. With a comprehensive background over 20 years in institutional and private wealth management, Errol has excelled in senior roles at Fidelity Investments as Director of Consultant Relations, and at Jarislowsky Fraser as Assistant Portfolio Manager, serving some of Canada's most prominent families and institutions.
Errol holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of Guelph, specializing in Economics and Finance. As a CFA® Charterholder and a member of the Toronto CFA Society, Errol is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of investment management.
Errol is a long-time Toronto Beaches resident and is involved with various community and health care related charitable organizations within his local community where he resides with his wife and two small boys.
Job Titles:
- Senior Portfolio Manager, I Investments™
Fiona joined Guardian Capital LP (Guardian Capital) in 2011. As a Senior Portfolio Manager, i³ Investments™, Fiona brings over 25 years of global experience. Her responsibilities include portfolio and risk management for the suite dividend mandates. Fiona has co-managed the global, US and Canadian dividend strategy since 2011.
Prior to joining Guardian Capital, Fiona was Portfolio Manager, Derivative Instruments with Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS). Her previous roles included Head of Currency Options Marketing, South East Asia for Société Générale with postings in Tokyo, Singapore, and London. Fiona entered the financial services industry in 1989, when she joined CIBC as an options trader.
Fiona graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a BA, and obtained an Honours Bachelor of Commerce and MBA from the University of Windsor. She is a CFA® Charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President - Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc.
- Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and Asset Management for Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc
Frank Bartello is Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and Asset Management for Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc. (GCRE). He joined GCRE in 2015 when he was appointed to his current role. Frank has over 23 years of experience across all facets of the real estate industry including investments, asset management, development, leasing and finance. He has responsibility for the overall growth of the Guardian Capital Real Estate Fund, as well as acquiring, and managing, the assets for the core portfolio.
Frank Mercuri is the Chief Financial Officer of Guardian Partners and Guardian Capital Advisors as well as a Director of Finance for Guardian Capital Group Limited (Guardian).
Appointed CFO of Guardian's private wealth businesses in 2023, including Guardian Partners, Guardian Capital Advisors, and Rae & Lipskie Investment Counsel Inc., Frank oversees all finance and accounting functions. His responsibilities include financial reporting, the development and implementation of internal controls, management of working capital, and financial planning and analysis. He joined Guardian in 2021 as Director of Finance and served as Interim Vice President and CFO for the former Guardian subsidiary, Worldsource Wealth Management, from July 2021 to November 2022.
Frank's career in financial services began in 2012 at KPMG, where he progressively assumed more senior roles. Prior to joining Guardian, he was Senior Manager of Direct Investing Finance for TD Wealth.
Frank graduated with a Bachelor of Management and Organization Studies degree from the University of Western Ontario and holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) designation.
Job Titles:
- Board Director
- Chief Executive Officer
- President
George Mavroudis is President and CEO, Guardian Capital Group Limited (Guardian). He joined Guardian in 2005 in a senior executive role, progressively assuming overall responsibility for the business management of the firm's investment operations, including both institutional and private wealth management. George became a Board Director in November 2011.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1992 at Coopers & Lybrand. Prior to joining Guardian, George was a managing director at JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management, holding several senior management roles across their network of offices including London, New York and Toronto. He also served as CEO for Robert Fleming's Russia institutional brokerage and investment banking business, from his base in Moscow from 1995-1998.
George graduated with a B.Comm from University of Toronto. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Ontario. George holds the Certified Financial Planner designation from the Financial Planners Standards Council.
Job Titles:
- Investment Manager
- Investment Manager - GuardCap Asset Management Limited
Giles Warren is Investment Manager for GuardCap Asset Management Limited (GuardCap). He joined GuardCap in 2014.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1997 when he joined the London-based, institutional fund management company Seilern Investment Management Ltd. (1997-2014). At this firm, and prior to joining GuardCap, he worked with Michael Boyd on Seilern Stryx World Growth Fund, ultimately becoming a co-fund manager of the fund (2010).
Giles graduated from Edinburgh University with an honours degree in politics and economic history. He is an Associate of the Society of Investment Professionals.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President, Client Service
Gregory Chai is Vice President, Client Service for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2009 to assume this role.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1992 when he joined Frank Russell as a quantitative analyst. This was followed by roles in various divisions of the organization, culminating in servicing Canadian institutional clients. Prior to joining GCLP he spent 10 years at a Barclays Global Investors with a variety of responsibilities, including product development, marketing and client servicing to pension plans, foundations and endowments.
Greg graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours). He is CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Manager
- a Marketing Associate
- Manager, Responsible Investing
Jeffrey (Jeff) Mau is a Manager, Responsible Investing (RI) for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). Jeff joined Guardian in 2016, assuming his current role in 2021. He has responsibility to support Guardian's RI initiatives including the development, implementation and systematic integration of environmental, social and governance factors into the firm's investment processes and procedures.
Jeff joined Guardian as a Marketing Associate; subsequently he earned a promotion to Associate Product Manager, with an emphasis on Canadian Equities and, most recently, playing an integral role in the development of RI marketing collateral, coordinating Guardian's Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) report, and assisting with the Responsible Investing Oversight Committee.
Jeff graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He is a CFA® charterholder.
Jessi Hilton joined Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA) in 2023 working to develop, implement and conduct ongoing management of investment portfolios for his clients in his role of Client Portfolio Manager. He joined GCA after a rapidly progressive career with Odlum Brown, a respected, full-service investment firm located in British Columbia, which he joined in 2016.
Jessi is a graduate of the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation. Additionally, Jessi is a Personal Financial Planner (PFP), a leading financial planning designation in Canada. This allows him to build custom financial plans and offer personalized advice tailored to clients' financial situations and long-term objectives.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director, Central Region - Alta Capital Management LLC
Joe Reid is the Director, Central Region, for Alta Capital Management LLC (Alta). He became part of the Alta team in 2018 with the acquisition of Alta by Guardian Capital Group (Guardian). Joe joined Guardian in 2016 and has responsibility for business development in the Central Region of the United States.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1998 when he joined the AIM Family of Funds. Prior to joining Guardian, Joe was a partner and Managing Director at Aston Asset Management where he was directly responsible for mutual fund business development in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Joe joined Aston's predecessor firm, ABN AMRO in 1999.
Joe received a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Texas Christian University and holds Series 6, 7 and 63 securities licenses.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Investment Programs and National Accounts
John Pagliacci is Vice President, Investment Programs and National Accounts for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2021 as Associate Vice-President, Investment Programs and was promoted to his current role in 2023, for which he supports national account relationships and leadership responsibilities in key sales enablement functions.
Job Titles:
- Investment Manager
- Investment Manager - GuardCap Asset Management Limited
Joris Nathanson is Investment Manager for GuardCap Asset Management Limited. He joined GuardCap in 2016.
Prior to joining GuardCap, Joris spent ten years working for Nevsky Capital LLP, a Global and Emerging Markets specialist investment firm with multi-billion dollar assets under administration, offering both long-only and long/short strategies, where he was Partner and Senior Analyst.
Joris graduated from Oxford University with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). He qualified as a Charter Accountant with Deloitte LLP.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Latin American Institutional Distribution for Guardian Capital LLC
Joseph (Joe) Sweigart is Senior Director, Latin American Institutional Distribution for Guardian Capital LLC (Guardian). He joined Guardian in 2018 with the mandate to lead distribution activities in Latin America, with concentration on Brazil, the Andean region, and Mexico.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1981 when he joined Bankers Trust Company (now Deutsche Bank) with postings in New York and London. In 1995, he accepted the role of Director, Head of Latin American Distribution for Fleming Asset Management, based in London and New York. In 2000, JP Morgan and Flemings merged, and he advanced to Managing Director, Head of Latin American Funds Distribution, a position he held for 13 years. Directly prior to joining Guardian, he was Vice President, Institutional Distribution, Latin America for Columbia Threadneedle Investments.
Joseph graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara with a BA in Hispanic Civilization. He earned an MA in Latin American Studies from Stanford University and took his PhD in History at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of Coffee factorage and the emergence of a Brazilian capital market, 1850-1888, New York: Garland, 1987.
Job Titles:
- Vice President - Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc.
- Vice President, Acquisitions & Asset Management for Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc
Joshua Hamer is Vice President, Acquisitions & Asset Management for Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc. (GCRE). He joined GCRE in 2014 as Director of Acquisitions and Asset Management. He has responsibility for executing property transactions and providing strategic management for GCRE portfolio assets.
His career in the real estate industry began in 2008 when he joined Sparrow Group, a commercial property development firm. Prior to joining Guardian, Josh was an asset manager at GPM Investment Management for three years, managing $260 million of property across Canada.
Judith Henry is Trader, Money Market for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). She joined GCLP in 1998 in the fixed income team. She was promoted to Research Assistant, Fixed Income in 2000 and assumed her current role in 2016.
Her career in the financial services industry began in 1990 when she joined Dean Witter Canada. Prior to joining Guardian, Judith was a research/economic assistant at Midland Walwyn.
Judith graduated with a Business Administration diploma from Centennial College and received her Ontario Management Development diploma from George Brown College. Judith has also received her Canadian Security certificate and the Conduct and Practices Handbook certificate.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Responsible Investing - Guardcap Asset Management Limited
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Analyst
- Toronto / Portfolio Analyst
Kateryna Stenko is an experienced Portfolio Analyst who is a main support to Guardian Capital Advisors Client Portfolio Managers. Kateryna specializes in assisting with investment-related decisions, day-to-day management of client accounts, and direct communication with clients including providing investment recommendations, facilitating the implementation of trades, and following up on client requests.
Kateryna began her career in the financial services industry in 2018 when she joined National Bank Independent Network as a Service Administrator. In this role, she proactively advised Service Coordinators on administrative policies and processed multi-million daily financial transactions, and where she was ultimately promoted to Account Manager.
Kateryna holds a Master of Finance and Credit degree from the Ukrainian National University of Railway Transport and a post-graduate diploma from Centennial College. Kateryna is a valued member of the Guardian Women™ team at GCA, supporting the many activities of the program as we aim to expand financial awareness for women investors.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director, Southeast Region - Alta Capital Management LLC
Keith Schwartz is the Director, Southeast Region, for Alta Capital Management LLC (Alta). He became part of the Alta team in 2018 with the acquisition of Alta by Guardian Capital Group (Guardian). He joined Guardian in 2016 and is responsible for building and servicing financial intermediary relationships in the Southeast United States.
Keith brings more than 22 years of investment industry experience to his role. His career in the financial services industry began in 1994 when he joined Merrill Lynch. Directly prior to joining Guardian, Keith held a similar position with Affiliated Managers Group and its predecessor firm Aston Asset Management.
Keith graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in both Finance and Economics.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director, Canadian Equity Income Strategies
Kevin Hall is Managing Director, Canadian Equity Income strategies for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2000 as an equity research analyst. In 2002 he was promoted to portfolio manager and in 2007 assumed the role of senior portfolio manager as part of the Canadian Equity team specializing in equity income mandates.
Prior to joining GCLP, Kevin held various positions at Trimark Investment Management and Guardian Group of Funds.
Kevin graduated from McMaster University with a BA (Commerce) and is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Investment Counsellor
Recently, Guardian Partners' Kimberly Hu Amadori, Vice President, Investment Counsellor, was named to the board of the Canadian Women's Foundation (CWF), Canada's public foundation for gender equality.
Kimberly Hu Amadori is a Vice President, Investment Counsellor for Guardian Partners where her expertise is working with ultra-high-net-worth families and institutional clients. Her specialty is in addressing complex wealth management needs, including customized portfolio strategy design and implementation, investment manager recommendations and continuous portfolio oversight.
Previously, Kimberly served as Vice President, Investment Counsellor at BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Advisory Services Inc. (BNY Mellon WMAS), a firm she joined in 2008 as an Investment Analyst. At BNY Mellon WMAS, she was also responsible for oversight and investment management of proprietary funds.
Kimberly received her Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from Queen's University, is a CFA® Charterholder and a member of the Toronto CFA Society. Aside from academics, Kimberly serves as a Board Member and Chair of the Investment Committee of the Canadian Women's Foundation. Additionally, she has been a major proponent of supporting the financial journey of women, through an initiative she co-founded in 2022 called Guardian Women TM and was the recipient of Wealth Professional Canada's Top 50 Leading Women in Wealth award for 2023.
Job Titles:
- CIM
- Client Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors
Mark Bodnar is a Client Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA). Entering the industry in 2005 at a BC-based credit union, he expanded his knowledge across a variety of investment-related roles in retail banking. In the decade before he joined GCA in 2017, he was an advisor to high-net-worth (HNW) clients for RBC Dominion Securities. In his role with GCA, he develops and manages client portfolios for HNW individuals and families and not-for-profit organizations.
Mark is a graduate of Simon Fraser University, where he earned a place on the Dean's Honour Roll as an accomplished student-athlete, with a Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) degree. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder and Canadian Investment Manager (CIM®) designation. Mark is a member of and volunteers with the CFA Society of Vancouver. He is also an active volunteer in his local youth athletics community.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Retail Strategy and Sales Enablement
Mark Noble is Senior Vice President, Retail Strategy and Sales Enablement for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). He joined Guardian in 2023 with a mandate to help grow our retail asset management business by working with portfolio management teams on investor engagement and helping to build out sales strategy and content creation.
As a journalist with the Advisor Group for Rogers Publishing, Mark began covering the financial services industry in 2007. Subsequently, in 2010, he transitioned into asset management when he joined Horizons ETFs, and held progressively senior roles, finishing his tenure there as Executive Vice President of ETF Strategy, before joining Guardian.
Mark graduated with an honours bachelor's degree in political studies from Trent University and earned an MA in Journalism from the University of Western Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- Secretary
- Senior Vice - President
Matthew (Matt) Turner is Senior Vice-President, Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary of Guardian Capital Group Limited. He joined Guardian in 2007 and, as the senior officer in charge of all legal and regulatory matters within the Guardian Capital group of companies, is primarily responsible for corporate governance and compliance oversight.
Prior to joining Guardian, Matt held senior legal and compliance roles at CI Investments Inc. and in the investment advisory subsidiaries of Assante Corporation. Previously, he served as Investigation Counsel with the Ontario Securities Commission and as Enforcement Counsel with the Investment Dealers Association of Canada.
Matt holds an MBA degree from the University of Western Ontario, a law degree from the University of Manitoba, and is a CFA® Charterholder. He has been called to the Bar in Manitoba and Ontario.
Job Titles:
- CIM
- Vice President and Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors
Matthew Baker is Vice President and Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA), joining the firm in 2007. Matthew's focus is on the development, implementation and management of portfolios for private clients, foundations, and corporations. After graduating from Queen's University School of Business, he gained trading experience in equities, fixed income, and derivatives on the institutional trading desk for TD Waterhouse, which he joined in 1999 when he entered the industry.
Matthew is a member of the Toronto CFA Society, the Canadian Society of Technical Analysts (CSTA), and the New York-based Market Technicians Association. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) Charterholder and holds the Chartered Market Technician (CMT®) and the Canadian Investment Manager (CIM®) designations.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Manager - Alta Capital Management, LLC
- Principal and Portfolio Manager for Alta Capital Management
Melanie Peche is Principal and Portfolio Manager for Alta Capital Management (Alta), a member of Guardian Capital Group Limited. She joined Alta in 2004.
Her career in the financial services industry began in June 1994 when she joined Goldman Sachs as an equity analyst. Prior to joining Alta, Melanie was Vice President of European Equities at Salomon Smith Barney in London. During her time with Goldman Sachs in London, Melanie was ranked in Reuters and Institutional Investor surveys for her in-depth coverage of the European special situations sector. As a sell-side equity analyst, Melanie has also had the opportunity to advise corporate managements and governments officials on strategy, financing, privatization and equity market valuations.
Melanie graduated from University of Wisconsin with Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance and accounting and the Applied Securities Analysis Program. She is a CFA® Charterholder and is active in the CFA Society of Salt Lake.
Job Titles:
- Client Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors
Micha Choi is a Client Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA) managing portfolios for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, and private foundations and endowments while leading efforts to expand GCA's private client business. Her career began in 2007 with CI Investments before moving to Burgundy Asset Management managing institutional and private client portfolios; in 2020 she joined GCA. As Micha's career progressed, she developed a passion for advocating for educating women investors - this culminated in 2021, with Micha co-founding Guardian Women™, a successful and growing initiative focused on harnessing financial awareness, using innovative pathways to encourage understanding.
Micha is a graduate of the University of British Columbia where she earned a BA degree in Economics. She holds the CFA® and CFP® designations. Micha is a member of the Waterloo Chapter of the International Women's Forum of Canada (IWFC), an affiliate of IWF, a distinguished global community of women leaders.
Michael (Mike) Christodoulou is Managing Director - Guardian Capital Advisors LP (GCA) and Guardian Capital Real Estate LP. He joined Guardian Capital LP in 1995 as a Canadian stock analyst, and was later promoted to portfolio manager, specializing in small- and mid-capitalization stocks.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1993, when he joined the Guardian Group of Funds in the client servicing department. In 2008 Mike was appointed Senior Vice President within the Guardian Capital Group focusing on strategic corporate initiatives. In 2012 he was promoted to Managing Director of Guardian's private wealth business and in this role is responsible for the overall business activities of GCA. In 2014 he was also given responsibility for Guardian Capital Real Estate LP.
Mike graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from Carleton University. He is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Managing Principal and Chief Investment Officer for Alta Capital Management LLC
- Managing Principal and Co - Chief Investment Officer - Alta Capital Management, LLC
Michael (Mike) Tempest is Managing Principal and Chief Investment Officer for Alta Capital Management LLC (Alta), a member of Guardian Capital Group Limited. He joined Alta in 1996.
His career in the financial services industry began in January 1991, when he joined Shell Oil as a financial analyst. Prior to joining Alta, Mike worked in the institutional equity departments of Bear Stearns and Morgan Stanley, international investment banking firms based in New York City.
Mike received a Bachelor degree in international finance from Brigham Young University. He earned his MBA with a concentration in Finance from Columbia Business School, in New York City. Mike serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Utah, where he teaches a course in investments.
Job Titles:
- CIM
- Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors
Michael Barkley is Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA), joining the firm in 2004. He rapidly gained experience after he entered the industry in 1994, including as a senior portfolio manager at a bank-owned investment counsel and as a partner and director in private client portfolio management for Alberta's largest independent asset management firm.
Michael has an undergraduate degree in Economics (with High Distinction) from the University of Maine and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of British Columbia. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) and the Canadian Investment Manager (CIM®) designations. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute.
Job Titles:
- Investment Manager
- Investment Manager - GuardCap Asset Management Limited
Michael Boyd is Investment Manager for GuardCap Asset Management Limited (GuardCap). He joined GuardCap in 2014.
Michael has been managing fundamental equity funds for over 25 years. Prior to joining GuardCap, Michael was at the London-based institutional fund management company, Seilern Investment Management Ltd. (1994-2014), as global equity fund manager, Managing Director and shareholder. Before that, he was a fund manager at Murray Johnstone Limited (1988-1994) in Glasgow, Scotland.
Michael received an honours degree in economics from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh and qualified as an Associate of the Institute of Bankers in Scotland.
Job Titles:
- CA, CBV
- Managing Director, Head of Responsible Investing
Michele Robitaille is Managing Director, Head of Responsible Investing for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). In this global role, Michele has responsibility for the consistent integration of responsible investing principles into Guardian's investment processes and enhancing the alignment of responsible investing activities across the firm. She joined Guardian in 2003 as a portfolio manager within our Canadian equity team with specific responsibility for equity income mandates. Michele was promoted to senior portfolio manager in 2007, and Managing Director, Canadian Equities in 2012.
Prior to joining Guardian, Michele worked as an equity research analyst for various Canadian investment dealers including Scotia Capital Inc. and National Bank Financial. Prior to that, she worked at Price Waterhouse LP in both the Audit and Business Services and Financial Advisory Services groups.
Michele graduated from University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Commerce. She also holds the designations of Chartered Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator and is a CFA® charterholder.
Neil Collins is Director of Investment Research for Guardian Partners and a key member of the Strategy and Solutions Group (SSG) research team. He joined the Guardian team in 2023, with a broad mandate to support the delivery of customized investment solutions. His role includes conducting manager research, providing macroeconomic and thematic insights, and contributing to portfolio construction, asset allocation, and risk management for SSG.
Neil's career began in 2004, and over the years, he has held various roles across trade operations, fund accounting, financial analysis, portfolio management, and consulting. Prior to joining the Guardian team, Neil was Senior Consultant & ESG Lead for Canada at Aon, focusing on public equities. Before Aon, he worked at Counsel Portfolio Services as a Portfolio Manager & Senior Analyst, where he was responsible for manager selection, portfolio construction, asset allocation, and overseeing the currency hedging program. This extensive experience enhances SSG's investment research capabilities.
Neil holds a Master's degree in Finance from the Smith School of Business at Queen's University, and a Bachelor's degree in Finance from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). He also holds the CAIA Charter and the CIM designation.
Neil Wiacek is Investment Grade Credit Analyst for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). Neil joined Guardian in 2023 and has responsibility for conducting detailed research and analysis of non-financial investment-grade credits, relative value trade ideas, and assisting with portfolio analytics.
His career in the financial services industry began in 2021 when he joined Alpine Macro as Research Analyst. Directly before joining Guardian, Neil was a Junior Analyst in the fixed income group at Fiera Capital.
Neil graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University. He earned a Master of Management in Finance degree from McGill University, and is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Investment Manager
- Investment Manager - Guardcap Asset Management Limited
Orlaith O'Connor is Investment Manager for GuardCap Asset Management Limited (GuardCap). She joined GuardCap in 2015.
Orlaith's career started in 2010 at Martin Currie Investment Management in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she researched global healthcare companies. Prior to specializing in healthcare Orlaith worked on the technology, media and telecoms and Asian teams.
Orlaith holds an MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge and a First Class Honours degree in Economics and Mathematics from the National University of Ireland, Galway. She is a CFA® charterholder.
Paheer Thayalan is a Compliance Officer, responsible for the oversight of the Wealth Management Compliance program which includes several affiliates of Guardian Capital Group Limited, including Guardian Partners, Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA), and Modern Advisor Canada Inc. Paheer joined Guardian in 2017 where he was part of the GCA Investment Operations team. In 2020, he transitioned to Compliance as an Analyst to assist the Institutional Asset Management division. Since then, he joined the Wealth Management Compliance team and progressed into a more senior role.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Human Resources
Paula Dunlop is Executive Vice President, Human Resources for Guardian Capital Group (Guardian). Paula joined Guardian in 2021 to lead the company's Human Resources strategy, focusing on business growth and enhancing the employee experience.
Paula has over 20 years of experience driving the development and execution of enterprise-wide Human Resources programs for industry-leading companies. Prior to joining Guardian, Paula was the Director of Human Resources at Wolters Kluwer, overseeing the strategic Human Resources direction for Canada and providing executive support to the US Research & Learning and Global Services Excellence businesses. Her previous experience includes Human Resources management positions at Starbucks Coffee Canada, INTRIA Items Inc. and CIBC.
Paula graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Trent University. She holds the Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation from the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Director of Investment Research
Payton Liu is Director of Investment Research for Guardian Partners and a key member of the Strategy and Solutions Group (SSG) research team. He joined the Guardian team in 2021, and assists with manager selection, with the responsibility of supporting portfolio construction, asset allocation, and risk management.
With over 10 years of experience at University of Toronto Asset Management Corporation (UTAM), Payton further strengthens SSG's investment research capability. At UTAM, his responsibilities included assisting with strategic and tactical asset allocation, portfolio construction, currency exposure management, investment risk management, and manager selection.
Payton has a Master's degree in Economics from Dalhousie University in Halifax, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Western Ontario. He also published his Master's thesis in the International Journal of Managerial Finance and won Best Paper Award from the Northern Finance Association.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Analyst
- Calgary / Portfolio Administrator
- GCA in 2022 As a Portfolio Administrator
Riley Guenther joined GCA in 2022 as a Portfolio Administrator based in the Calgary office. Promoted to Portfolio Analyst in 2023, Riley covers trading, cash management, portfolio allocation, and attribution analysis, while assisting with client requests and business development activities. Before joining GCA, Riley was a professional hockey player and spent three years overseas playing in France.
Riley has recently completed the Canadian Securities Course, Investment Management Techniques, and Portfolio Management Techniques courses towards his pending CIM® designation. In 2019, he graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Commerce degree specializing in Finance and was also a member of the UBC Varsity Men's Hockey team during his time there.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Portfolio Administration
Rishma Hamir, based in Vancouver, BC, CA, is the Portfolio Administration Manager at Guardian Capital Advisors. Rishma Hamir brings experience from previous roles at Aviso Wealth, Harbourfront Wealth Management, Canadian Western Bank, and SNAP Financial Group.
Rishma Hamir holds a Certificate in Organizational Leadership/Management, Human Resources, and Legal Administration from BCIT School of Business.
Job Titles:
- Business Development
- Head of Institutional Asset Management
Robin Lacey is Head of Institutional Asset Management, Guardian Capital Group Limited. His mandate includes the responsibility to expand and develop the strategic capabilities and activities of Guardian's various institutional business units: Guardian Capital LP, GuardCap Asset Management Limited, Guardian Capital LLC, Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc. and the Systematic Strategies investment team.
Robin's career spans over 30 years. As an experienced asset management senior executive, he brings to Guardian a record of cross-functional success in business leadership, multi-regional operations, sales and distribution management and team building. Directly prior to joining Guardian, he was an SVP of Scotiabank and Head, Global Institutional Asset Management, responsible for initiating the strategic plan to build and grow the Bank's institutional asset management capability. He was recruited to Scotiabank after nine successful years at TD Asset Management, ultimately in the role of Vice Chair. Prior to this, Robin spent over 15 years developing his leadership and industry experience with JP Morgan Asset Management and predecessor firms. In 1996 he was seconded from the head office in London, UK, and arrived in Canada as President & Chief Executive Officer of Fleming Asset Management (Canada) Inc.
Robin graduated with a degree in Economics and Modern Languages from the University of Northumbria, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. He speaks multiple languages including English, French, Spanish and German.
Job Titles:
- Asset Manager for Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc
- Director, Asset Management - Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc.
Ryan Wetherly is an Asset Manager for Guardian Capital Real Estate Inc. (GCRE). He joined GCRE in November 2018, with responsibility to oversee the operations and performance of the Guardian real estate properties.
Ryan previously held the role of Risk Management Analyst for the Finance department of Guardian Capital Group Limited (Guardian). He joined Guardian in 2013 in this role. Prior to Guardian, Ryan worked for KPMG LLP as a Senior Accountant in their audit group specializing in financial services.
Ryan graduated from the Rotman School of Management - University of Toronto with a Masters of Management and Professional Accounting and obtained his Bachelor's Degree from Queen's University.
Job Titles:
- Team Lead, GCA Operations
Saad Aziz Siddiqui joined GCA in 2021, and in the years since, he has progressed from Operations Analyst to Senior Operations Analyst to Team Lead of GCA's investment operations team. He leads the end-to-end reconciliation of the firm's accounting system and works with the director of operations to manage all GCA staff training in all GCA systems and other staff management responsibilities. Saad joined the industry in 2019 with MD Management as an accounts administrator.
Saad graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Economics with a specialization in Financial Economics. He has passed Level 1 of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation and is a CFA Level 2 candidate.
Sam Baldwin is Senior Portfolio Manager, Canadian Equity for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2007 as portfolio manager on the systematic strategies team. In 2013 he transitioned into Guardian's Canadian Equity team, focusing on the large-cap Core Canadian equities strategies
His career in the financial services industry began in 1999 when he joined Invesco Trimark as an Associate, Strategy and Communications. Sam subsequently assumed the role of Project Manager, Office of the CEO, in the Taiwan office of Invesco. This role was followed by Fund Manager and Product Director, Asian Equities with Invesco Perpetual in the UK, subsequent to which he joined Guardian
Sam graduated from University of British Columbia with a BA (Honours) and is a CFA® charterholder.
Saravanan joined the Guardian Capital LP (Guardian) i³ Investments™ team in 2020 to spearhead the further development of big data visualization for the team. Saravanan has extensive experience in programming languages, databases, web technologies and frameworks. He is responsible for the development of Guardian's proprietary R&D and production infrastructure, including assisting in the design and maintenance of databases and data science initiatives.
Prior to joining Guardian, he had roles as a software engineer with Omnitracs Canada and Accenture.
Saravanan received a BTech in Information Technology from India and earned his Master in Applied Computing from the University of Windsor.
Sasha Evans joined Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA) in 2023 bringing a wealth of industry experience to her role as Client Portfolio Manager, devising, managing and implementing client investment portfolios, continuing the over 15 years of service excellence she offered to clients at a well-respected BC investment management firm. In 2024, she contributed to the launch of Guardian Women™ on the West Coast of Canada to bring this exciting educational initiative to female investors.
Sasha volunteers her time to her community and in business, mentoring students at Simon Fraser University, from where she graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charterholder and holds the Personal Financial Planner (PFP®) and the Canadian Investment Manager (CIM®) designations. Sasha also volunteers with the CFA Institute in a variety of capacities.
Job Titles:
- Fixed Income Strategist and Trader
Scott Glassco is Fixed Income Strategist and Trader for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2016 in this role.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1980 when he joined Richardson Greenshields as a trainee/trader. Directly prior to joining Guardian, Scott was Managing Director, Fixed Income Sales for Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets, and Domestic Sales Manager, Fixed Income for Scotia Capital Markets. In 1982 Scott joined McLeod Young Weir as a long Government of Canada bond trader. Over 35 years he assumed senior roles in trading, global client coverage and business development in debt capital markets.
Scott graduated from Queen's University with a BA in Economics.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Investment Solutions and Head of Affiliated Distribution
Scott Perfonic is Vice President, Investment Solutions and Head of Affiliated Distribution for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). He joined GCLP in 2015 with a focus on growing our retail intermediary relationships in BC, and assumed his current role in 2020.
Job Titles:
- Calgary / Portfolio Analyst
- Client Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors
- Vancouver / Client Portfolio Manager
Sean Convey is a Client Portfolio Manager for Guardian Capital Advisors (GCA), joining the firm in 2019. Sean develops and manages investment portfolios and policies for individuals while building partnerships with advisors. He entered the industry in 2013 at one of Canada's largest independent full-service investment dealers where for five years he served in an advisory capacity within the private client division, developing such skills as constructing client portfolios and performing macro-economic and security-specific research and analysis.
Job Titles:
- Senior Portfolio Manager
- Senior Portfolio Manager, Canadian Growth Equity
Sera Kim is Senior Portfolio Manager, Canadian Growth Equity for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). She joined GCLP in 2013 as a Vice President, Senior Equity Analyst, with experience in researching Canadian and global companies. In 2017, she was promoted to Portfolio Manager, Canadian Equity and was promoted to Senior Portfolio Manager in 2019.
Sera began her career in 1998 with IBM Canada as a Financial Analyst, and entered the financial services industry in 2000 with CIBC World Markets in Equity Research, followed by a similar role at Raymond James. Prior to joining GCLP, Sera was Director, Equity Research Analyst - Technology for GMP Securities in Toronto.
Sera graduated from Queen's University with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours). She is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Operations Executive
- Vice President, Operations
Sergio Di Vito is a seasoned operations executive with over 30 years of experience. In 2024, he joined Guardian Partners as Vice President of Operations, bringing a wealth of expertise in leading transformative change within the financial services industry, with a strong focus on capital markets.
Throughout his multifaceted career, Sergio has worked with both startups and established organizations, overseeing institutional and retail trading, as well as driving the development, implementation, and execution of key processes and policies. Known for his relationship-building skills and leadership abilities, he has consistently mentored and trained teams to enhance productivity and operational effectiveness.
Sergio earned his bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Toronto. He is a former board member and treasurer of the Institutional Equity Traders Association (IETA) and has chaired an Operations Head Network User Group for the Portfolio Management Association of Canada.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Institutional Sales and Consultant Relations
Sherry Lee Gregory is the Vice President, Institutional Sales and Consultant Relations for Guardian Capital LP (GCLP). She joined Guardian in 2020 and targets business opportunities with pension plan sponsors and other institutional investors and will lead responsibility for relationships with Investment Consultants.
She brings to Guardian extensive experience in the financial services sector, with proven skills in sales, relationship management, consulting and consultant relations. Prior to joining Guardian, she spent the last five years as Vice President, Consultant Relations with Franklin Templeton in Toronto. Previously, she spent nearly a decade with RBC Investor & Treasury Services in Canada and the US, and five years with AON Consulting.
Sherry Lee received a Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op) from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an Executive MBA from St Mary's University
Job Titles:
- Supervisor of Performance and Client Reporting
Sophie Li is the Supervisor of Performance and Client Reporting for Guardian Partners. Sophie joined the firm (formerly BNY Mellon Wealth Management Advisory Services Inc.) in 2012 as a Performance Analyst in the administration and operations department. Over the course of her career, Sophie has steadily advanced to more senior roles within the organization.
Job Titles:
- Lead Portfolio Manager and Managing Director, and Head of I Investments™
- Managing Director, Head of I Investments
Srikanth (Sri) Iyer is Lead Portfolio Manager and Managing Director, and Head of i³ Investments™ for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian Capital). He joined Guardian in 2001 to lead the development and implementation of Guardian Capital's proprietary systematic strategies. Subsequently, this led to the creation of the i³ Investments team. He brings over 25 years of experience managing quantitative investments and risk management to guide the overall development and implementation of systematic strategies for the firm.
Prior to joining Guardian Capital, Sri was responsible for a variety of portfolio management and financial engineering roles at Global Value Investors in New Jersey. He graduated from the University of Bombay (1989) with a Bachelor of Commerce and earned the Chartered Cost and Works Accountant (India) designation. Sri received an MBA in Applied Finance and Statistics from Rutgers Graduate School of Management.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Analyst
- Toronto / Director - Operations & Administration
Steve Bates - Chief Investment Officer
Job Titles:
- Chief Investment Officer
- Chief Investment Officer - GuardCap Asset Management Limited
Steve Bates is Chief Investment Officer for GuardCap Asset Management Limited.
Steve joined in 2013, when Guardian Capital acquired Zephyr Management and formed GuardCap. Prior to joining GuardCap, he co-founded the Aurora strategy with Clive Lloyd in 2003. Previously he was head of emerging markets at JP Morgan Fleming Asset Management, a business he established for predecessor organization (Flemings) in 1990. Steve has previous experience as an investor in both U.S. and European equity markets.
Steve holds a law degree from Cambridge University and is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Client Service
Steven Goth is Vice President, Client Service for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). He joined Guardian in 2023 with responsibility to develop and sustain institutional client relationships.
Steven's career in the financial services industry began in 2003, when he joined James P. Marshall. Prior to joining Guardian, Steven was the Senior Client Relationship Manager for abrdn (formerly Standard Life Aberdeen), supporting domestic clients of their non-Canadian equity strategies. Prior to abrdn, Steven gained wide-ranging experience as an investment consultant at Aon where he worked for a number of years.
Steven graduated from Queen's University. He is a CFA® Charterholder and has earned a Certificate in ESG Investing from the CFA Institute.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Head of Canadian Equity
Ted Macklin is Managing Director, Head of Canadian Equity for Guardian Capital LP (Guardian). In this role, Ted has responsibility to lead the investment teams in the Canadian equity category: Growth Equities, Equity Income, and Core/Quality Growth. He joined Guardian in 2000 as part of the Canadian equity team. In his previous role as Managing Director, Canadian Equity, his portfolio management focus was on Guardian's large-cap Core Canadian equities strategies.
His career in the financial services industry began in 1983 when he joined Confederation Life Insurance as a financial analyst. Ted has been managing equity portfolios since 1989 (US equities 1989-1993; subsequently Canadian equities to present). Prior to joining GCLP, Ted was part of the Canadian equity teams at both Bolton Tremblay Inc. (Montrusco Bolton) and Elliott and Page Ltd.
Ted graduated from University of Toronto with a B.Comm and is a CFA® charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Vice President - Client Portfolio Manager
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Analyst
- Calgary / Portfolio Analyst
Job Titles:
- Engineer
- Portfolio Manager
Yvonne Jin is a Portfolio Manager and Engineer for Guardian Capital LP's i³ Investments™ team, joining in 2018. Yvonne has over five years of experience in portfolio engineering and data science. In her current role, her responsibilities include R&D of statistical and machine learning models, portfolio and risk management support and the development of alternative strategies.
Before joining Guardian Capital LP, Yvonne worked with BMO Financial Group as Manager of Counterparty Credit Risk. Her career in the financial services industry began in 2015 when she joined S&P Global.
Yvonne graduated from Smith College, Massachusetts with a BA in Mathematics and earned a Master of Mathematical Finance degree from the University of Toronto. She is a CFA® Charterholder and a Certified Financial Risk Manager.