Always one of the highlights of WAIS Canada is the Product Showcase – Where End Investor Meets Manager!

Delegates have an opportunity to hear directly from alternative investment managers and exempt market issuers. Presented in 7 minute segments, this format facilitates fast acquisition of facts and allows direct access to the information you need.

This year’s segments will allow you to hear from up-and-coming products as well as more established managers.

For additional information please contact

 

Justin Warren, General Manager
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T: 416.306.0151

 

 
     
     
     

         

 

Avenue Living Asset Management

 

 

 

Emily Newman

VP, Business Development, Avenue Living Asset Management

 

Emily Newman is VP, Business Development at Avenue Living Asset Management and is responsible for investor relations along with raising capital through the retail channel across Canada. Prior to joining Avenue, Emily was Business Development Manager at Timbercreek. Emily has a BSc in Chemistry from Queen’s University and is currently working towards her CIM designation.

 

As CMI's underwriting arm, CLI is an Ontario-based private mortgage lender. We fund mortgages on residential properties located in major urban centers across Canada. CLI's goal is to provide fast & efficient service to the mortgage brokerage community for private mortgages. CLI offers flexible and fast financing, despite credit or income challenges, provided that there is strong real estate security.
With over $300M of successful placements in the last few years, with an ever-increasing upwards trajectory, CLI has become one of the leaders in the private mortgage lending sector. We have established many strong regional relationships with lawyers, appraisers, and real estate agents to ensure that our operations run smoothly and effectively. As we continue to expand across Canada, we are increasing the variety and scale of our loans and syndications.
We source, analyze and underwrite all investment opportunities presented to us. After careful analysis, only those matching our lending profile in terms of loan size, location, and yield are packaged and then presented to our investors. We then facilitate the closing via our experienced external law firms and continue to manage the investment after closing at no cost to our investor.

 

 

 

Steve Fabian

Senior Vice President, Capital Markets, Canadian Mortgages Inc.

 

Steve Fabian, Senior Vice President, Capital Markets at Canadian Mortgages Inc., is a seasoned Real Estate Finance Professional who partners with organizations to strengthen their business development, client relationships skills, and analytical approach to CRE market and credit decisions. After spending over 20 years working in commercial lending and growing a private mortgage/equity platform from $0 to $180M in 4 years, Steve knows what it means to drive business and build a successful enterprise from the ground up. Steve was previously VP Origination at Institutional Mortgage Capital and Director, Lead CMBS Originator at MCAP Financial Corporation. For more than 10 years, Steve has also been a part-time Professor with Seneca College and Real Estate and Mortgage Institute Canada (REMIC), in their mortgage brokerage licensing program.

 

Steve has originated, structured and performed due diligence on over $20 Billion in real estate finance opportunities throughout his career and prides himself on his diverse business and academic background. In addition to his extensive industry experience, Steve has been a panellist on the FSCO MBLAA review panel, a board member for the Commercial Real Estate Lenders Association (CRELA), and a member of both the Seneca College and REMIC Education Committees. Steve holds a Bachelor of Arts from York University and an MBA from the University of Hertfordshire.

 

 

Centurion Asset Management Inc. with $1.6 billion in assets under management is one of Canada’s leading asset management companies specializing in real estate and other alternative asset classes. Centurion’s investment solutions – Centurion Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”), Centurion Real Estate Opportunities Trust (“REOT”), and Centurion Financial Trust (“CFiT”) – offer retail and institutional investors the opportunity to invest in diversified portfolios of rental apartments, mortgages, real estate developments, and debt instruments that deliver solid returns on their investments.

 

Matthew Barnes

Director of Sales, Centurion Asset Management Inc.

 

Matthew Barnes joined Centurion REIT in June 2014 and is currently the Director of Sales. He has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and has worked as a Regional Sales Manager at a large US based ETF provider. Matthew has also held sales and client relationship roles at a major Canadian bank mutual fund where he was the Business Development Manager for Alberta North.

 

Cranson Capital Securities Inc. is an exempt market dealer focused on helping investors build wealth through private placements. Whether high yield, capital appreciation or capital preservation, Cranson Capital sources, structures and underwrites investment opportunities to meet different investor objectives.
Cranson Capital has raised over $150 million from a network of accredited investors to fund GTA real estate deals and offers exclusive deal-flow with opportunities to invest in land for future development, condo and townhouse developments and REITs.

 

Devon Cranson

Founder and President, Cranson Capital

 

Devon Cranson is the founder and president of Cranson Capital, a boutique investment banking firm based in Toronto. He has deep expertise in all aspects of commercial financing, M&A and securities.
In 2006, Devon established Cranson Capital Solutions Inc., a corporate finance advisory firm that is focused on helping entrepreneurs with capital raising, M&A and debt advisory services. In 2011, Devon expanded the business by launching Cranson Capital Securities Inc., an Exempt Market Dealer focused on raising capital from accredited investors for private placements in real estate, financial services and growth companies.
Under Devon’s leadership, Cranson Capital is a 6-time winner of the PCMA’s Deal of the Year Award and has been ranked 49th on the Profit 500 fastest growing companies in Canada.
In addition to leading Cranson Capital, Devon acts as the General Partner for three Toronto condo developments, a Trustee of a multifamily residential REIT and a Trustee of three Land Development Funds. Devon also sits on the Boards of a TSX-listed real estate lending company and a senior’s housing company based in Western Canada.

 

ICM Asset Management is an alternative asset manager focused on owning, operating and investing in real assets. We offer retail, private client and institutional investors an array of investment opportunities focused on real estate, private equity, private debt and infrastructure strategies.

Our goal is simple: We strive to preserve wealth and generate attractive risk-adjusted returns, while providing the highest level of client service.
We are headquartered in Calgary and have offices in Atlanta, Munich and Mexico City. ICM Investment Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of ICM Asset Management, is a registered investment fund manager and portfolio manager with provincial securities regulators across Canada.

Our success hinges on our unwavering commitment to three principles that underpin our investment philosophy: Value, Discipline, and Results. Our adherence to these principles has allowed ICM to generate exceptional investment returns for our clients and a strong track record of achieving our goals.

Today, we manage more than $815 million of assets across numerous investment vehicles and advisory relationships and have considerable experience in originating, structuring and financing investment transactions and managing risk in alternative assets. Our team has grown substantially and is made up of investment and operating professionals with extensive experience, collectively having acquired and/or managed over $7 billion of assets globally.

 

John Courtliff

Partner, Managing Director & Portfolio Manager, ICM Asset Management


Mr. Courtliff has been working with ICM since 2011 and is responsible for the management and oversight of ICM’s Canadian and U.S. investment platform and select asset management activities within ICM’s Canadian portfolio. Mr. Courtliff has over 15 years of investment industry experience, beginning his career in investment banking before transitioning to real estate asset and investment management. His experience includes structuring complex domestic and cross-border transactions and investment vehicles, evaluating and underwriting investment opportunities and closing transactions, asset management including development management and portfolio/fund management. He has been directly involved in transactions and the management of over $500 million. Mr. Courtliff received a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from the University of Calgary including studies at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Wirtschafts Universitat Wien and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Mr. Courtliff is fluent in both French and English.

 

Founded in 2005, Invico Capital Corporation is a Calgary, Alberta based alternative investment fund management firm providing alternative investing and financing solutions.
Invico is registered as a Portfolio Manager in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario and an Investment Fund Manager in the provinces of Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland.
The firm and investment products are audited annually by PwC Canada with investors receiving quarterly updates. Invico was formed with the objective of creating an alternative investment fund management firm based on successful long-term relationships, hard work, careful analysis and focused decision-making.
 

James Wanstall

Vice President, Sales, Invico Capital Corporation

 

James Wanstall is a 30 year veteran in the financial services industry with the past 15 years dedicated to alternative investing and private debt. He is highly respected for his insights into alternative investing, in particular, making complex strategies easy to understand and helping advisors avoid the inevitable pitfalls in the space. As VP, Sales, James is responsible for developing Invico's business in Ontario.

 

Lending Loop connects established Canadian businesses looking for financing with individuals, corporations, and institutions looking to invest. We originate, underwrite, transfer funds, service and collect on loans to make the investment process as touchless and automated as possible.
By cutting out costly intermediaries, we are able to offer both investors and borrowers more competitive rates: As an investor, you get to lend to Canadian businesses giving you the ability to potentially earn more attractive, fixed-income returns that pay you back on a monthly basis, while diversifying your portfolio with a unique private-debt asset class.
 

Reza Jafer

Head of Wealth Management, Lending Loop

 

Reza Jafer is the Head of Wealth Management at Lending Loop, Canada's #27 fastest growing company by The Globe & Mail. Reza manages the firm's relationships with Institutions, Family Offices and Accredited investors and overseas strategic growth for retail investors. In less than 2 years, Reza and his team have more than tripled assets under administration. Reza was recently nominated for Digital Finance Institute's FinTech 30 under 30 award.
Reza is a CFA Charterholder and York University BComm alumni where he specialized in Finance. Outside of the office, he is a dedicated husband and proud Torontonian who enjoys traveling and eating his way around the world.

 

MMCAP Canada is a global opportunistic multi-strategy fund that invests in a variety of strategies, including special situations, merger arbitrage, corporate restructurings, short selling, long-short equity, convertible arbitrage, private placements and IPOs. The Fund's objective is to provide investors with long-term capital appreciation. The Fund is a feeder fund into the MMCAP Fund, an offshore fund which is run by an investment team that has been active in opportunistic multi-strategy investing for over 17 years. Since our start in 2002, we have emerged among the world’s highest performing fund managers (1st on The Wall Street Journals 2018 Hedge Fund Review, Best Performing Hedge Fund on Barron’s 2018 Top 100 Hedge Fund Survey and Absolute Returns Awards 2016, Fund of the Year) and have achieved an over 24% CAGR since the funds inception. The founding partners since 2002 are the largest investors in the fund and represent approximately 30% of the assets under management of approximately $900m. Seeking out market deficiencies, we strive to deliver better risk-adjusted returns to our investors in every investment that we partake in.

 

Justin Oliver

Business Development, MMCAP Asset Management

 

Justin Oliver has over 15 years of capital markets experience, covering institutions, inclusive of asset managers, hedge funds, pensions, endowment, family offices and insurance companies. After spending his early years obtaining his Chartered Accounting designation, Justin moved into research where he learned, in depth about many sectors, inclusive of golds, metals, oil and gas (international, integrated and oil sands), diversified industries, aerospace and biotech.
Subsequent to spending seven years at the fastest growing independent broker in Canada, CanaccordGenuity, in various capacities (research and sales), Justin proceeded to become a partner at a small brokerage named Fraser Mackenzie.
Fraser, was rolled up after making 30% return on equity for four years based on market conditions. Justin then pursued a new avenue, joining Bank of Montreal to help build out their Exchange Traded Fund Business. In the six years of his tenure, the team grew the assets from eight billion to over fifty billion dollars, making it a significant growth vehicle for BMO as a whole. Justin is now working to build out MMCAPs brand, assets and help drive business development for the firm.

 

Based in Toronto, Ninepoint Partners has assumed portfolio management of the Canadian diversified assets of Sprott Asset Management (SAM), including actively managed hedge and mutual funds, while also offering leading resource and precious metals strategies through an exclusive sub-advisory relationship with SAM. The new firm oversees approximately $3 billion in assets under management.
Ninepoint Partners is an independent investment manager committed to adding value to investors’ portfolios while helping to differentiate advisors’ businesses.
As a team, we have a long track-record of managing alternative income, real assets, and diversified core strategies. Innovative thinking, and our ability to apply it to real-world solutions, is what defines us.

 

James Fox

Co-CEO, Managing Partner, Ninepoint Partners


James Fox is a founding principal, Co-CEO and Managing Partner of Ninepoint Partners. James oversees all business development, capital raising & marketing initiatives of the firm. Prior to Ninepoint’s formation, James served as the President of Sprott Asset Management LP (SAM) as well as Managing Director of Sprott Private Wealth. In his role at SAM, James initiated the development of new products, formed a wholesale group to increase fund distribution and led marketing efforts to increase the company's brand awareness in Canada and abroad. Notably, James led the Firm’s efforts to launch Sprott Physical Trusts on NYSE Arca and TSX that raised over $4B in assets, and helped lead the successful take-over of the Central Gold Trust ($1B in Assets) by Sprott Physical Gold Trust.
James has a BA in Finance and Economics from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

 

Old Kent Road Financial (OKR) specializes in providing bridge financing to small and mid-sized enterprises across Canada. Our non-dilutive financial solutions help companies manage their cash flow needs and let them focus on growing their business without giving up control.
OKR was created to address a significant lack of alternatives for companies looking for financing secured against Canadian Federal and/or Provincial government loans, tax credits or grants. OKR predominantly finances companies who have applied or qualified for Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credits however we finance other programs including:
• Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED)

• Southern Interior Development Trust (SIDIT)

• Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)

• Interactive Digital Media Credit (IDMC)

• Canada Media Fund (CMF)

• Western Innovation Initiative (WINN)

• Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)

• Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)

• Build In Canada Innovation (BICI)

"The OKR Financial family of funds will collectively have up to $90 million under management by end of 2019 with the launch of a our parallel equity fund we can offer a range of finance solutions to Canadian Entrepreneurs"

To find out more, visit our website www.okrfinancial.com or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

 

Wes Mills

Chief Investment Officer, OKR Financial


Wes has 35 years’ experience as an investment professional in finance, portfolio management and asset allocation in both traditional and alternative assets. In the last year he did consulting work on wealth management with a major Credit Union. He was the Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio manager of a private debt portfolio for a leading Exempt Market Dealer for over two years. Prior to that he was with a leading Canadian Bank for over 30 years, spending the bulk of his career in various portfolio management roles ultimately becoming the Chief Investment Officer for the Mutual Fund and Private Client Groups where he was responsible for up to $45bln in assets under management.

 

He is now the Chief Investment Officer of OKR Financial which primarily lends to companies secured by Government Finance Program (GFP) tax credits as well as traditional commercial bridge financing. Wes works with the credit underwriting team to originate loans as well as the Investment Management group as they service the needs of high net worth clients, family offices and institutional accounts.

 

Wes graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Commerce and MBA. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Wesley (Wes) Mills

• Joined OKR Financial in November 2018

• Over 35 years experience in Finance, Portfolio Management and Asset Allocation

• Consultant on Wealth Management to major Credit Union (2018)

• Chief Investment Officer Schedule A Bank Discretionary Asset Management Group (2011-14)

• Portfolio Manager; Global Equities (1994-2011), Private Debt (2015-17)

• Foreign Exchange Trader and Trade Finance Manager (1984-1993)

• B. Comm, MBA; University of Saskatchewan; Chartered Financial Analyst


 Quote: “I enjoy constantly learning and adding value for clients”

 

RISE Properties Trust is a non-traded Canadian REIT focused on the US multifamily sector. Through management’s existing business platform and fully integrated operations, the Trust aims to acquire underperforming rental apartment properties and improve their operations, cash flow, and value. Targeting exclusively primary markets, the initial acquisitions were in Seattle, Washington.
RISE was founded by a group of seasoned real estate professionals and their aligned interest represent 12.7% of the fund. Over the past 25 years, the management team has acquired over $4 billion USD of apartments and managed more than 15,000 units in the Greater Seattle Area and along the west coast of the United States. Collectively, the management team has over 100 years of experience in rental apartment transactions, property management, condominium conversions, portfolio assemblies, and real estate investment trust management.
RISE Properties’ current portfolio consist of 1390 residential units with an enterprise value of $354M. A combination of consistent quarterly distributions and asset appreciation has delivered 14.99% compounding annual returns to investors since the fund’s inception in March of 2012. RISE works very well for investors who want real estate and US dollars in their portfolio, but not large enough or have no desire to own real estate (apartments) directly.

 

Leslie Toth

Vice President of Sales and Marketing, RISE Properties Trust

 

Leslie has over 23 years of experience working in the financial services industry, specializing in life insurance, living benefits, succession planning, and legacy planning, Leslie has trained and motivated hundreds of new agents and previously managed a very successful agency. Since 2006, Les has been an executive consultant to several small and medium size corporations on business development, sales and marketing, operations, risk management, and international relations. Les is also a partner in a Multi Family office specializing in private equity, with a strong focus on real estate. In his current assignment, Leslie is overseeing RISE’s fund raising through all distribution channels across Canada.

 
 

Starlight Capital is an independent asset management firm offering mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and structured products. Our goal is to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns to investors through a disciplined investment approach, Focused Business Investing.
     

 

Titan Advisors is a hedge fund solutions business, managing portfolios of hedge funds on behalf of institutions and high-net-worth investors for over 19 years. With approximately $4.0 billion in assets under management, and a research team of 20 people across the US, Canada and the UK, Titan is positioned to identify the most talented hedge fund managers around the globe. Through precise portfolio construction and management, Titan aims to provide investor value across a variety of business lines: multi-investor funds (actively managed hedge fund portfolios), custom solutions (portfolio solutions based on investor specifications), insurance dedicated funds (tax-efficient hedge fund investing through insurance and annuity products) and specialized vehicles (unique, asymmetric co-investments, hedge fund seeding and other special situation opportunities).

 

Aly Alladina

Vice President, Marketing, Canada, Titan Advisors

Aly Alladina joined Titan Advisors in May 2019. He is responsible for overseeing business development and client service across the Canadian bank and dealer channels. Prior to joining Titan, Aly spent 18 years as a Portfolio Manager with PCJ Investment Counsel (A CC&L Financial Group Company) where he was responsible for managing large cap, small cap and absolute return mandates. Aly was also responsible for the marketing and client service of the firm’s strategies to institutional, consultant, high net worth and advisor channels. Aly graduated with a BBA degree from Simon Fraser University in 1996 and has been a CFA charterholder since 2001. He is based in Toronto, Canada.

 
 

Founded in 1997, Trez Capital is a diversified real estate investment firm and preeminent provider of commercial real estate debt financing solutions in Canada and the United States. Trez Capital offers private and institutional investors strategies to invest in a variety of opportunistic, fully-secured, high-yield mortgage investment funds and like investment assets, and provides property developers and owners with quick approvals on flexible short- to mid-term financing.
With offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Dallas, Palm Beach and Atlanta, Trez Capital has over $3.5 billion in assets under management and has funded more than 1,400 mortgages totaling more than $9.4 billion since inception.
For more information, visit www.trezcapital.com.
 

Vikram Rajagopalan

Vice President, Retail Sales & National Accounts, Trez Capital

 

Vikram joined Trez in 2013 and introduced Trez’ capital investment solutions to retail channels, including family offices and investment advisors.
With over a decade of investment management experience, he was promoted to the critical role of Vice President, Retail Sales and National Accounts at Trez in 2016. Vikram now leads a team of 11 as the company has seen such exponential growth of its assets under management.
Prior to joining Trez, Vikram was Vice President of Client Relations at a boutique private wealth management firm serving and sourcing high net-worth clients. He started his career in sales with one of Canada’s largest independent mutual fund firms.
Vikram is a CFA charterholder and has a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Economics from York University. He lived in 11 countries prior to his immigration to Canada, and brings a global perspective to his leadership role at Trez Capital.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 647.788.1787
 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
     
     
 
 
     
     
 
 
     
     
 
 
     
     
 
 

 

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