Boardroom Media (CFO News)
At CFO (Boardroom Media) we track over 1,000,000 startups and over 5,000,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Canada based CFO’ operating in the Venture Capital space. If you think a CFO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on [email protected].
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Francois Gauvin
Partner & CFO of Inovia Capital
François is iNovia’s Chief Financial Officer. He is a Chartered Accountant with over twenty-five years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, international tax planning and venture capital. Prior to iNovia, François was the Investment Director at the Quebec Solidarity Fund QFL, a $7 billion Montreal-based labor-sponsored fund, where he was responsible for all of the QFL’s investments in the venture capital area. Prior to the QFL, Mr. Gauvin held senior executive positions with Steinberg, Teleglobe, and BCE, where he took part in merger and acquisition transactions. François started his career at Coopers&Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers), where he practiced as an income tax specialist. François holds a Chartered Accountant designation, a BComm from Concordia University, and a Diploma in Accountancy from McGill University.
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About Inovia Capital: Inovia Capital is a full-stack venture firm that invests in tech founders.
Richard Smith
Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer of Acasta Enterprises
Richard has served as COO and CFO of AEI since its inception in 2015. Previously, Richard was the Executive Vice-President of Finance for Cosma International, an operating group of Magna International Inc. Cosma operates 73 manufacturing facilities and 21 product development and engineering centers in 18 countries worldwide, and designs, manufactures and sells a comprehensive range of metal body systems, components, assemblies and modules including complete vehicle frames, chassis systems and body-in-white systems to automotive original equipment manufacturers. Prior to joining Cosma, Richard was the Chief Financial Officer of Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust and previously the Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of MI Developments Inc. (now Granite REIT). He holds a bachelor of commerce (honours) degree from the University of Ottawa, and a juris doctor degree and MBA from the University of Toronto.
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About Acasta Enterprises: Acasta Enterprises operates as a special purpose acquisition company.
Jeannette Wiltse
Operating Partner & CFO of Relay Ventures
Jeannette is Operating Partner and CFO at Relay Ventures, an early stage venture fund exclusively focused on mobile software. Jeannette manages fund reporting, finance and operations and also assists the investment teams in establishing governance and financial infrastructure for portfolio companies. Previously Jeannette spent ten years as Director of Finance and Administration for RBC Venture Partners, managing finance and operations for its direct investment portfolio and fund investment portfolio, with responsibility for financial and operational due diligence for fund investments. Prior to joining RBCVP, Jeannette served as Secretary-Treasurer of Euro Brokers Canada, Ltd., a global interdealer broker where she established finance, operations and governance infrastructure for the Canadian operation. Jeannette is a member of the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association’s (CVCA) CFO Taskforce, and also serves as a Trustee and Treasurer of the Heather L. Main Memorial Scholarship for women in the capital markets. Jeannette is a Certified General Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. Jeannette is based in our Toronto office.
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About Relay Ventures: Relay Ventures specializes mainly in startup, seed and early stage investments and provides support throughout the lifecycle of a startup.
Guillaume Marion
Partner, CFO, Investor of Diagram Ventures
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About Breathe Life, Diagram Ventures, Sagard: Diagram is a venture builder that conceives and launches technology companies in the financial services, insurance, and health industries.
Vasco Larcina. CPA
Chief Financial Officer of Lumira Ventures
Contributing over 20 years of senior financial management and audit experience, Vasco is a key member of senior management working closely with our investment team, external auditors and other finance professionals and acting as the primary point of contact for our limited partners. Having worked through the re-organization of the company and the disposition of the retail segment of the business, Vasco now focuses on the growth of the institutional fund management business, the streamlining of finance and legal operations and external reporting to our limited partners. Responsible for the financial management of Lumira Ventures and the investment funds it manages, Vasco oversees financial and legal operations, ensuring that the appropriate controls are in place to manage the activities of Lumira Ventures and its managed funds through the strategic evaluation, development and implementation of financial policies, systems and procedures developed in consideration of external reporting, risk and governance as well as regulatory and tax compliance. Prior to joining Lumira Ventures, Vasco worked as an external auditor with KPMG and has gained internal audit and operational audit experience with a regulated public utility where he provided the internal control input for a major customer information system development project.
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About Lumira Ventures: Canada’s leading health care & life sciences venture capital firm with a 30-year reputation building companies across North America.
Julie Plouffe
CFO of White Star Capital
As Chief Financial Officer of White Star Capital, Julie brings years of experience in financial management from the Business Development Bank of Canada, the largest venture capital financing company in Canada. At BDC, Julie served as a deputy to the CFO and managed teams responsible for overall accounting, financial planning and analysis, reporting and risk management. She was also closely involved in the financial operations of its venture capital division. Julie began her career with the accounting firm KPMG and then TVA Group, a publicly traded communications company. She holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and has a graduate degree from HEC Montreal. Julie is based in our Montreal office.
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About White Star Capital: White Star Capital is an international venture and early growth-stage investment platform in technology.
Jeff Lucassen
Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Northleaf Capital Partners
Jeff leads Northleaf’s Corporate team and is responsible for the financial and operational activities of the firm. Jeff manages and provides strategic oversight for key business functions, including Investor Operations, Finance & Corporate Operations, Human Resources, Tax, Technology and Corporate Development. Jeff is a member of Northleaf’s Management Committee and is actively involved in Northleaf’s global investment, asset and risk management, and investor relations activities. Prior to joining Northleaf in 2017, Jeff was a Partner of The Carlyle Group, a global alternative asset manager, and Chief Operating Officer of Carlyle Liquid Markets, formerly Diversified Global Asset Management (DGAM), a diversified hedge fund manager. Jeff was a co-founder of DGAM in 2004 and served as DGAM’s Chief Operating Officer until its acquisition by Carlyle in 2014. Previously, Jeff served as the Controller, Investment and Corporate Finance, at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan where he built the portfolio, risk management and compliance systems as the pension plan grew to more than $100 billion in assets and expanded its investment activities in alternative assets globally. Jeff began his career as an auditor with KPMG where he focused on the financial services and asset management sectors. Jeff received a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of Windsor and a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of Western Ontario. He holds the Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst designations.
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About Northleaf Capital Partners: Northleaf Capital Partners is private equity firm that manages pension plans, endowments, foundations, financial institutions accounts.
Jason Futko
Co-Founder, CFO of KoreConX
CFO at KoreConx.
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About KoreConX: Empowering Private Markets
Gerry Feldman
CFO of Pinetree Capital
Gerry Feldman joined Pinetree in May 2010 after serving as a Director of Pinetree. He brings 28 years of Merger and Acquisition activities, corporate finance and financial experience. Gerry is responsible for, and involved in, corporate development, merger and acquisition activities and corporate finance. Prior to joining Pinetree, Gerry was a senior Partner in a number of accounting firms where he provided consulting services to clients, specializing in audits of public companies and securities and mutual fund dealers. In addition to his accounting and finance experience, he holds Senior Officer and Director positions in several junior mining companies that are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, including Brownstone Energy Inc. and Mega Uranium Ltd.
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About Pinetree Capital: Pinetree Capital Ltd. was born out of the ingenuity of Sheldon Inwentash, its Founder and current Chairman and CEO. The Company started in
William L. Trench
CFO of Central GoldTrust
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About Central GoldTrust: Central Gold-Trust primarily invests in unencumbered gold bullion.
Enio Lazzer
COO & CFO of Espresso Capital
Enio brings over 20 years experience in finance, capital markets, operations and technology. Prior roles include divisional CFO/COO and Managing Director of CIBC World Markets, where he also served as Head of Prime Brokerage and Trading Services, and Vice President & CFO of The Northern Trust Company, Canada, where he was part of an executive team that established the first foreign owned trust company in Canada, successfully growing it to over $40 billion of assets under management.
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About Espresso Capital: Espresso Capital offers lines of credit and term loans to enable entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
Tom Wilson
Chief Financial Officer of Mundoro Capital
Mr. Wilson has over 35 years of corporate experience in all areas of financial management and administration including corporate governance, government and securities compliance and financial administration. During his career, Mr. Wilson has worked with both public and private companies. Within the mining sector, he has been CFO for the following companies: Quadro Resources Ltd., ICN Resources Ltd., Paragon Minerals Corporation and Vatic Ventures Corp. Previously, Mr. Wilson was the VP/Treasurer of Cellfor Inc.; the CFO for Quest University, the first privately funded university in British Columbia; Corporate Controller for MDSI, the largest mobile management information system in North America; and Senior Manager at MacMillan Bloedel Limited, Canada’s largest forest products company.
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About Mundoro Capital: Mundoro Capital is a Canadian based company which operates as a mineral acquisition, exploration, development and investment company.
