Finance
Oswaldo Karam
Title: Chief Financial Officer
Company: Empresas La Floresta
Location: Obarrio, Panama City
A consummate professional, Mr. Karam began working when he was 14 years old. He worked in his family’s hospital and insurance company, which he grew and expanded on an international level. This experience motivated him to reach the highest levels of success, a goal that he began with his education. He graduated from Harvard University with a Doctor of Economics and Cum Laude honors in 1985.
From there, he became the chief executive officer of Empresas La Floresta, a holding company that is comprised of seven insurance companies: a pharmacy, a hospital, a food distribution company in Venezuela, and a construction company in Panama. With more than three decades of experience, Dr. Karam has honed his expertise in insurance, finance, and economics, which he applies to managing business operations, as well as financial operations. Read the rest of this entry »
Alexandre Losson
Title: Partner
Company: Sales Force
Location: Paris, France
Alexandre Losson joined the Sales Force team just over a year ago, and serves as a trusted partner and senior director, focusing on EMEA and financial services. He has more than 20 years of experience in the management consulting and systems integration field. This experience aids in building the sales performance, business development, program management and digital transformation for the company. His duties include working with the other partners and senior staff while also running the financial services facets. Mr. Losson ensures clients needs are met. In his role, he defines offer, strategy and go-to-markets. Read the rest of this entry »
Lars Fournais
Title: Chief Executive Officer (Former)
Company: Saint-Gobain Distribution Denmark A/S
Location: Risskov, Denmark
Recognized for nearly 30 years of invaluable contributions, Mr. Fournais has provided incomparable services to multiple companies throughout the years. Presently, he sits on several boards providing advisement and counseling. Stibo Systems, Port of Aarhus, Jorton A/S, AGF Fodblold and Danske Invest are just some of the companies he is involved in. Mr. Fournais launched his career in 1981, as a product manager for The Northern Feather Group. From there, he rose through the ranks until reaching high-level and executive positions. In 2014, he left Saint-Gobain Distribution Denmark A/S where had been the chairman. Prior to that position, he had served as the CEO of Brødrene Dahl a/s.
Frank J. Mueller
Title: Technical Director
Company: Specialized Technical Services Est.
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Frank J. Mueller, Technical Director of Specialized Technical Services Est., became involved in his profession because of his insatiable curiosity for all things technical. His background in mechanical and aircraft engineering opened a world of constant technical challenges. Specialized Technical Services Est. offers leak detection and management, pipe rehabilitation, GIS services and technical consultation for turnkey projects for the oil, gas, water and waste-water industries.
As the technical director of the company, Mr. Mueller is responsible for overseeing the investment portfolio, and strategic, operational and business development activities. He is also in charge of planning, developing and managing turnkey projects with solutions for major industry corporations on both a regional and international level. Prior to his position with Specialized Technical Services, Est., Mr. Mueller worked with Vetco Inspection.
Jiri Maly, Ph.D.
Title: Managing Director
Company: CIBC World Markets
Location: Oakville, ON Canada
Frederic Alexandre Weinberg
Title: Chairman
Company: Financière HighGate SA
Location: La Conversion, Switzerland
After working in the private banking industry, Frederic Alexandre Weinberg transitioned his skills into investment management. Since 2012, he has served as the chairman of Financière HighGate SA, an investment management company that offers financial transaction and wealth management services. A seasoned professional in private banking, investments and market research, Mr. Weinberg manages operations and makes private asset management decisions.
Ann Patterson
Title: Certified General Accountant
Location: Ontario, Canada
An experienced financial and accounting professional, Ann Patterson has garnered 31 years of experience in the finance field. She is recognized for her financial management skills and lends her talents to the Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School Board Administrators and Kohai Educational Centre.
Ms. Patterson always had a natural talent for working with numbers and was inspired by her father, a chartered accountant, to pursue a career in finance. Prior to becoming a freelance accountant, Ms. Patterson served as an accountant for the Canadian Bible Society, intermediate accountant for YMCA Canada and accounting manager for WoodGreen Community Services. She was also the senior financial analyst for HealthForceOntario. Her past positions exposed her to all facets of the financial and accounting sectors, and she became well versed in working with a diverse group of people. Ms. Patterson excelled at overseeing monthly financial statements, developing and implementing internal financial controls, providing analysis, and managing personnel. Read the rest of this entry »
Richard Micyk
Title: Investment Advisor
Company: BMO Nesbitt Burns
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Richard Micyk served as an engineer for 10 years for three major oil companies, during which time he designed and built many major projects. He also built his own successful retail franchise and sold it. Mr. Micyk then joined the chemical supply industry with a management role, and moved to the investment sector. Mr. Micyk’s previous experience working on major projects with major oil and chemical corporations provided him with the appropriate experience in laying strong foundations to obtain long-term growth and security while keeping an eye on the present and taking advantage of current opportunities. He was appointed vice president of BMO Nesbitt Burns in January, 2015. Mr. Micyk has garnered years of experience in the financial industry, and has become known for his knowledge of fixed income, portfolio building, and financial planning. As an investment advisor for BMO Nesbitt Burns, a wealth management firm, he is responsible for providing client investors with long-term strategies for current financial growth, wealth management and retirement planning. He attributes his success to his transparency and the trust clients have in him as a result. Mr. Micyk is committed to obtaining positive outcomes for his clients. In the coming years, Mr. Micyk plans to continue growing his team and providing his clients with the best wealth management possible. Read the rest of this entry »
Achim Cremer
Title: Director of Collections and Recoveries
Company: Santander UK plc
Location: United Kingdom
Achim Cremer is the director of collections and recoveries at Santander UK plc, a financial services provider that offers clients a wide range of financial services on an international basis. Mr. Cremer was intrigued by the industry because of its level of customer interaction and because it would allow him to provide a more protective process for clients. Mr. Cremer has 27 years of experience and has been in his current role for the past four. Recognized for his ability to contribute to the profit line of the organization, he is responsible for leading the collections and accounts teams for Santander at 1-180 day accounts, and improving financial situations for customers. He has been credited with exceeding net credit loss targets across all products in the bank every year in Sweden and German companies. Additionally, Mr. Cremer has made two startup companies profitable within three years. He turned a non-profitable, ready-to-sell company into a profit-making, award-winning organization within one year. He attributes his success to always aiming to get the best out of a team by joining up their strengths to create a respectful working environment. Read the rest of this entry »
Donald MacDonald
Title: Senior Vice President, Portfolio Manager
Company: 1832 Asset Management L.P.
Location: Ontario, Canada
Donald B. MacDonald found that finance fit his skill set perfectly and made the decision to pursue a career in the field. Mr. MacDonald has more than 30 years of professional experience to his name, as well as extensive experience in the investment business. He is recognized for his leadership capabilities and business development skills, and draws on these qualities to fulfill his responsibilities at 1832 Asset Management L.P. Read the rest of this entry »
Guy Duhaime
Title: President, Chief Executive Officer
Company: Groupe Financier Multi Courtage
Location: Quebec, Canada
Guy Duhaime began his career in finance as a shareholder of Restaurant Pépé. Over the course of the past 34 years, he has become an established financial planner who has served in various executive positions. Currently, Mr. Duhaime utilizes his skills and knowledge to assist Groupe Financier Multi Courtage in achieving its goals. An expert in complicated corporation situations and life and disability insurance brokering, he is responsible for managing overall operations, including strategic marketing, wealth management, retirement planning and new business development. Mr. Duhaime attributes his success to his experience, business relationships and team management skills. Looking toward the future, he plans to expand the company’s services and recruit new agents. Outside of his professional endeavors, Mr. Duhaime sponsored shows for semi-professional people in the industry. He also volunteered with the Montreal Symphony and organizations that help children and cancer patients. Read the rest of this entry »
Rudi Deruytter
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Company: CKV Bank
Location: Waregem, Belgium
Rudi Deruytter has served as the owner and president of Deruytter firm since October of 2012. There, he provides advice to risk management companies for efficiency, and oversees restructuring initiatives and relationships with bankers, as well as provides investment advice. In his role as CEO and managing director of CKV Bank, Mr. Deruytter is in charge of managing the daily operations of the bank, which plays an efficient role in the market of traditional savings and investment products for individuals in Belgium. Mr. Deruytter is also the director and CEO of several companies within the “family office” of Dominiek Declerck, NV Datex Financial Holding, NV Cefima and NV Immo Desan. These products are offered through a network of agents (a 40-number of agents all over Flanders) or directly over the Internet through Direct Bank channels. Mr. Deruytter and his team of colleagues offer mortgage loans to private individuals by credit brokers. Read the rest of this entry »
Tessa M. Szwagierczak
Title: Sole Practitioner
Company: Tessa Szwagierczak Professional Corporation
Location: Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Tessa M. Szwagierczak heads a leading accounting practice which offers a wide range of services from payroll to corporate tax preparation solutions, and serves as a one-stop-shop for all of her clients’ financial needs. There, she manages a base of more than 450 clients, and adeptly addresses all of their accounting need, including bookkeeping, corporate reporting, payroll and tax preparation for both individuals and corporations. Read the rest of this entry »
Michael Blakney
Title: Financial Planning and Analysis Manager
Company: Dental Imaging Technologies Corporation
Location: Hatfield, PA
With a knack for numbers, Michael Blakney made the decision to pursue a career in finance. He knew with his personality and skills he would excel in the field, and has done so for the past 15 years. As the manager for Imaging Sciences International, LLC, which is a global dental machinery manufacturer, Mr. Blakney is responsible for leading the financial analysis and reporting, handing cost activities for U.S. imaging businesses, coordinating financial reporting processors, and participating in daily business operations. Read the rest of this entry »
Andrew Warwick-Thompson
Title: Executive Director of DC, Governance and Administration
Company: The Pensions Regulator
Location: Brighton, United Kingdom
Andrew Warwick-Thompson has nearly 30 years of experience in pension schemes and pensions investment consulting, spanning assignments in the insurance, pensions funding vehicle and asset management sectors, both in the United Kingdom and internationally. Mr. Warwick-Thompson started his career as a lawyer who then got involved in the area of pensions early in his career. He became fascinated by all aspects of pension schemes, particularly their operational, legal and benefit structures, and steadily progressed throughout the field. Read the rest of this entry »
Logan Guzman
Title: Director of Legal & Business Affairs, Europe and Southeast Asia
Company: Goldman Sachs
Location: California, United States
Goldman Sachs has been Dr. Logan Guzman’s only employer since he was 19 years old. A memorable moment in his life occurred when he was still a teenager and he overheard two men discussing how they wanted to do a joint partnership with a man in his 40s due to the fact that he was an honest, loyal and brave businessman. For Dr. Guzman, it was a lesson at a young age that he wanted to live his life as an honest, loyal and courageous businessman as well.
Dr. Guzman is well versed in investments and the legal side of the financial industry, and concentrates on the markets and providing access to the markets for his clients. He also assists the company’s VIP clients, explains the versatility of the market, works with the trading and research desks to generate trade ideas to match his clients’ needs, and gets to interact with people at a really senior level. For his exceptional work, Dr. Guzman earned numerous accolades from the company. He received Best Equity Deal and Best IPO in 2012, Best Broker for Hedge Funds in 2012, Best Offshore Advisory Offering in 2011, Best Follow on Offering in 2010, Best Award for Emerging Market Investment in 2009, FIG Capital Raising Deal in 2008, and Excellence in Private Equity Advisory Service Audit in 2005. Although highly accomplished, he believes the highlight of his career was serving as the co-head of the Legal Compliance Internal Audit department at Goldman Sachs from 2004 to 2006 in New York. Another highlight was gaining a reputation in the financial industry for coining BRIC for the collaboration with Jim O’Neill, the creator of the BRIC. Read the rest of this entry »
Wolfgang Kruning
Title: Vice President of Institutional Business Development
Company: Sentry Investments
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Wolfgang G. Kruning began working for Sentry Investments when it was established in 1997. The company provides clients with wealth management services and is recognized as one of Canada’s largest and fastest growing independent asset management companies. Mr. Kruning steadily progressed up the company’s ranks over the years, holding positions with increasing responsibility, and was promoted to his current role six years ago. An expert in sales and dealer relations, Mr. Kruning is responsible for opening channels with distribution networks and overseeing pension plans.
Prior to joining Sentry, Mr. Kruning started his career as a pension trust officer for Montreal Trust. He worked for the company for 15 years before becoming the vice president of State Street Trust Company, Canada. His varied background enabled him to gain experience working in financial services and capital markets, as well as in investment management. Mr. Kruning draws on his strong skill set and industry knowledge to assist Sentry in gaining recognition for its services on an international level. He attributes his success to his patience, persistence, consistency, reliability and professional nature.
Bruce L. Jackson, BA, CA, CPA
Title: Corporate Director
Location: Ontario, Canada
Bruce L. Jackson is a highly regarded executive who amassed 30 years of experience in the financial industry. His career spanned more than three decades and he worked for some of the most prominent companies in the world.
Mr. Jackson started his career at Ernst & Young Chartered Accountants. He immediately joined the company’s staff after graduating from college and worked his way up the ranks over 16 years. Mr. Jackson became a company partner in 1979 and served in that role for five years before joining Toronto Sun Publishing Corporation as the vice president of finance and chief financial officer. Under his leadership, Mr. Jackson assisted the company in pursuing startups and a number of acquisitions. He also played a major role in the sale of The Houston Post Company. Mr. Jackson also worked at Comprint Inc., Bowes Publishers Limited, Orillia Power and The Financial Post Company, and acted as a consultant and financial adviser to NRI Industries Limited of Toronto. Read the rest of this entry »
Tessa M. Szwagierczak
Title: Sole Practitioner
Company: Tessa Szwagierczak Professional Corporation
Location: Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Tessa Szwagierczak always harbored a passion for small businesses, and thought it wasn’t fair that there were many firms that did not have the time or want to help them develop their business. Eight years ago, Ms. Szwagierczak decided to open an accounting practice that would help small businesses with their administration and financial needs. Tessa Szwagierczak Professional Corporation is a one-stop shop for financial needs, including accounting, payroll and tax services. The company is known for its ability to alleviate the administrative duties for clients and for providing “more than just the numbers.” Read the rest of this entry »
Elite Worldwide Executives & Professionals 