Our Team
Olivier Desmarais
Chairman and
CEO
Olivier Desmarais is the driving force behind the Power Sustainable vision as a global, sustainability-led alternative asset manager. He chairs the Canada China Business Council (CCBC) and in addition serves as a Director of Canada Life, IG Wealth Management, Mackenzie and Lumenpulse. Olivier Desmarais has been Senior Vice-President of Power Corporation since 2017. He is actively engaged in the community as member of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. Olivier Desmarais holds a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Ottawa, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Political Science from McGill University, and has been a Québec Bar member since 2009.
Arnaud Bellens
Partner and
President
Arnaud Bellens brings leadership and expertise to Power Sustainable from prior positions including CFO and VP Finance of La Presse, where he pioneered the publication’s transition from print to digital leader, as well as management positions at Square Victoria Communications Group, Mitel Networks and Alcatel-Lucent, both in Europe and in Canada. He is currently Vice-President, Power Corporation, and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Potentia Renewables and Nautilus Solar Energy. He is also Vice-Chairman of Power Pacific Corporation Limited. Arnaud holds both a Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Telecommunication Engineering from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium.
Delia Cristea
Partner and
General Counsel
Delia Cristea brings legal acumen to Power Sustainable from a career at Power Corporation of Canada serving as Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary from 2018 to 2020, as well as holding various legal functions focusing on capital markets regulation, governance, and transactional matters from 2011 through 2020. Prior to that, she was Associate at McCarthy Tétrault LLP in the Montreal and Toronto offices, and served as in-house counsel with BCE Inc. Delia graduated with a gold medal from McGill Faculty of Law, and holds a license in law and a Masters in European law from Sorbonne University in Paris. She also chairs the board of Lawyers without Borders.
David Gagnon
Partner, Head of Business
Development and Partnerships
David Gagnon is a Partner and the Head of Business Development and Partnerships of Power Sustainable. David leads the client function of Power Sustainable and is responsible for overseeing relationships with institutional investors and families globally. He previously led Vela Investors, a Singapore-based advisory firm, and was a Managing Director at BlackRock where he led the Product Development and Transition Management businesses in Asia Pacific, structuring asset reallocations and implementing new investment strategies for institutional clients. He previously worked in capital markets for BGI and Lehman Brothers in New York, NY, USA and London, UK. David holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) from McGill University. David serves on the Board of Directors of the Banff Centre Foundation.
Vivi Hou
Partner, President
and CEO of Power Sustainable China
Based in Beijing, Vivi oversees Power Group’s portfolio in Greater China, comprising direct proprietary investments (China AMC); investments in listed securities through the QFII program and WFOE PFM; and PE/VC funds. She is also the President and CEO of Power Pacific Corporation Limited, the Asia Pacific headquarter of PCC; the Director of Power Sustainable Investment Management; and the Chairperson of China AMC’s Supervisory Board. Vivi started her career as a member of the investment team for Investors Group – PCC’s mutual fund business. Prior to joining the Power Group in 2020, she served as member of Harvest Global Investment’s Global Management Committee, Chief BD Officer and Head of China Strategy. Vivi holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta, and she is a Board Member of the China Canada Business Council (CCBC), devoting her effort in building Sino-Canadian business relations.
Eoin Ó hÓgáin
Partner and
Chief Investment Officer
Eoin is a Partner of Power Sustainable and chief executive of Power Sustainable Investment Management, covering Chinese equities. He is also a member of the strategy team at Power Corporation. He previously worked in Fundamental Equities at State Street in Dublin, Ireland; McKinsey & Company in New York, NY, USA; and Morgan Stanley in London, UK. He serves on the boards of the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Irish Studies Foundation. He received a Bachelor of Business Studies and a French degree with first-class honors from Trinity College Dublin and an MBA with high distinction from the Harvard Business School. He is a CFA charter holder.
Investment Platform Executives
Jonathan Belair
Partner,
Power Sustainable Lios
Jonathan Belair is the Managing Partner of Power Sustainable Lios. He has 20 years of investing and operating experience, with a deep focus in food, agriculture, and sustainability. Prior to Power Sustainable Lios, Jonathan most recently spent 5 years as a senior executive at McCain Foods, a global food processing and agriculture company with C$10 billion in revenues. Throughout this period, Jonathan led global M&A, Strategy, and Venture Investing, as well as the Company’s Global Sustainability/ESG function. He has led investments across the food value chain, including in agriculture production, regenerative agriculture, vertical farming, plant-based protein, agriculture data analytics, food processing, and transportation. Prior to McCain Foods, Jonathan was a senior member of the direct private equity team at OMERS Private Equity (OMERS) where he was responsible for sourcing, executing, and managing direct private equity investments in North America. In addition, Jonathan participated on the board of directors of several portfolio companies and provided strategic and operational leadership to a number of investments. Prior to OMERS, Jonathan was part of the investment banking group at Scotiabank, where he was involved in mandates across industry groups, focused on mergers and acquisitions advisory, and equity and debt financings.
Craig Hanna
Partner,
Power Sustainable Lios
Craig Hanna is a Partner of Power Sustainable Lios. Craig brings over 15 years of investing, advisory, and operating experience to the firm, primarily within the food industry. His experience spans the food value-chain from regenerative and organic agriculture, specialty ingredients, food manufacturing, branded and private label CPG, brokerage/distribution, through to retail. Prior to Power Sustainable Lios, Craig founded and led Clearview Advisory, an agri-food focused mid-market advisory firm. In the 5 years since founding Clearview, Craig has served as a trusted advisor to privately-owned food businesses and private equity clients on matters of strategy, M&A, due diligence, and post-merger integration. Craig also held interim executive roles as CFO, VP Sales, and in general management at various food company clients. Prior to Clearview, Craig was a member of the senior leadership team for 5 years at SunOpta, a $1.5Bn global leader in plant-based foods and organic ingredients. During this tenure at SunOpta, he led Corporate Development, Strategy, and FP&A across North America and Europe. Craig led investments, integrations, and divestitures across multiple ingredient and food categories. In 2016, he was recognized as a Canadian Dealmaker of the Year by Lexpert, Deloitte, The Globe and Mail, and Thomson Reuters. Craig began his career in the Corporate Finance practice at PwC where he focused on M&A advisory and capital raising in the mid-market across a range of sectors, including agri-food. Craig actively supports the next generation of food and beverage entrepreneurs in Canada. He has been a mentor at the District Ventures CPG Accelerator since 2014, before joining the boards of District Venture Accelerator and District Ventures Kitchen non-profits in 2020. Since that time, these programs have helped launch more than 50 CPG companies.
Jun Li
Chief Investment Officer,
Power Sustainable "Shanghai" Investment Management
Jun Li is the Chief Investment Officer of Power Sustainable ‘’Shanghai’’ Investment Management. She is responsible for leading investment research and managing the investment research teams. Prior to joining Power Sustainable in 2011, she was Vice President at Bain Capital, where her focus was on leveraged buyouts and direct investment into various Chinese companies. Prior to that, she worked at CITIC Capital, and was responsible for formulating various China-based investment strategies. She also worked at McKinsey & Co. as an analyst. In her more than 20 years of industry experience, she has cultivated a deep investment insight and expertise in capital markets. Jun earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Fudan University and a Masters in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School.
Violet Liu
Chief Operating Officer,
Power Sustainable "Shanghai"
Investment Management
Violet Liu joined Power Sustainable in 2018. She acts as Chief Operating Officer of Power Sustainable “Shanghai” Investment Management. She focuses on daily operations, financial management, investor relations and reporting, compliance, IT, and vendor/partner management. Prior to Power Sustainable, Violet was Vice President of Finance with the Blackstone Group in Shanghai, responsible for accounting, tax, finance, investor reporting and administrative matters for Blackstone’s private equity funds in China and Korea. Prior to Blackstone, she was Vice President in the Private Equity Fund Services Group at JPMorgan in San Francisco, involved in fund administration and financial reporting. Violet was previously Vice President at Goldman, Sachs & Co in New York. and an auditor with Deloitte & Touche in New York and PricewaterhouseCoopers in Shanghai. Violet earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Shanghai’s Jiao Tong University and a Master of Science degree in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame, where she graduated cum laude. Violet is a CPA and a CFA charter holder.
Pierre-Olivier Perras
Managing Partner,
Energy Infrastructure
Pierre-Olivier Perras is a Managing Partner of the Energy Infrastructure Partnership where he is actively involved in all investments made by the Partnership and oversees its growth. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, Pierre-Olivier worked at BMO Capital Markets, for over 20 years, where he held various leadership positions in the Investment and Corporate Banking Group, in his last role he was Head of the Power, Utilities and Infrastructure Group, leading an international team across North America and Europe. Prior to joining BMO Capital Markets, Pierre-Olivier was a senior consultant analyst with an actuarial consultant. He currently serves as Chairman on the board of directors of Nautilus Solar Energy and sits on the board of Lumenpulse, Lion Electric Company, and Potentia Renewables Inc. Pierre-Olivier holds an MBA from McGill University and a BSC in Actuarial Sciences from Laval University, and studied international business at the Netherlands’ Rotterdam School of Management. He is also a CFA charterholder, and serves on the board of directors of the Sainte-Justine Foundation.
John Pires
Partner,
Energy Infrastructure
John Pires is a Partner, Energy Infrastructure where he is actively involved in all investments, with a primary focus on leading new growth. He joined Power Sustainable after over 20 years in the renewables and power-related infrastructure sector. John was the Global Head of M&A and Project Finance at Northland Power, leading their global expansion into Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Prior to Northland, he was with Brookfield where he held senior positions in M&A and Corporate & Project Finance, with a focus on on growth in the Americas, and at Enmax Energy in Portfolio Management and Business Development. He currently serves on the board of directors for Nautilus Solar Energy and Potentia Renewables Inc. John is a CFA charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from McGill University.
James Rickert
Partner,
Power Sustainable Lios
James Rickert is a Partner of Power Sustainable Lios. He has over 15 years of transaction and asset management experience, with a deep track record in M&A, capital raising, and corporate governance. James spent 10 years at Brookfield Asset Management as a member of its infrastructure group, most recently as Managing Partner and head of strategic intitiatives and chief legal officer. During his time at Brookfield, James played central roles in investments across various infrastructure sectors, including transportation, energy, utilities, and data infrastructure. He co-led infrastructure co-investment initiatives, working with some of Brookfield’s largest institutional partners on its most significant transactions. In total, James was directly involved in over US$30 billion of transaction activity during a time when Brookfield Infrastructure’s assets under management grew to exceed US$90B. James began his career at Goodmans LLP, where he maintained a corporate practice focused on M&A, private equity, and capital markets transactions. Prior to Power Sustainable Lios, he joined Hakluyt & Company, a global strategic advisory firm, to help expand its presence in Canada. James’ community involvement includes serving as an advisor to NEXT Canada, as a member of the Fundraising Cabinet for the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and as a member of the inaugural board of directors of the Toronto Foundation for Youth Involvement in Politics.
Soheil Akbari
Senior Associate,
Partnerships
With 12+ years of experience in the investment industry, Soheil Akbari joined Power Sustainable as a Senior Associate to help grow current and prospective partnerships. Prior to joining the firm, Soheil held the positions of Senior Associate and Client Portfolio Manager on the External Distribution team at TD Asset Management and the position of Business Development Manager at BMO Global Asset Management. Soheil holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Concordia University, the CIM designation and is a CFA charterholder.
Jackie Aquino
Director, Fund Accounting
Georgia Bachir
Manager, Client Service
With over 10 years’ experience in the financial industry, Georgia Bachir brings to Power Sustainable her knowledge in client servicing, operations, and investment accounting to continue to strengthen and expand our client servicing capability in support of our investment platforms. Georgia was previously at Fiera Capital where she was a senior member of the client service team, and prior to that, at State Street where she fulfilled many roles including Senior Investment Accountant and Operations. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Concordia University.
Christine Baldazar
Vice President, Valuation and Fund Performance
Christine Baldazar brings to Power Sustainable an extensive expertise in both accounting and finance with several years of experience in audit and assurance as well as business valuation at PwC. Throughout her past experience, she serviced a wide array of customers in multiple sectors and industries. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), holds the Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) title and has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration as well as a Graduate Diploma in Accounting from HEC Montreal.
Marie-Ève Bisson
Executive Assistant
Marie-Ève joined the Power Sustainable team in 2022 as an Executive Assistant. She previously held multiple administrative support positions including Associate Assistant in the Mergers & Acquisitions department at PwC for six years. Prior to that, she was National Accounts Manager for a European high-end clothing company. Marie-Eve also holds a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Marketing from UQAM.
Catherine Collin
Analyst, Financial Reporting
David Del Re
Associate,
Partnerships
David Del Re builds trusted relations with clients and partners alike, contributing to the success of Power Sustainable. Having previously acted as a relationship manager for a wide variety of institutional clients with the National Bank of Canada, he has a unique understanding of the current trends in institutional asset and investment fund management. David holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from Concordia University and has pursued extensive continuing education in the securities industry.
Alexandre Demers
Director,
Finance
Alexandre Demers brings experience in the financial accounting field from prior positions as Financial Reporting Manager in a publicly traded REIT and also as an Investment Accountant for a private equity fund. Alexandre holds a Post Graduate Degree in accounting practices (CPA) from the University of Québec in Montreal and has been a Québec CPA member since 2009.
Weihe Feng
Legal Counsel
Weihe Feng joined Power Sustainable in 2021 as legal counsel and brings significant business law expertise, especially in corporate, M&A and capital market transactions. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, Weihe, a member of the Quebec Bar and New York Bar, worked at Norton Rose Fulbright, a leading global law firm, where he dealt with all aspects of corporate and business law, with a focus on cross-border M&A and capital market transactions in Canada, United States, Europe and Asia. He advised both publicly traded and privately held companies in various industries. Weihe graduated from McGill University’s Faculty of Law and completed an exchange at Fudan University in Shanghai.
Candy Fu
Principal,
Consumer
Candy Fu joined Power Sustainable since 2018 and is responsible for overseeing investments in the technology, financials and industrials sectors. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, she was an Investment Director at Vision Knight Capital for two and half years, sourcing and monitoring investments in the Technology, Media and Telecom sector. Prior to that, Candy worked at Temasek Holdings for 8 years at its Singapore, Beijing and Shanghai offices respectively where she worked on private and public investments in transportation and logistics, financials and Consumer sectors. Candy graduated from Fudan University with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. She is a CFA charter holder.
Nathalie Gallant
Accounting Analyst
Nathalie Gallant joined the Power Sustainable team as a Financial Analyst. Combines 20 years of experience in accounting. Her thoroughness and attention to detail have allowed her to continuously evolve within finance teams, more specifically at evenko and Acquisio. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications.
Éric Gauthier
Principal and Head
of Capital Markets and
Project Finance, Energy Infrastructure
Eric Gauthier is Principal and Head of Capital Markets for Power Sustainable’s Energy Infrastructure activities. Prior to this, he was a Vice-President of Potentia Renewables Inc., where he led a team in charge of executing acquisitions and structuring project financings. Eric previously held various corporate finance and investment roles across Power Corporation’s platforms, including as a Director of Investments with Power Energy Corporation where he participated in the underwriting and execution of private equity investments. He has been directly involved in Power Energy’s investments in Potentia Renewables, Nautilus Solar Energy, The Lumenpulse Group, Lion Electric Company, and Eagle Creek Renewable Energy. Eric holds a Bachelor of Commerce from HEC Montréal.
Diane Gogan
Senior Advisor,
Compliance
Diane Gogan is a Senior Analyst at Power Sustainable. With over 12 years of experience in asset management, she supports the team in the implementation of the firm’s compliance program. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, Diane was Senior Analyst at Fiera Capital Corporation, an asset management firm based in Montreal, where she was actively involved in investment and regulatory compliance. Diane started her career at Tocqueville Finance in France as an assistant portfolio managers in wealth management. Diane holds both a Bachelor Degree and a Specialized Graduate Diploma in Finance from the Université Paris X in France. She also holds a Master degree in Finance from L’Ecole des métiers de la finance d’entreprise in France.
Dominic Grimard
Chief Financial Officer
Di Gu
Principal,
Healthcare
Di joined Power Sustainable in 2014, and is responsible for investments in the healthcare sector, including pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and healthcare services. Di was previously a Global Management Trainee at Novo Nordisk A/S, where she had rotations in both the United States and Denmark, in various departments, including North American Planning and Competitive Intelligence, Product Supply, and Corporate Finance. Di earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Shanghai’s Jiao Tong University and a Master of Arts degree in International Economics and Finance from Brandeis University.
Jonathan Gu
Principal - Portfolio Manager
Mr. Gu joined Power Sustainable in July 2022. He is a core member of our research team, taking a lead in investment research of growth stocks and the development of new investment products. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, he was the Head of China Equities Research/ Portfolio Manager at Fullerton Fund Management, where his focus was leading the China equities research team as well as the decision maker of global absolute growth and China AH absolute return portfolios. Prior to that, he worked at Ping An Asset Management, and was responsible for managing TMT investment research team. He also worked at Citigroup, Qimonda and Deloitte Consulting. In his more than 20 years of professional experience, he has cultivated a deep Technology, Media and Telecommunications industry insights and a growth investment expertise. Mr. Gu earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from National Central University and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Christophe Guimond-Drapeau
Associate, Strategic Initiatives
Corporate Developpement
Christophe Guimond-Drapeau joined Power Sustainable in 2021. Prior to joining, he worked within the deal strategy & value creation team at PwC where he acted as advisor for a variety of clients helping them through the development of their strategic agenda and M&A execution. Christophe holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a Finance major from Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business.
Thomas Hannaford
Associate, Strategic Initiatives
Sustainability
Thomas Hannaford supports in developing our strategic direction by identifying business development opportunities and monitoring market trends through extensive research and analysis. In his role as a Senior Analyst, he draws from his previous consulting experience at Deloitte and his international exposure in Asia & Europe. Thomas holds a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University.
Nathalie Houle
Executive Assistant
Nathalie has been Executive Assistant at Power Sustainable since 2020. Prior to joining the company, she worked at Power Corporation of Canada and acquired experience in both the private and public sectors. Nathalie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and a college diploma in Office Management.
May Jan Hum
Chief Compliance
Officer
May Jan Hum is Chief of Compliance of Power Sustainable Investment Management. She is responsible for the implementation of the firm’s compliance program for asset management, offering of fund products and distribution across international borders including Canada, EU and U.S. May Jan has over 15 years of experience in capital markets compliance. She was previously Manager of Governance, Risk and Compliance with Desjardins Global Asset Management. During this time, May Jan’s focus was to oversee, develop and modernize regulatory compliance and operational risk practices. May Jan started her career in various roles as compliance officer at HSBC and at LBC Financial Services. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance from Concordia University.
Harry Illouz
Corporate Analyst
Kelly Jackman
Executive Assistant
Kelly joined Power Sustainable Lios in 2022. Prior to joining, she was a member of the executive support team at OMERS Private Equity. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from York University.
Natalie Karmally
Analyst,
Investments
Natalie joined Power Sustainable Lios in 2023. Prior to joining, she was a Manager at Alpha FMC. In this role, she helped investment teams manage risk throughout their business processes, including the integration of new trading systems and business units. Prior to Alpha FMC, Natalie worked at CI Global Asset Management as a Senior Analyst on the Multi-Asset Team where she was involved in manager selection, ongoing due diligence, and assisted with the asset allocation process. Natalie holds a BBA from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Louise Lefebvre
Executive Assistant
Louise has been at Power Sustainable as an Executive Assistant since 2019. She is responsible for assisting the Energy Infrastructure Managing Partners and the team. Prior joining the organization, she spent 20 years at BMO where she held the position of Executive Assistant for BMO Nesbitt Burns, Capital Markets, Investment and Corporate Banking. Louise was responsible for coordinating and providing administrative services to the Managing Director and Head of Power, Utilities and Infrastructure group.
Stella Li
Head of strategy
Stella joined Power Sustainable in 2020 as Head of strategy for Greater China and was named Chief of Staff in 2021. She previously worked as a consultant at Siemens Management Consulting in Germany and China and also as a senior manager at Schneider Electric in Strategy and Business Development. Stella’s vast experience is concentrated in driving strategic initiatives for executives and facilitating business transformation on a digital and organizational level. Stella received an Honors Bachelor of Business Administration from Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management and participated in an exchange program Paris’ ESSEC Business School. She also holds the AMAC Fund Qualification and CET 6 certification.
Debs Liang
Executive Assistant
Debs joined Power Sustainable in 2021, acting as executive assistant to Vivi Hou. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, she acted as office manager and executive assistant to the general manager at Obermeyer, a German design firm. Debs started her career in tax practice at PwC. Debs earned a Master’s of Commerce degree (Major in Finance) from the University of Sydney and is a CFA level II candidate.
Vicky Liu
Accounting manager
Vicky joined Power Sustainable as accounting manager. Her responsibilities are related to financial accounting, tax, audit compliance and operations, etc. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, Vicky served as a senior auditor at Ernst & Young. She has over 5 years of experience in providing audit services for more than 30 financial institutions, namely asset management companies and private investment funds. She was in charge of annual audit and has extensive experience in the preparation of financial statements in accordance with the Chinese Accounting Standards, IFRS and HKFRS. Vicky earned a Masters in Management from the Renmin University of China, and is amember of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has qualified for Fund Practice and Securities Practice.
Will Liu
Director of Operations
Will joined Power Sustainable as Director of Operations. His areas of oversight include middle and back-office operations, reporting, IT requirements and assisting with in-house administration. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, Will served as senior operations manager at Springs Capital, one of China’s largest private equity investment managers, for 6 years and oversaw accounting and operations for the company’s offshore hedge funds and onshore trust accounts. He has a deep understanding of middle and back-office fund operations. Prior to Springs Capital, he was an auditor at KPMG and was involved in technology, media and telecom audit for 2 years. Will earned a Bachelor’s of English from Capital Normal University and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has qualified for Fund Practice and Securities Practice.
Connor Lyons
Principal and
Head of Strategic Initiatives
Connor Lyons has been a Principal and Head of Strategic Initiatives at Power Sustainable since 2021. Prior to joining the company, he worked on portfolio strategy at Power Corporation, where he supported strategic initiatives across the holding and its operating entities, and was also previously a consultant at Bain & Company, where he was a member of the Private Equity Group. Connor holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford, a Bachelor of Arts (HBA) from Ivey Business School, and a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) from Western University.
Marie-Michèle Maltais
Corporate Controller
Melissa Manickam
Executive Assistant
Melissa joined Power Sustainable Lios in 2022. Prior to joining, she was a member of the executive support team at OMERS Private Equity. Melissa holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts (English) from York University.
Harrison Marshall
Associate,
Investments
Harry joined Power Sustainable Lios in 2022. Prior to joining, he was an investment banking analyst at ATB Capital Markets, where he was involved in several M&A advisory and capital-raising engagements within the Life Sciences franchise. Harry holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Finance from Dalhousie University’s Rowe School of Business.
Rebecca McLeod
Senior Legal Counsel
Gavin Menzies
Chief of Staff, Office of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Gavin Menzies has been at Power Sustainable as Chief of Staff for the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since November 2021. He has many years of experience in politics. Prior to joining the company, he was Director of Tour at the Prime Minister’s Office and was responsible for the Prime Minister’s official visits, both nationally and internationally. In addition to his previous position, he worked for two former Prime Ministers as well as three former leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada. Preceding his career in politics, he was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces as an Air Navigator and as an aide-de-camp to two former Governors General of Canada. Gavin holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada.
Will Moncrieff
Analyst,
Investment
Will joined Power Sustainable Lios in 2023. Prior to joining, he worked as an investment banking analyst within BMO Capital Markets’ real estate investment banking group. In this role, he was involved with capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and property brokerage activity. Will holds a Bachelor of Arts (HBA) from Ivey Business School with a certificate in Sustainability.
Rodrigo Nova Coto
Associate,
Partnerships
Rodrigo joined the Power Sustainable team in 2022 as an Associate. His main role is to help identify and develop potential business opportunities. Rodrigo has over 15 years work experience in the banking industry. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, he held the position of Associate at TD Asset Management for 7 years, where he provided best in class client service to consultants and institutional clients. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and an Accounting Certificate from HEC Montreal.
Sabrina Paliotti
Executive Assistant
Joan Paquette
Executive Assistant
Andy Park
Senior Associate,
Investments
Andy joined Power Sustainable Lios in 2022. Prior to joining, he was a key member of the team at Vayda, a high-tech regenerative agriculture startup, where he was responsible for strategy and operations. Prior to Vayda, he was part of the corporate development team at Ag Growth International where he was responsible for M&A, corporate strategy, and strategic initiatives. He started his career in investment banking at Origin Merchant Partners, where he helped execute mergers and acquisitions, financings, strategic alternative reviews, and fairness opinions across various industries. Andy holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from Queen’s University.
Caroline Plouffe
Executive Assistant
Caroline has been an Executive Assistant at Power Sustainable since its inception, in 2019. Previously, she worked as an Executive Assistant at Power Corporation of Canada, La Presse and the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences (major) and public administration (minor) from the University of Ottawa.
Oren Reich
Vice President,
Energy Infrastructure
Oren Reich is Vice President of the Energy Infrastructure Partnership, where he executes on investment opportunities and supports debt financing initiatives for the Partnership. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, Oren spent 5 years at Potentia Renewables in Toronto, Power Sustainable’s wholly owned utility-scale renewable energy platform, where he was instrumental in driving the company’s growth from 100MW to over 1GW of operating or in-construction wind and solar projects. While there, he led acquisitions of both operating and development stage assets as well as managed project financing efforts. He started his career in investment banking at Desjardins Capital Markets, where he was involved with mergers and acquisitions, as well as capital raises for companies across various industries. Oren holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in finance from HEC Montréal.
Michael Riva
Financial Controller
Michael Riva is the Financial Controller at Power Sustainable Capital. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, he was Finance Manager at LXRandCo, Inc. (TSX: LXR), a publicly traded company in the sustainable retail sector. Prior to this role, he started his career in the assurance and advisory practice at Ernst & Young LLP focusing on the audits of energy and transportation companies. Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, with Distinction, from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.
Marie-Élaine Roy
Vice-President,
Fund Accounting
Marie-Élaine Roy has a dual expertise in accounting and finance and has more than 20 years of experience in accounting and reporting, back-office operational management, corporate finance and business valuation. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), holds the CFA title and has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration as well as a Graduate Diploma in Accounting from HEC Montreal.
Alice St-Louis
Analyst, Energy Infrastructure
Véronique Talbot
Principal, Investments and
Head of Portfolio Management
Véronique Talbot is Principal of the Energy Infrastructure Partnership, leading and managing the investment strategies of the Partnership. She joined Power Sustainable after more than 10 years at Power Corporation, where she held various positions, most recently as Director, Capital Markets & Investor Relations. In this role, she led long-term financing strategies, directed corporate finance initiatives, and managed relationships with shareholders, research analysts and rating agencies. Véronique’s career began at Goldman Sachs in New York, where she was involved in mergers, acquisitions and restructuring transactions within the Investment Banking Division. She currently sits on the board of Potentia Renewables Inc. and Nautilus Solar Energy. Véronique holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University and is a CFA charterholder. She also currently serves on the Board of the Douglas Foundation.
Alexandre Tessier
Associate,
Energy Infrastructure
Quyen Tran
Financial Controller
Quyen Tran is a Controller at Power Sustainable. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, Quyen held the role of Manager Financial Reporting & Controls at KDC/One, where she was responsible for overseeing operational risks and controls. She previously worked as a Financial Analyst at SNC-Lavalin. Quyen is a Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting (major) and Finance (minor) and a Graduate Diploma in Public Accountancy from Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business.
Alexandre Vachon
Associate,
Energy Infrastructure
Alexandre Vachon provides Power Sustainable with extensive financial and transactional experience based on prior positions held in private equity and corporate mergers & acquisitions. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, he was a member of the mergers & acquisitions group at Bombardier where he was involved in key strategic projects related to the company’s transformation plan including multiple divestitures and strategic partnership initiatives. Alexandre holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Finance from Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business.
Anne-Marie Volpato
Director, Strategic Initiatives
Anne-Marie joined Power Sustainable in 2022 as Director, Strategic Initiatives. She brings experience advising & executing on large-scale strategic programs for global corporations. Prior to joining Power Sustainable, she was part of the Strategy & Corporate Development group at PSP Investments, where she supported the development and execution of the firm’s strategic plan as well as the strategic planning process. Previously, Anne-Marie was a management consultant at Deloitte Consulting, focused on Strategy, Operations and M&A integration services. Anne-Marie began her career in audit at Deloitte. She holds a graduate & undergraduate degree from McGill University and a CPA, CA designation.
Karin Waldhart
Technician, Accounts Payable
Karin joined Power Sustainable in 2022 as an Accounts Payable Clerk. Prior to this role, she took on several administrative roles in the real estate industry for the last 10 years. During this time, Karin also worked as an Accounts Payable Supervisor at BTB, a real estate investment trust. Karin also earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University.
Trevor Wright
Senior Analyst,
Strategic Initiatives
Zhinqiang (John) Xu
Principal,
Private Equity
Zhiqiang has over 12 years of private equity and investment banking experience, with an over 600 million USD investment track record in the technology, consumer, and financial sectors. He joined Power Sustainable in 2019 as a principal of the private equity investment in China. He is involved in developing investment strategy, leading deal sourcing and execution, and cultivating partnership relations. Before joining Power Sustainable, Zhiqiang worked at the AMC under China Taiping Insurance Group, where he built China’s first hybrid strategy PE-FoFs by an insurer and managed the fund as a counselor of LP advisory committee. Under his management, the fund won the top 5 insurance funds by ChinaVenture and the top 30 institutional LP by Zero2IPO. Previously, he was an investment banking senior vice president at Ping An Securities with a focus on IPO, M&A and capital market transactions. He began his career with the audit and assurance division of Deloitte Touché. Zhiqiang earned an MBA from Cornell University, a FMBA from People’s Bank of China School of Finance under Tsinghua University and a BA from Curtin University. He is also a fellow chartered certified accountant (FCCA) and holds both AMAC Fund and SAC Securities qualifications.
Thomas Zhang
Principal,
Industrials
Thomas joined Power Sustainable in 2019 and is responsible for investments in the Industrials sector. Prior to joining Power Sustainable,Thomas spent 11 years at Morgan Stanley, where he was Vice President of research, focusing on the industrial sector. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Thomas was also responsible for automotive and resource products industry research at Mizuho Securities and Guosen Securities. He earned a Bachelor’s in International Finance from Cass Business School, City University London and a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Hong Kong.
Jonathan Zhou
Principal,
Technology
Jonathan joined Power Sustainable in 2018 and is responsible for covering the technology sector, including software, hardware, telecommunications, and e-commerce. Prior to Power Sustainable, Jonathan spent three years at APS Asset Management, one of China’s leading QFII managers, responsible for investments in Greater China technology, media and telecommunications. Prior to APS, Jonathan spent three years at US-based Pacific Crest Securities (now part of KeyBanc Capital Markets), covering China’s technology sector with a focus on e-commerce and digital media. Jonathan began his career at the Nielsen Company as a consultant to Proctor & Gamble Asia on product innovation and marketing strategies. He was also a summer analyst with the equities trading division at Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong. Jonathan graduated cum laude with a dual degree in finance & economics from Tulane University.
Sarah Zucchelli
Senior Analyst, Financial Reporting
Sarah Zucchelli holds the position of Senior Analyst, Financial Reporting at Power Sustainable. Prior to this role, Sarah was a senior auditor specialized in investments funds, working primarily in the Asset and Wealth Management group at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She holds a graduate degree and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University. In 2021, Sarah obtained her CPA auditor designation.
Advisors and Committee Members
Luc Bachand
Advisor
Luc Bachand has a wide-ranging background in financing, mergers and acquisitions, investing, risk management and corporate governance. He has spent the bulk of his career with BMO Financial Group, where he served as vice-chair and head of BMO Capital Markets in Quebec for 10 years until his retirement in October 2016. In this role, Luc oversaw trading products and investment and corporate banking. He currently serves on the boards of Mouvement Desjardins, LifeWorks Inc, Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust, HEC Montréal and Fondation Jeunes en Tête. Luc holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from HEC Montréal and an MBA from Concordia University. He is a fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers and a certified director of the Institute of Corporate Directors of Canada.
Bruce Heyman
Ambassador (ret) Bruce Heyman is the co-founder of Uncharted LLC, an organization that convenes and connects diverse groups of Americans and Canadians for impact. There, he works on projects involving business advisory, philanthropy, social advocacy, and political activism. He is also the co-author of The Art of Diplomacy, which highlights the extraordinary country of Canada and takes an in-depth look at why diplomacy matters now more than ever. Most recently, he served as the United States Ambassador to Canada under President Barack Obama from 2014 until 2017. He continues his work strengthening the relationship between Canada and the United States by serving as a co-chair of the advisory board to the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center and as an honorary patron to the Council of the Great Lakes Region. In addition to these roles, Ambassador Heyman also serves on the board of Chicago Public Media, the parent company of WBEZ, and the Chicago Sun Times. Ambassador Heyman is a 33-year veteran of Goldman Sachs, where he served as partner and managing director in the Chicago office. He lives in Chicago with his wife, Vicki, where he dotes on his four grandchildren.
Peter Kruyt
Peter Kruyt is a member of the Power Sustainable Investment Management Board of Directors. Starting in 1981 in the Power Corporation organization, he joined as an Executive Assistant to Mr. Paul G. Desmarais, who, at the time, was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. In January 2018, he became Senior Advisor to Power Corporation of Canada. Peter was also appointed Chairman of the Board of the McGill University Health Centre in 2017 and Chairman of the Board of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in 2019. He is also a director of the Canadian Tennis Association. Peter obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Concordia University and an MBA from the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD).
Pierre Larochelle
Pierre Larochelle joined Power Sustainable after his tenure as President and CEO of Power Energy Corporation, and prior positions including Vice-President of Investments at Power Corporation, President and CEO of Adaltis Inc., Vice-President, Business Development at Picchio Pharma Inc., and Vice-President, Mergers and Acquisitions at Credit Suisse First Boston in London, England. He is currently Director and Chairman of the Board of Lumenpulse, Potentia Renewables and Lion Electric Company, is a board member of Nautilus Solar Energy, and devotes his time to numerous non-profit organizations. Pierre holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Université de Montréal, a Masters in International Business Law from McGill University, and an MBA from the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD).
David MacMillan
Experienced project financier, David MacMillan has built a strong track record as a lender, an adviser, and as an owner’s representative. He led over 10 major financings in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom., Holland, Egypt and Turkey, raising over £5Bn of project debt and equity. Since 2003 he has held high profile non-executive directorships with major energy firms, including Ontario Power Generation, Puget Sound Energy (representing CPPIB), Eagle Creek, and Intergen. In addition, he previously served as Managing Director of Good Energies, a multibillion-euro private equity fund focused on renewable energy companies. David holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics, and a master’s degree in Economics, from McGill University. He is based in the United Kingdom.
Richard Lee
Richard Lee retired in 2020 from Manulife as Senior Managing Director – Infrastructure Investments after 15-years at the company and over 30-years of investing, financing, developing and advising in infrastructure and renewable energy in Canada and internationally. Richard’s experience in sustainable energy is extensive including lead advisory work for equity investment and project debt financing for Canada’s first commercial scale 16MW wind farm located in Cowley Ridge, Alberta, in 1994. Prior to Manulife, Richard worked at Veolia Water, Sithe Asia, Jacobs Engineering, Probyn & Company and Royal Bank of Canada. Richard obtained an M.B.A. from York University and B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Toronto.
Jacques Parisien
Jacques Parisien spent his career in senior management roles for a number of Canadian media companies. He retired from Bell Media after managing Astral Media up to its sale to Bell. Since then he has been acting as a member of the board for numerous public and private Canadian companies. His fields of interest are audit, governance, and strategic development. Throughout his career he has actively supported cultural and social organizations. He acted as chair of Tourisme Montreal, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Pointe-à-Callière Museum and the Montreal Board of Trade. A law graduate from McGill University, he is a member of the Quebec Bar.
Victor Yang
Victor Yang has lived and worked in various emerging markets since the 1970s. He began his career in Brazil as a chemical engineer after graduating from MIT and worked for Dow Chemical and Eli Lilly in both startups and project expansion. In 1984 he joined the International Finance Corporation (a World Bank sister organization) and held investment management and project financing positions in Latin America. In 1992 he moved to Beijing to establish International Finance Corporation’s first office in Asia. Victor joined the Power group of companies in 1996 and served as president of Power Pacific Corporation Ltd. and chief representative of its Beijing office until his retirement in July 2020. During his tenure, Power Corporation and its affiliates established their presence in mainland China and developed their investment portfolio and an investment management operating locally. Presently, Victor is a senior advisor to Power Sustainable Investment Management Inc. and a member of its advisory committee. Educated in Hong Kong, São Paulo and Boston, Victor earned Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and engineering degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a graduate degree in business administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas.