Board & Team

Meet the Board of Directors

Margaret-Jean Mannix

Margaret-Jean Mannix

Chair

Margaret-Jean Mannix is currently Chairman of Viridian Family Office, a family office located in Calgary, Alberta. She is engaged in various levels of governance roles within her family enterprise, including Chairman of the family foundation and board member of the holding company for their operating entities. Ms. Mannix has been involved in the field of family enterprise for 25 years, having served on the board of a number of Family Business Center Advisory boards at universities in Canada and the US, in addition to serving on the board of Family Enterprise Canada since December of 2011, currently serving as Chair of the Family Enterprise Foundation. She is the past Chair of Institute of Family Enterprise Advisors (IFEA), joined the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFÉ) Board in 2011 and has been a member of Family Business Network (FBN) since 1999. Ms. Mannix is one of the founding Board members of the Family Enterprise Canada. She and her family live in Calgary, AB.

Jordan Allen

Jordan Allen

Jordan is an investment analyst and a member of the CBGF investment team. He is responsible for carrying out research, analyzing new investment opportunities and monitoring portfolio investments.

Prior to joining CBGF full-time in 2020, Jordan spent his most recent summer as an intern at the firm. He previously completed internships at the Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Isaac Operations. He enjoys hockey, flag football, behavioural psychology and cooking.

Jordan holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Honours) in Applied Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University.

Ambreen Bhaloo

Ambreen Bhaloo

Ambreen Bhaloo is 2nd generation of an enterprising family and understands first-hand the complex and competing demands of family, business/management and ownership. She has held leadership positions within the operating businesses, stepped away to raise her family and as an intrapreneur has founded her own coaching business and family business advisory practice.

Her focus is on supporting business families through complex human dynamics and preparing the next generation for leadership and stewardship of wealth. She is actively involved on her family’s Board and outside of her work has served in various capacities giving back within the Ismaili Community.

She lives in Toronto with her three children. Ambreen holds an honors’ degree from Western University and a Master in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Co-Active Professional Coach (CPCC) and a Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA).

Sach Chandaria

Sach Chandaria

Sach Chandaria is a 5th generation member of a large family that has interests in a diverse group of businesses across base materials processing and manufacturing, media, technology and electronics. The family began from modest origins in East Africa almost a hundred years ago.
Sach and his family’s core focus is on nurturing entrepreneurial talent in sectors with global dynamic growth potential. A core part of their philosophy is also to reinvest the majority of wealth created through these activities into philanthropic objectives.

Sach was born in Kenya and grew up mostly in North America. He is currently based in Geneva, Switzerland prior to which he spent time in Singapore, Shanghai and Nairobi. He completed his Masters in Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA and has a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Robert Frances

Robert Frances

The Founder, Chairman and CEO of the PEAK Financial Group Inc. PEAK administers $8 billion in assets and looks after the needs of over 150,000 Canadians through its 1,500 financial professionals and employees.

Beyond his firm’s activities, Robert dedicates much of his time to the finance community and industry. Robert is an active member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO), of which he held the position of International Chairman of the Board from 2011 to 2012. Robert is recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award for services and Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Award.

Robert and his wife, Mary, are the proud parents of four children.

Aaron Gillespie

Aaron Gillespie

Aaron started working at Bakers Delight (Australian parent business) while still in high school, learning how to bake and sell bread. After holding managerial roles in various bakeries, he became an Area Manager for a group of corporately owned stores in Melbourne. At age 24, Aaron was part of the team to go to Canada and set up Bakers Delight under the name of COBS Bread. In 2009, the President of COBS Bread returned to Australia and was replaced by four Vice Presidents, of which Aaron was one, holding the title of VP of Product Development & Operations.

In March 2014, Aaron was appointed the President of COBS Bread and since that time has seen the development of existing stores and addition of new locations, with average sales and profits now higher than Bakers Delight in Australia. COBS Bread opens its 130th location this fall of 2020, with plans to reach 250 bakeries over the next five years.

Aaron is a fifth generation baker. Running bakeries has been in his family since the late 1800s. Aaron sits on the board of directors for Bakers Delight Holdings that oversees Bakers Delight and COBS Bread and its operations in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA.

Patricia Saputo

Patricia Saputo

Patricia Saputo is Chief Financial Officer of Placements Italcan Inc. In her role, Patricia manages her immediate family’s “Family Office". Her specialization is in the domain of investment holding companies, personal and corporate tax, and Estate/Succession planning which includes investment planning, will planning and life insurance planning. She is developing expertise in the area of managing wealth as it is distributed to future generations so they become responsible stewards of their own wealth.

Meet the Honorary Board Members

As honorary board members of Family Enterprise Foundation (FEF) and co-chairs of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation, Nan-B and Philippe devote their time and energy to the advancement of family enterprise. Pioneers in their field, they continue to break new ground supporting global enterprising families, women’s issues, public health and environmental causes. Imparting knowledge, wisdom and serving others, their special passion is devoted to helping the next generation of women family members succeed and thrive. Bringing together professionals, academics, and experienced family entrepreneurs to exchange knowledge, Nan-B and Philippe partner with top universities worldwide to advance the cause of family enterprise.

Jim Burton is the President of the James A. Burton and Family Foundation, and is the Founder and former Executive Chair and CEO of PPI Management Limited. He is a past Board Chair of Family Enterprise Canada and a driving force behind its creation. He also served as Chair on the Board of Family Enterprise Foundation and as a Director on the Board of Institute of Family Enterprise Advisors. Mr. Burton lives in Niagara on the Lake, ON, and is actively working with his children to create his family legacy.

Meet the Team

Bill Brushett

Bill Brushett

President & CEO

Bill Brushett, FCPA, FCA, FEA, is currently the President & CEO of Family Enterprise Canada and the Family Enterprise Foundation (FEF). He assumed the leadership of Family Enterprise Canada in April 2017. Reporting to the Board of Directors, he is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership and championing the pursuit of the vision and mission of both organizations. Bill is an experienced Executive with a demonstrated history of leading change, building a strong workplace culture, and developing and executing market-focused strategies. Prior to Family Enterprise Canada, Bill was a Partner at Grant Thornton LLP for 27 years. Throughout his professional career, Bill worked primarily with private family businesses and their owners providing advisory services. Bill is a Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA, FCA), a Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA), and has completed numerous professional development programs.

Olivier de Richoufftz

Olivier de Richoufftz

General Secretary

With over a decade of experience with organizations supporting business families as well as growing and solidifying their networks, Olivier de Richoufftz is well seasoned in the important issues business families face from generation to generation. An MBA from HEC Paris, paired with his extensive experience in marketing, sales and development for organizations such as Euro Disney Resort and the France Tourism, bring strategic perspective and innovation to Family Enterprise Foundation.

Meet the rest of the team

Meet the rest of the team

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