Fengate Asset Management has promoted longtime company executive Nina Yoo to chief financial officer.

Yoo brings a wealth of experience to her new role. 

Since joining Fengate 13 years ago, she progressed steadily to her most recent role as managing director and head of asset management for Fengate Infrastructure. She managed a team of more than 50 skilled professionals and was responsible for fund and portfolio management for more than 40 assets representing $15 billion of value across multiple sectors. 

She also oversaw infrastructure funds with more than $2.5 billion in international equity capital and was instrumental in the product development of these funds. 

Yoo has been an active supporter of up-and-coming women leaders in the firm through mentorship, individual guidance, public speaking, and support to help women advance in their professional careers.

Slan becomes CFO at SmartCentres

SmartCentres REIT (SRU.UN-T) has hired Peter Slan as its chief financial officer. 

He has been in real estate finance and banking for over 29 years at Scotiabank and Ernst & Young LLP. 

Slan joined the real estate investment banking group at Scotiabank in 1998. He spent 12 years in investment banking and equity capital markets, including both REITs and other investment trusts. He spent six years as Scotiabank’s senior vice-president of finance, with responsibilities for investor relations, Sarbanes-Oxley and other areas. 

Most recently, he was vice-chair of Scotiabank’s global wealth management business. 

Prior to the Bank of Nova Scotia, Slan worked for Ernst & Young LLP as a Chartered Professional Accountant focusing primarily on real estate clients. Slan also holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Dhillon joins AIMCo board

Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) has named veteran senior real estate executive Bob Dhillon to its board of directors.

Based in Calgary, Dhillon is an experienced senior executive with an extensive career in real estate and financial services. As president and CEO of Mainstreet Equity Corp., he has spent 22 years providing consistent year-over-year, double-digit returns through continued organic growth to Mainstreet investors. 

Dhillon is also the owner of National Payments, a Visa and MasterCard approved merchant-processing business in the financial services sector.

Dhillon was appointed as Officer of the Order of Canada in 2021 for his achievements in business and for his commitment to philanthropy and higher education; awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2012 for his dedication and accomplishments in his work and community. 

He holds a MBA from the University of Western Ontario, an Honourary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Lethbridge, and an Honourary Doctorate of Commerce from Lakehead University.

The appointment fills the vacancy left by the departure of Bob Kelly.

Morin leaves REIT, becomes Minto Group CFO

Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust (MI.UN-T) announced its chief financial officer Julie Morin is transitioning back to the Minto Group to serve as CFO. Edward Fu, the REIT's vice-president, finance, succeeds her as the REIT’s CFO.

"Julie was instrumental in the successful Initial Public Offering of the REIT in 2018 and its continued growth over the last four years.  We'd like to thank Julie for her exceptional commitment and dedication to the REIT.  The good news is that the REIT will continue to benefit from her vast experience and ongoing support through her continuing role as CFO of the Minto Group," said Michael Waters, the REIT’s CEO, In the announcement.  

To ensure a seamless transition, Fu's appointment will take effect following Q3 reporting in November.

He holds a CPA, CA designation and joined the Minto Group in 2014 where he held progressively senior roles. Prior to that, he held various progressively more senior accounting, financial planning and reporting roles at Telesat, Interactive Circuits & Systems Ltd. and EY.

Stiles, Pollard take new roles at Colliers

Colliers announced Lindsay Stiles has joined its senior leadership team as managing director, downtown Toronto leading growing office and retail teams. Stiles has over 15 years of real estate experience in leasing, operations, and asset management. 

As the former chief operating officer of Slate Office REIT, Stiles was responsible for oversight of leasing and third-party property management, preparation of annual operating budgets and execution, and approval of capital spending and leasing programs. She had spent about six years at the REIT and Slate Asset Management in progressively more senior roles.

Colliers also announced that Casey Pollard has moved to CBRE Vancouver to enhance the brokerage’s land redevelopment, investment and commercial strata sales service line throughout Metro Vancouver.

Having spent a majority of his career at Colliers International, Pollard brings over 15 years in strategic real estate experience to the branch. He has an extensive transaction record, accumulating over $1 billion in sales.

Alvarenga succeeds Goldreich as Firm Capital CFO

Firm Capital Apartment REIT (FCA.UN-X) announced Mark Goldreich has resigned as chief financial officer and has been succeeded by Claudia Alvarenga. 

Prior to joining Firm Capital, Alvarenga was a manager at Manulife Financial Corporation within the U.S. segment. 

Prior to that role, she was an assurance manager at MNP LLP, where she worked for a number of years of providing assurance and accounting advice to public and private entities within the real estate and construction sectors. 

Alvarenga holds a CPA designation.

Senior appointments at Troika

Troika Management Corp. has made two senior promotions, naming Brad Klassen as co-CEO and Mike Woodroff as partner.

Klassen has been CFO and a partner since Troika’s early years of operation. Starting with the company in 2007, he had grown from accounting manager through to CFO. He joins Renee Merrifield as the firm’s co-CEOs.

Woodroff first joined Troika’s construction operations at CorWest Builders as project manager five years ago, bringing over 30 years of experience in the construction industry. He quickly rose through the ranks, taking on the roles of president of CorWest and VP of construction for Troika. 

Comish, Tupper move to Avison Young’s HQ

Randy Comish and Brock Tupper have joined the Toronto headquarters of Avison Young (AY) to lead the company's flexible solutions practice in Canada.

The new VPs, who join AY from flexible workspace giant IWG, will partner with tenant rep, leasing and investment teams to provide consulting and transactional services to flex office operators, enterprise occupiers and institutional owners.

Comish spent the past 15 years at IWG in various roles, including as a VP leading sales and operations for its 134 Canadian locations encompassing three million square feet. He previously held sales leadership roles at Labatt.

Tupper spent nine years at IWG, most recently as global director, enterprise. He was also previously director of workplace strategy. Prior to IWG, Tupper was a broker at Davies Condos and held sales and marketing leadership roles at Labatt.

Nesto hires Pascoe as executive leader

Canadian online mortgage lender firm nesto has named Ricardo Pascoe as its executive leader for capital markets. Pascoe joins nesto to accelerate all capital market initiatives alongside Blake Dumelie, VP of capital markets.

He has 35 years of international experience with major Canadian, U.S. and European banks.

Pascoe worked at National Bank of Canada for 16 years, including leading its capital markets business for 13 years as executive vice-president. He was the bank’s chief transformation officer the past three years.

Wolfson voted Blaney McMurtry managing partner

The partners of Blaney McMurtry LLP have elected Shawn Wolfson as the firm’s new managing partner.

Wolfson is a commercial real estate lawyer involved in some of Ontario’s leading projects, acting for local, national and international developers, investors, lenders, retailers, lessors and lessees. He is ranked in Chambers & Partners Canada in Real Estate (Ontario) and recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada for Real Estate Law.