2025 Toronto Institutional Investor Roundtable

Dan Conklin

Vice President, Alternative Capital Partners, Swiss Re

Dan Conklin, a member of Swiss Re's Alternative Capital Partners business that fosters partnerships with institutional investors globally seeking reinsurance exposure or insurance-linked securities, manages the business's North American investor relationships.

Dan brings experience across institutional asset management while with J.P. Morgan, insurance corporate advisory while with RBC Capital Markets, and private capital markets while with Barclays Investment Bank to investors across the sophistication spectrum seeking to partner with Swiss Re.

Dan holds an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles and a BS from Tulane University. In his spare time, he enjoys skiing, golfing, collecting old maps and spending time with family and friends in the NYC area.

Jane Buchan

SBAI Chair; CEO, Martlet Asset Management

Jane is Chief Executive Officer of Martlet Asset Management responsible for firm strategy, organization and performance. Martlet is based in Newport Beach, CA and was founded in July 2018. The firm’s strategies include alternative risk premia and developing liquid strategies with a focus on fixed income.

Prior to this, Ms. Buchan co-founded and led Pacific Alternative Asset Management Company (PAAMCO), a Fund of Hedge Funds focused on institutional investors for 18 years. Under her leadership first as CEO of PAAMCO and then co-CEO of PAAMCO Prisma, the firm grew to $32 billion AUM placing it third globally in the league tables by the time of her retirement in July 2018 (HFM InvestHedge Billion Dollar Club).

Jane began her career at J.P. Morgan Investment Management in the Capital Markets Group where she was trained in quantitative fixed income portfolio management. She has been an Assistant Professor of Finance at the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. She recently served as chairwoman of the board for the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association (CAIA) and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Master of Financial Engineering Program at UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Jane holds both a PhD and an MA in Business Economics (Finance) from Harvard University. She earned a BA in Economics from Yale University. Jane has thirty-three years of experience in investment management and portfolio construction with institutional investors.

Thomas Deinet

Executive Director, SBAI

Thomas Deinet was appointed Executive Director of the SBAI (previously known as the HFSB) in 2008. In 2007, Thomas joined the working group to project manage the development of practice standards proposed by 14 leading international alternative investment managers that led to the establishment of the SBAI.

Prior to joining the SBAI, he was a senior manager at Oliver Wyman, where he extensively worked with major financial institutions in Europe covering asset management as well as corporate and investment banking. Thomas also worked as an analyst in energy trading for a major commodities trading firm.

Thomas is a graduate of the University of Karlsruhe, Germany, with a major in industrial engineering and holds an MSc from Purdue University, USA. Thomas is a CFA charterholder.

Jonathan Hausman

Chief Strategy Officer , Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan

Jonathan Hausman is the Chief Strategy Officer at Ontario Teachers’. In this role, he oversees strategy development and implementation across Ontario Teachers’, leading a cross-organizational approach to advancing the strategic objectives of the Plan. He oversees Sustainable Investing and the Global Investment Strategy (GIS) department, which develops conviction on strategic responses to emerging global themes and develops and cultivates crucial investment relationships for the Fund worldwide.

Jonathan is a member of the Investments Leadership Team and Global Investment Committee. Previously, he was the head of Alternative Investments and Global Tactical Asset Allocation, where he was responsible for the Fund's global hedge fund portfolio, as well as its internal global macro and systematic trading strategies.

Prior to joining Ontario Teachers', Jonathan was Executive Director at Goldman Sachs, where he managed sovereign risk strategy and advised governments in its New York, Hong Kong and London offices. He is the Chair of the Canadian Council for the Americas and is a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, where he was founding Co-Chair and lectured on global political economy for over a decade. He also serves on the board of Capitalize for Kids. Before entering investment banking, Jonathan worked as Special Assistant to the Premier of Ontario.

Jonathan holds a BA (Hons.) from McGill University, an MSc. (Econ.) from the London School of Economics, and an MPA from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He also has the ICD.D certification from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

David Latour

Executive Vice President & Chief Risk Officer, CDPQ

David Latour is Executive Vice-President and Chief Risk Officer. In this role, he is responsible for ensuring sound management of the risks related to our investment strategies and operations. His duties include developing investment policies as well as risk management frameworks and risk measurement, quantitative analyses and modelling, portfolio and transaction analyses, cross-functional risk assessments, including technological and geopolitical risks, and implementing a strong risk management culture. He sits on the Executive Committee, co-chairs the Investment-Risk Committee and chairs the Operational Risk Committee.

Mr. Latour has nearly 20 years of experience in risk management and investing across various asset classes in both public and private markets. Prior to his current position, he was Managing Director, Strategy and Investment, Capital Solutions, where he helped develop a portfolio of private financing products enabling CDPQ to enter new niche markets around the world.

Since joining CDPQ in 2009, he has held various credit, liquidity and counterparty risk management positions. From 2016 to 2020, he oversaw risk management for the Rates and Credit portfolios, which included portfolio construction and transaction analysis activities, as well as representing Risk Management on investment committees. In this role, he also chaired CDPQ’s Credit Rating Committee. Before joining the organization, he worked at RBC Royal Bank and GE Capital Canada.

Mr. Latour obtained a Master’s in Finance from HEC Montréal, holds the FRM certification and is a CFA charterholder.

Priti Singh

Sr MD & Chief Risk Officer, CPP Investments

As Chief Risk Officer, Priti leads the global risk management functions. This includes oversight of the Fund’s long-term strategy to incorporate risk perspectives into all investment processes to improve decision making. This also includes identifying and implementing critical research, standards and policies related to investment, climate, market, credit, enterprise, liquidity & leverage, and operational risks. She is the Chair of the Inclusion and Diversity Leadership Council.

Before this appointment she led the Capital Markets and Factor Investing department, which is invested globally across public equities, fixed income securities, currencies, commodities and derivatives. She was also previously Managing Director and Head of External Portfolio Management, responsible for managing a global portfolio of externally managed funds that complement and enhance the internal public market investment programs.

Prior to joining CPP Investments in 2008, Priti worked for over eight years in the financial services and telecommunication industries.

Priti holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto and an MS in Physics from the University of Waterloo.

She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Standards Board for Alternative Investments.

Arthur Guimaraes

Chief Operating & Data Officer & Co-Head of Real Estate, University of California – UC Investments

Arthur is Chief Operating and Data Officer and co-head of Real Estate at the $185 billion University of California Office of the Chief Investment Officer of the Regents (UC Investments). He has also managed the $40 billion defined contribution plan and in 2018 was awarded the Innovation Award by Pension and Investment and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association. He joined in 2014.

Arthur joined UC Investments from Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) in Canada. There he led Investment Operations and managed a transformational, technology program of change known as 'AIMCo Innovations'. He has more than 20 years of experience in asset management including at Manulife Financial/John Hancock Financial.

Arthur is passionate about culture and education. He is a member of the Portuguese Diaspora Council, a global network appointed by the President of Portugal. He also serves on the board of Bishop O’ Dowd High School and has served on the board of The Practice Space, a non-profit in El Cerrito with a mission of creating diverse and inclusive communities, as well as The Academy school in Berkeley and Newman Hall – Holy Spirit Parish in Berkeley. He has also served on several education boards in Canada and the US.

Arthur holds a BBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto, where he graduated with distinction and has taught in the BBA and MBA programs. He has also served as an instructor for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario and is a Chartered Accountant and Certified Public Accountant. Arthur is also a Chartered Business Valuator.

Ranjan Bhaduri

Founder & CEO, Bodhi Research Group

Dr. Ranjan Bhaduri is the Founder & CEO of Bodhi Research Group, an advisory and consulting firm dedicated to research and education in the investment industry. Under Dr. Bhaduri's leadership, Bodhi Research Group has served clients on five continents and worked with over a dozen pension funds.

Dr. Bhaduri is a leading voice and recognized authority in shaping the best practices of the alternative investments industry. Dr. Bhaduri has 25 years of experience in manager research, portfolio construction, due diligence, structuring, and implementing managed account solutions. At Morgan Stanley, Dr. Bhaduri performed due diligence and played a crucial role in developing customized portfolios of alternative investments. He also served in an advisory capacity at the East-West Center, an American think tank focused on U.S.-Asia-Pacific relations.

Dr. Bhaduri has been a featured speaker at both industry conferences and prestigious educational institutions, educating both entrants and seasoned professionals in the field. He has addressed diverse topics ranging from entrepreneurship strategies to advanced portfolio and risk management techniques. Dr. Bhaduri's academic contributions extend to publishing papers on a variety of topics including liquidity, portfolio construction, managed account platforms, hedge fund strategies, and risk management in esteemed publications.

Dr. Bhaduri holds both the CFA and CAIA charters. Previously, he served on the All About Alpha Editorial Board and held roles such as Executive of the CAIA Chicago Chapter and currently serves as Executive of the CAIA Toronto Chapter. He has also contributed to AIMA Canada as a Board Member, co-chair of the Managed Futures Committee, and member of the Global Research Committee. Dr. Bhaduri has demonstrated a strong track record of leadership and mentorship. Several of his former analysts and interns have achieved notable success, securing positions at renowned organizations.

Christophe L'Ahelec

Managing Director, Head of Active Public Markets, University Pension Plan Ontario (UPP)

Christophe L'Ahelec is an investment professional with more than twenty years of global experience in France, Hong Kong, Switzerland, and Canada.

As Managing Director, Head of Active Public Markets, he is responsible for UPP’s global investment strategy with a particular focus on Active Public Market activities.

Prior to that, Christophe was a Senior Principal in the Capital Markets (CM) department, at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board where he was accountable for the top-down management of the external managers portfolio and was part of the investment committee allocating to hedge fund, private credit and long only equity managers. During his 11 years tenure at OTPP, he originated, conducted due-diligence, and on-boarded systematic alpha managers in the equity and futures space, along with leading the group's work in the alternative risk premia space.

Before coming to Canada, Christophe was a quantitative analyst and assistant portfolio manager at Mignon Genève SA/Alpstar Asset Management, in Switzerland, where he took part in the creation and portfolio management of a European systematic market neutral fund.

Christophe spent the first two years of his career working for BNP Paribas in Hong Kong where he provided real-time quantitative support to the fixed-income trading desk.

Christophe is a graduate engineer in Finance and Applied Mathematics from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Informatique et de Mathématiques Appliquées de Grenoble, France and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. He has been invited to speak globally on advanced portfolio and risk management topics and is also known for his work as an academic writer. His papers have been published in the Journal of Asset Management and the Journal of Alternative assets.

John Richardson

COO, Ionic Capital Management

He joined Ionic before it launched in 2006 and oversees all non-investment related aspects of the firm. Prior to joining Ionic, John was a senior attorney in the hedge fund practice group at Bingham McCutchen LLP in NY. John’s practice focused on counseling investment advisers in connection with the formation and management of private investment funds.

John obtained a JD from the University of South Carolina, cum laude, and a BS in Business Administration from the College of Charleston, cum laude.

Timothy Wong

Senior Analyst, Albourne Partners

Tim Wong joined Albourne Partners in 2019. He is a Senior Analyst in Albourne’s Operational Due Diligence Group, based in Toronto. Prior to Albourne, Tim worked in the Wealth division of TD Bank.

Tim is a CFA Charterholder and has a Bachelor of Science from Wester University.

Alison Loat

Snr MD, Sustainable Investing & Innovation, OPTrust

Alison Loat is a Senior Managing Director at OPTrust, a Canadian public pension plan. She leads the organization’s climate change strategy, responsible investing program, investment governance and invests into venture and growth-stage strategies focused on climate change and the energy transition.

She brings to OPTrust over twenty years of experience building, growing and leading high-impact, purpose-driven businesses and organizations, including in financial services, media, education and healthcare. She is also an experienced director with board service in listed and private equity, and in the public and charitable/educational sectors.

Alison was the Senior Managing Director of FCLTGlobal where she worked with asset owners, managers and companies to advance long-term investing. She’s also worked at McKinsey & Company, a healthcare technology company and was on the founding team of Toronto’s MaRS Discovery District.

She has a deep commitment to public service. She co-founded and led the Samara Centre for Democracy, is the author of the best-selling book Tragedy in the Commons, was a Senior Fellow and instructor at the University of Toronto and the president of the Canadian Club of Toronto.

Alison is a board member of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and a governor of Ridley College. She is also a board director of Ai-Media, an ASX-listed technology company and of a privately held media company. She also serves on the advisory board of several climate funds and on the UNPRI’s private equity advisory group.

She received the Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee Medals for service to Canada. She was also named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada. She has degrees from Queen’s University and the Harvard Kennedy School and completed the ICD.D designation from Canada’s Institute of Corporate Directors.

Ethan W. Johnson

Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius

Mr Ethan W. Johnson is a Partner at Morgan Lewis, specializing in regulatory and transactional matters, with a particular focus on hedge fund and private equity fund formation. He expertly guides investment managers through the complexities of international operations and assists clients in establishing global offices and compliance programs.

Mr Johnson's practice encompasses the creation of various investment funds, including hedge funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, real estate funds, UCITS, and SEC-registered funds. He also advises on the organization and operation of broker-dealers and investment advisers, as well as corporate finance projects involving public and private offerings of debt and equity securities. A prolific author and lecturer, Mr Johnson frequently addresses topics such as the regulation of broker-dealers and investment advisers, global distribution of investment funds, private equity real estate funds, investment in emerging markets, and corporate governance. Mr Johnson has been the managing editor of the Morgan Lewis Hedge Fund Deskbook for nearly 20 years.

Mr Johnson holds a J.D. from Emory University School of Law and a B.A. from Harvard University.

Daniel Garant

Executive Vice President & Global Head of Public Markets, British Columbia Investments (BCI)

Daniel Garant joined BCI in September 2017. He is responsible for managing a diverse, global portfolio of investments, which combines index and active management strategies in equities, fixed income, derivatives, currencies, credit, and absolute return strategies that integrate environmental, social, and governance factors into investment analysis and decision-making. With $250.4 billion of gross managed assets as of March 31, 2024, BCI is one of Canada’s largest institutional investors within the global capital markets.

Daniel has over 30 years of experience in the investment management industry. Before joining BCI, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSPIB) for two years. Prior to that, he served as their Senior Vice President, Public Markets Investments from 2008–2015. In years previous, Daniel held several business development and portfolio management positions, each with increasing responsibility, at Hydro-Québec. He was their Executive Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec International.

Daniel holds a bachelor of arts in finance from Universite Laval Quebec and is a CFA® charterholder. He serves on the QuadReal and Hayfin boards of directors and has served as Director on the boards of both public and private companies.

Jean-François Pépin

CIO, Bimcor

Mr. Pépin joined Bimcor in August of 2021 as Chief Investment Officer. In his role, Mr. Pépin oversees the investment activities of the various pension plans for the Bell Canada group of companies. Prior to joining Bimcor, Mr. Pépin was Treasurer of Hydro-Québec and in charge of overseeing Hydro-Québec’s pension plan.

Jean-François began his career at Addenda Capital, where he held a number of positions including Trader, Senior Trader, Vice-President - Trading and Strategy as well as Team Leader. From 2012 to 2017, Mr. Pépin was Senior Vice-President and Co-Chief Investment Officer. Jean-François was an inaugural member of the Bank of Canada's Canadian Fixed Income Forum (CFIF).

Jean-François has been actively involved in various charities supporting the community such as the Club des petits déjeuners and La Maison Marguerite.

Jean-François holds a bachelor's and master's degree in business administration - finance from the University of Sherbrooke University.

Mario Therrien

SBAI Trustee; Head of Investment Funds and External Management, CDPQ

Mario Therrien leads CDPQ’s investment funds activities. The teams he oversees invest in private investment funds and credit in private markets, as well as in venture capital in Québec and internationally. They are also responsible for external management in equity markets, as well as developing and managing strategic and institutional relationships. His mandate consists of adding value by building portfolios with the best external managers, while improving in-house management through the sharing of knowledge and expertise. He sits on the Investment-Risk Committee.

Prior to this role, Mr. Therrien was Senior Vice-President and Head of Strategic Partnerships, Developed Markets. He joined CDPQ in 1993 as an Analyst before taking on the role of Portfolio Manager in the group responsible for absolute return activities. Subsequently, he was mandated to develop external management activities in liquid-asset classes.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Finance from Université de Sherbrooke. He has also completed the Canadian Securities Course given by the Canadian Securities Institute, and is a CFA charter holder.

Paula Volent

Vice President and CIO, The Rockefeller University

Paula Volent is Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at The Rockefeller University, the world’s leading biomedical research university. Prior to joining The Rockefeller University in August 2021. Ms. Volent served as Chief Investment Officer and Senior Vice President at Bowdoin College, a private, residential college in Brunswick, Maine. At Bowdoin, where she was responsible for the oversight and management of the College’s endowment. Prior to joining Bowdoin in July 2000, Ms. Volent was a Senior Associate at the Yale Investments Office.

Ms. Volent has a BA from the University of New Hampshire; a Master’s Degree in Art History from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University; a Certificate in Conservation from the Conservation Center at NYU, with a specialization in the conservation of works of art on paper; and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. Prior to focusing on endowment management, Paula worked as a paper conservator at the New-York Historical Society, the San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts, the LA County Museum of Art, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. She also ran a private paper conservation studio in Los Angeles, California.

She serves on the Board of Directors of MSCI, Inc.; the Board of Directors of 1st Dibs; a member of the Investment Committee of the Pritzker Family Foundation, a member of the Advisory Board of Girls Who Invest, a Trustee of the Skowhegan School of Art and Painting, and an Investment Committee Member of the Rockefeller Foundation. She is also Vice Chair of the Yale School of Management Advisory Board, a member of the Milken Institute’s Global Markets Advisory Council, a member of the Advisory Board of the Private Capital Research Institute and a member of the National Gallery of Art Investment Subcommittee. In 2020 Barron’s named Ms. Volent as one of the “100 most influential women in U.S. Finance.