Canada
People & Companies News for Week Ending February 14, 2025
- Avison Young has appointed Sanjiv Chadha as managing director for Toronto West, Southwestern Ontario, and occupier services. effective February 10, 2025. Chadha joined the company in 2022 as principal of occupier services. He has more than 20 years of experience advising global corporations on real estate strategies. In his new role, he will focus on business development, expanding occupier services, and strengthening the firm’s market position. Avison Young aims to enhance its advisory-led solutions and collaborative approach under his leadership, particularly in the industrial and office sectors.
- FCT, a leading Canadian provider of title insurance and real estate technology, has acquired a majority stake in Fintracker, a top identity-verification provider for real estate transactions. The partnership aims to enhance security, efficiency, and compliance across the Canadian real estate market by integrating Fintracker’s digital identity verification solutions with FCT’s trusted services, said the companies. Fintracker streamlines compliance by digitizing identity verification and automating know-your-client (KYC) and anti-money-laundering (AML) processes. Its founders, Simon Fiore and Matt Amihude, will continue leading the company’s growth. With strong industry adoption, Fintracker’s technology is set to further establish itself as a key compliance solution for real estate professionals nationwide, said the firms.
- Kilmer Group has appointed Tom Kornya as its new president, effective March 1. He succeeds Michael Griffiths, who is transitioning to vice-chair after 45 years with Kilmer, including 25 as president and chief operating officer. Kornya brings more than two decades of experience from Ernst & Young, where he held senior executive roles advising major global clients across various sectors. A chartered professional accountant (fellow), he also serves on the board of Sinai Health. Kilmer focuses on infrastructure and real estate, sports and media, and private capital investments, including majority ownership of Coca-Cola Canada Bottling. Kilmer’s sports holdings include the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and Toronto FC through the company’s minority stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. The company is owned by legendary Toronto entrepreneur Larry Tanenbaum.
- Richardson International Limited has appointed Darwin Sobkow as its new president and CEO. He succeeds Curt Vossen, who is retiring after nearly 30 years of transformative leadership with the Winnipeg-based firm. Sobkow previously served as president and chief operations officer. The company said he has been instrumental in its strategic growth, overseeing major acquisitions and integrations across its diverse business sectors, including grain handling, crop inputs retailing, oilseed crushing, and food processing in North America, the U.K., and Europe. With more three decades of industry experience, he will lead Richardson into its next phase of global expansion and innovation. Vossen, who has led the company since 1995, played a pivotal role in Richardson’s evolution into a world-class agribusiness and food-processing leader, overseeing significant growth and diversification. Richardson owns and operates numerous industrial sites across its integrated operations.
- EllisDon Corporation has appointed Melissa Chee to its board of directors, bringing the total number of board members to 11. A seasoned technology executive, entrepreneur, and business leader, Chee has more than 25 years of experience scaling global technology multinationals and start-ups. She is a champion of diversity, inclusion, and the advancement of women and girls in STEM, and recognized as a thought leader at the intersection of critical technology sectors. Chee’s appointment reinforces EllisDon’s commitment to innovation and technology in transforming the global construction industry, said the Mississauga, Ont.-based construction firm.
- Steve Da Cruz has joined Newmark as managing director of its Vancouver office, where he will specialize in land and investment sales, including lower-middle market business exits. He brings more than a decade of experience in off-market and confidential transactions. His previous roles include serving as executive vice-president and co-founder of a boutique commercial real estate brokerage, as well as a top-producing vice-president CASM Global. He serves as president of CCIM’s Western Canada chapter.
- Toronto-based real estate law firm De Krupe Law has completed its 3,000th transaction, marking a major milestone in eight years of practice. Led by real estate lawyer Stanislav Aranush de Krupe, the firm has assisted clients with property sales, purchases, title transfers, mortgage refinancing, and assignments. The firm has offices in Toronto and the Ontario cities of Vaughan, Barrie, and Newmarket. Looking ahead, the firm plans to expand its real estate law offerings while continuing to provide expertise in family law, corporate law, wills and estates, and litigation. The milestone reflects the growing demand for real estate legal services in Toronto’s highly competitive property market, said the firm.
- Connect CRE Canada is now accepting nominations for its 2025 Canadian Top Brokers Awards. Would you like to recognize a commercial real estates sales or leasing specialist who excelled as the market faced numerous challenges in 2024? Nominate a candidate today.
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