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People and Companies News for Week Ending July 10, 2026
- Christie Love Thomas has been promoted to president at Jona Capital, the Love family’s investment arm, which has a controlling interest in Kingsett Capital, one of Canada’s largest institutional investment firms. Love moved up from her formper position of vice-president of strategy.
- Clarke has revamped its senior executive team and those of its subsidiaries Ravelin Properties REIT and Holloway Lodging Corporation amid a commercial real estate integration. The moves come after Clarke completed its $1.1 billion acquisition of Ravelin in May and assumed ownership of its commercial real estate portfolio under a plan of arrangement. Tom Casey has been promoted to president of Clarke from his former CFO position with the company, while George Armoyan has stepped down as president and will continue as chairman and CEO. Steve Cyr has been promoted to CFO from vice-president of accounting. Halifax-based Clarke already owned several commercial real estate assets at the time of the acquisition and has made a number of acquisitions in various parts of Canada, particularly Calgary, since then. At Ravelin, Casey and Steve Darrow have been appointed co-CEOs and will jointly oversee the REIT’s leadership, operations and strategic direction. At Holloway, Robert Sherman has been promoted to president while retaining his chief operating officer position as well. Clarke also appointed David Shahinian and Martin Pham as executive vice-presidents of U.S. real estate. They will oversee Clarke’s Chicago portfolio and lead future U.S. real estate investment activities.
- CoStar Group has appointed Mario Lefebvre as the company’s chief economist for Canada. He succeeds Carl Gomez, who joined EVP Research as its chief economist in January. Lefebvre has more than 30 years of experience in economics, real estate research and public policy. He most recently served as advisory partner at Aviseo Conseil and, since 2023, has been a lecturer in the MBA program at Université de Sherbrooke. Before joining Aviseo, he spent four years as regional director for Quebec at the Bank of Canada, where he supervised the central bank’s Business Outlook Survey across the province. He also spent four years with Ivanhoé Cambridge as the firm’s vice-president of global real estate market research.
- NAIOP has changed its name to the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. The group said the new name builds on the association’s longstanding industry leadership while positioning it for the future. In addition, the CREDA label “more clearly communicates the breadth of its members’ work and the full scope of commercial real estate development they represent. Today’s members are creating a wide range of property types that support businesses, communities and critical infrastructure, including multifamily housing, retail destinations, logistics and fulfillment facilities, office buildings, mixed-use developments, data centers and other projects that shape how people live, work, shop, connect, innovate and thrive.”
- Forthlane Capital Partners has appointed Connor Kitchen as the head of its new office in Calgary. The office opening marked Toronto-based Forthlane’s expansion into Western Canada. Kitchen will lead the firm’s growth and client relationships across Alberta and the broader Western Canadian market. Kitchen will work in the Calgary office alongside Senior Fund Accountant Cornelia Geib.
- Full-service brand operator SIR Corp., has named Steven Pelton as the company’s new president and chief operating officer, effective July 13. He is succeeding Paul Bognar, who is entering retirement. Pelton was formerly president and CEO of Aegis Brands, which owns and operates the St. Louis Bar & Grill chain and holds the master franchise for the Sweet Jesus ice cream locations in Canada. Before then, he was a senior vice-president at Recipe Unlimited Corporation (2015-2019) and co-founder and CEO of the Landing Group of Restaurants.
- Joanne McNamara will leave Oxford Properties to become CEO of British Land. McNamara serves as Toronto-based Oxford’s executive vice-president for Europe. She joined Oxford in 2010 and has more than 20 years of real estate industry experience. Due to a maximum six-month notice period, McNamara is expected to join British Land by November 30 at the latest. Prior to joining Oxford, she worked at Hammerson and DTZ.
- Breno Lima has joined CBRE Investments as a director and client solutions officer, based in Toronto. Lima has about 16 years of experience across institutional and private wealth markets in Canada. Most recently, he served as vice-president at Slate Asset Management in Montreal.
- Valan‘s board and executive team have been revamped following the valve manufacturing company’s sale to private-equity investment firm Birch Hill. Ivan Velan, Peter Velan, Rob Velan and Tom Velan. Patrick Duncan, a partner at Birch Hill, has been appointed chair of the board. Joshua Lundy, Jim Mannebach and Shauna Gamble joined the board as Birch Hill nominees, while Daniel Desjardins, Edward Kernaghan and Suzanne Blanchet remain independent directors. Desjardins has been named lead director. Mannebach retired as CEO and stepped down as board chair but will remain a director and assist with the transition.
- The OIM Group has appointed Damon Knights as a vice-president and head of residential lending. He moved to OIM from a leading Canadian financial institution, where he served as vice-president of sales and distribution in its personal banking segment. Knights has more than two decades of experience in banking, lending and financial services.
- Arcadis has strengthened its Vancouver team with the appointments of Maren McBride as principal and landscape architect, Antoine Henry as senior project manager, and Sahar Safaie as disaster and climate risk management specialist. McBride brings more than 17 years of experience in landscape architecture, urban design, and planning, and will help expand Arcadis’ landscape architecture and urbanism practice across Western Canada after previous roles with Dialog and PWL Partnership Landscape Architects. Henry, a civil engineer with 18 years of experience in transportation infrastructure projects, joins from Arcadis’ Paris office and has also held positions with Bouygues Construction and Eiffage. Safaie brings nearly 20 years of expertise in climate adaptation and disaster risk management, most recently leading Sage On Earth Consulting and previously working with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, The World Bank, Klohn Crippen Berger, and Pomeroy Engineering Consultants. Founded in 1888, Arcadis employs more than 34,000 people globally and provides services across architecture, engineering, environmental management, asset management, and business advisory.
- Activate has appointed Scott Shultz as chief technology officer. Shultz is a seasoned technology executive and AI strategist with more than 30 years of experience leading tech innovation and growth for some of North America’s leading organizations, including Exeter Finance, Topgolf, and Main Event Entertainment. Winnipeg-based Activate ranks as the world’s leading active gaming company, says the firm. Activate has more than 75 locations across Canada, the U.S., Denmark, France, Finland, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, the U.K., and the U.A.E.
- Allied Properties REIT has named Craig MacIntyre as its new CFO, effective July 29. MacIntyre has nearly two decades of experience in capital markets, corporate finance, strategic transactions, investor relations, and portfolio management. Most recently, he served as vice-president of investments amd corporate development at Choice Properties REIT, where he headed acquisitions, dispositions, capital allocation, and strategic initiatives.
- Capital Power has appointed Kevin Macintosh as vice-president of finance and CFO. Macintosh has more than 30 years of financial experience. He now leads the company’s treasury, financial reporting, financial planning and analysis, tax and investor relations. He is also responsible for Capital’s enterprise risk management processes. Prior to joining Capital, he served as vice-president and controller for Suncor.
- Cameron Stephens Mortgage Capital has appointed Steve Cameron as president and CEO. Scott Cameron, a company co-founder, has transitioned to the role of executive chairman, remaining actively engaged in credit oversight, investment committee leadership, and the firm’s most important investor relationships. Scott Cameron co-founded the company with George Frankfort in 2004 and helped grow assets under management to $12 billion from $50 million. Steve Cameron joined the firm in 2011 as is credited with becoming the “operational and strategic force behind its most significant growth period.”
- Evan Kirsh has left his position as president of Starlight U.S. Residential LP to pursue other career opportunities. Kirsh served as president of the limited since the inception of its predecessor in 2021. Daniel Drimmer, CEO of the LP and parent Starlight Invesments, praised Kirsh for his valuable contribution to the LP throughout his tenure, crediting him with playing an important role. Drimmer has assumed the role of the LP’s president and day-to-day responsibilities for it, withs support from team members.
- Ugo Bizzarri, founder and executive chair of Hazelview Investments has received a Rental Housing Canada Lifetime Achievement Award. The award program recognizes individuals who have made a lasting impact on Canads’s rental-housing sector through leadership, advocacy and a commitment to building better communities across the country. Bizzari co-founded the company now known as Hazelview in 1999 and has grown a former domestic investor and operator into a global investment firm with $11.2 billion in assets under management across 19 offices in Canada, the U.S., Europe and Hong Kong. Hazelview has owned and managed approximately 34,000 rental homes across six provinces and 21 cities in Canada, supplying 1,442 rental homes as of March 31.
- H&R REIT CFO Larry Froom will have a reduced workload over the coming weeks as he recovers from recent medical procedures. During that period, Cheryl Fried, the REIT’s executive vice-president of finance, will serve a CFO on an interim basis. Fried joined H&R in 2006 as the organization’s controller and vice-president of accounting befrore she was appointed EVP of finance in 2014.
- Fondaction has promoted Stéphan Morency to president and CEO following the retirement of Geneviève Morin. Morency brings more than 25 years of experience in finance, including over 15 years at Fondaction, to his new position. He is recognized for his leadership and expertise in sustainable finance and impact investing, says the asset management company.
- Twyla Purschke has become the head of commercial real estate at the University of Alberta. She previously serve as the U of A’s head of real estate. She joined the university in 2023 after working with a number of real estate firms in the private sector.
- Grosvenor Property Canada has announced a series of promotions, revamping its senior leadership team. Graham Drexel has been promoted to chief operating officer and CFO. Robert Duteau has been named executive vice-president of investment. He will lead investment and asset management across Canada. Meanwhile, Michael Ward has become executive vice-president of development, and Jane Goode has been named executive vice-president of people and performance.
- Avison Young has appointed Jordan Lovett as a principal and managing director in Ottawa. Lovett entered the commercial real estate industry in 2018 after working as an investment banker specializing in complex financial transactions. He will focus on growth, market share and business development throughout the Ottawa market while overseeing a multi-disciplinary team, said the company.
- Irfan Shariff has been appointed chief operating officer at Vancouver-based Hungerford Properties. Shariff was promoted from his previous position as senior vice-president of investments. He has been with Hungerford for almost 11 years.
- Tracy Taylor has joined Cresa Alberta as a senior vice-president, specializing in advising suburban office and industrial tenants and owner-users. With more than 27 years in commercial real estate, Taylor brings a 360-degree perspective shaped by experience on the occupier, agent and owner sides of the industry. She began her career on the occupier side before transitioning into brokerage and later joining a local investor/landlord, gaining han ds-on insight across all major asset classes. Prior to joining Cresa Alberta, Taylor returned to industrial sales and leasing before serving as executive managing Director and managing principal of Cushman & Wakefield’s Calgary office, where she led the company’s strategy and overall performance.
- Brookfield Properties has appointed Greg Jobagy as a vice-president based in Calgary. Jobagy moved to Brookfield Properties after spending three-and-a-half years with Slate Asset Management. He previously held asset manager and analyst positions with Triovest, CBRE and Colliers.
- Scott Thon will become independent chair of the Aecon Group board, pending his re-election in June. Thon will succeed John Beck, who will not stand for re-election. In recognition of his 60-year contribution to Aecon during his entire career, Beck receive the title of chairman emeritus. Thon has served as Aecon’s lead director since 2024, after joining the board in 2021. He has held several senior positions in the energy sector for the past 40 years and currently serves as an executive officer and director of Berkshire Hathaway Energy.
- Former Conservative federal cabinet minister Rona Ambrose has been elected to ATCO‘s board. Ambrose, who held nine cabinet portfolios in former prime minister Stephen Harper’s government, is the newest member of the Calgary-based global energy, housing, security and transportation company’s board. Ambrose also served as the leader of the Opposition between 2015 and 2017.
- Altus Group has promoted Terrie-Lynn Devonish to managing director for Canada from chief legal officer. Devonish is credited with helping to guide Atlus through its strategic transformation since she joined the company in 2021. In addition, Jason Lo has returned to Altus as the firm’s Canadian general manager of software and data. He initially joined Altus through its acquisition of RealNet in 2014.
- Christian Mayer and Elias Mulamoottil have been appointed to expanded global leadership roles at Colliers as the Toronto-based commercial real estate and investment management firm restructures senior management ahead of the retirement of longtime executive Chris McLernon. Mayer has been named global chief financial officer and CEO of commercial real estate, adding oversight of the company’s largest operating platform to his existing finance responsibilities. Mulamoottil has been appointed global chief investment officer and CEO of engineering, where he will oversee growth of the engineering business, including the pending integration of Ayesa. The appointments took effect immediately and are part of Colliers’ long-term growth strategy.
- Joel Hunter has assumed his duties as the new president and CEO of TransAlta after his appointment was announced in November 2025. He succeedsJohn Kousinioris, who retired at the end of April. Hunter was promoted from his former position of vice-president and CFO. Kousinioris will serve as a strategic advisor to Hunter and the company’s board for six months. He spent four years as president and CEO after joining the company in 2012 as chief legal officer before taking on more senior positions, including president of TransAlta Renewables from 2017 to 2021.
- Andrew Sjogren has been named president of the GTA division at Minto Group, taking on responsibility for the company’s operations and development activities across the Greater Toronto Area. Sjogren joined Minto after holding senior leadership positions in the residential development sector and is expected to focus on advancing the firm’s pipeline of mixed-use and high-density housing projects in one of Canada’s most competitive real estate markets.
- Anuj Kadyan will join CBRE as chief technology and transformation officer on May 15, bringing more than 17 years of experience advising global AI, cloud and technology companies while at McKinsey & Company. Kadyan, currently a senior partner and co-leader of McKinsey’s technology services practice, will oversee technology and operational transformation initiatives at CBRE. The said his appointment is intended to strengthen the company’s use of data, artificial intelligence and digital strategy to improve client services and operational efficiency.
- Concert Properties has appointed Catherine Roome as president and CEO, effective May 26. She succeeds the late Christine Bergeron, who died in February after a hard-fought battle with cancer. Roome brings more than three decades of leadership experience spanning infrastructure, regulation and public-interest organizations. Read Connect’s expanded story on Roome’s appointment.
- B+H Architects has hired Janine Grossmann as its new senior director of business development, architecture and Design. Based in Toronto, she will lead interior design business development across the firm’s Toronto and Vancouver studios. Grossmann brings more than 30 years of experience shaping the strategy and design of commercial, institutional, and hospitality projects ranging from 5,000 to about 4 million square feet.
- MBI Brands, the parent company of quick-service restaurant chains Mary Brown’s Chicken and Fat Bastard Burrito, has promoted Karen Tam to president and CEO. Tam previously served as CFO and chief development officer after joining the company in July 2025. She is credited with playing a pivotal role in the company’s infrastructure and operating models.
- Arup has appointed three senior leaders in its Toronto office. Adrian Sheppard will serve as rail project director, while Chris Teolis becomes an associate principal and Americas region data and AI leader, and Susanne Manaigre holds the role of rail operations and maintenance leader. Arup is a global engineering, design and consulting team. The firm said the appointments strengthen its capabilities across rail delivery, infrastructure systems integration and digital advisory services.
- Brian McPhee has been promoted to vice-president of infrastructure west at Ledcor. He will lead major projects and operations across Canada. In this role, he will strengthen industry partnerships, guide executive strategy, and support continued growth across Ledcor’s infrastructure teams, said the company.
- David Colla has joined the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board as a senior managing director and global head of credit investments. He will be a member of the organization’s senior management team. He succeeds Andrew Edgell, who will remain with CPPIB as a senior advisor after holding senior leadership positions for the past 18 years.
- Heidi O’Neill has been named the next CEO of Lululemon, bringing more than three decades of experience in global apparel, footwear and brand strategy. Based in Vancouver, she will take on the role September 8, 2026, following a long career at Nike where she helped scale the business through product innovation, digital transformation and global market expansion. Her appointment follows an extensive search by the board and comes as the company looks to accelerate growth, strengthen brand relevance and expand internationally.
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