Event Speakers

CAIA Vancouver 12th Annual Alternative Investment Outlook Forum

  • Date: March 11, 2021
  • Location: Webinar

Speakers

Lorne Burns
Organization: KPMG


Lorne has served as KPMG’s National Industry Leader, Real Estate and Real Estate leader for the Greater Vancouver Area (GVA) since 2011. He has 39 years of experience with KPMG and has been a partner in the firm’s Audit practice for 28 of those years. Lorne serves as the Audit partner on several public and private real estate entities and is a member of KPMG’s Global Real Estate Steering Group. Lorne previously served as the Partner-in-charge of the GTA Audit Practice (2003- 2009) and as a member of KPMG Canada's Management Committee as the Chief Human Resources Officer, KPMG Canada (1999-2003)


Christopher Hedberg
Organization: CarVal Investors


Mr. Hedberg is chief financial officer for CarVal Investors. In addition to leading finance and operations globally for the firm, Mr. Hedberg also manages capital formation activities, including investor relations and fund financing strategy. Mr. Hedberg joined Cargill in 1996 and has held a variety of financial management positions, including serving as global controller for CarVal’s corporate credit business and manager in Cargill’s internal audit department. Prior to joining Cargill, Mr. Hedberg was with Dain Bosworth. Mr. Hedberg received his M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas and his B.S. in finance, magna cum laude from the University of Colorado. CarVal Investors is an established global alternative investment fund manager focused on distressed and credit-intensive assets and market inefficiencies. Since 1987, our experienced team has navigated through ever-changing credit market cycles, opportunistically investing $126 billion in 5,510 transactions across 82 countries. Today, CarVal Investors has approximately $10 billion in assets under management in in corporate securities, loan portfolios, structured credit and hard assets.


Kendra Kaake
Organization: SEI


Kendra Kaake serves as Director of Investment Strategy in Canada where she is part of a team responsible for overseeing investment strategy development and advice for SEI's institutional clients. She partners with and provides ongoing support to the Client Portfolio Managers’ efforts in the development and delivery of specialized expertise, strategic advice and investment management solutions for institutional clients and prospects. She has extensive experience advising defined benefit, healthcare, insurance and non-profit partners on all aspects of their investment programs, including governance, investment policy and strategy, asset allocation, risk management, asset class structure, manager selection and implementation. Kendra regularly speaks at industry conferences and events and is a frequent contributor to industry thought leadership. Prior to joining SEI, Kendra spent nine years at Russell Investments as Director of Non-Profit OCIO Solutions and Director of Client Strategy & Research, where she provided advisory and investment management services to institutional clients in Canada and the US. Prior to Russell, she spent 10 years at Watson Wyatt which is now known as Willis Towers Watson. While at Watson Wyatt, Kendra consulted with clients in Canada, the US and Australia on a wide range of retirement issues.


Michael Peterson
Organization: Citco Capital Solutions Inc.


Michael Peterson has over 17 years of experience as a principal and advisor. Most recently he was CIO of the Judd Foundations endowment fund. He previously held positions at Fortress Investment Group, Highbridge Capital, Fitch Ratings, and Washington Mutual Bank. His focus is on warehouse and special situations lending. His background is in structuring, securitization, and investing in structured products. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh earning a B.S. in Economics, Finance, and B.A. in History.


Michael Waters
Organization: BLG


Michael Waters is a partner in the BLG Vancouver office. He practises corporate and securities law with emphasis on corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions, investment fund management and corporate governance. In his investment fund practice, Michael advises Canadian and international investment funds, hedge funds and investment fund managers in the formation, offering and management of retail and exempt investment funds, fund reorganizations and mergers, dealer and advisor registration matters, compliance and disclosure obligations, and fund governance. He is recognized in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada and The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory in the category of Investment Funds & Asset Management.


Wendy Waters
Organization: GWL Realty Advisors


Wendy Waters is the Vice President Research Services & Strategy at GWL Realty Advisors (GWLRA), an institutional real estate manager with over $15 Billion in assets under management in Canada and another $4 Billion in the US under the brand EverWest. Based in Vancouver, she leads the company's research function; responsibilities include providing analysis of economic, demographic and market trends in order to support long-term asset acquisition, development and management strategies in office, industrial, retail and multi-family rental asset classes. Wendy has been with GWLRA for 15 years and was previously with Avison Young in Vancouver. She has a Ph.D. in economic history from the University of Arizona. Wendy regularly shares research and perspectives at industry events, on conference panels and on podcasts. She posts regular industry commentary at www.gwlranews.com (select research notes), and on twitter @wendy_waters and LinkedIn.


Mark Wojcichowsky
Organization: Alberta Investment Management Corporation


Mr. Wojcichowsky has very recently joined the Alberta Investment Management Corporation as Portfolio Manager, Real Estate focused on investing in the U.S. and Latin America. Previously, he worked for the Alberta Teachers Retirement Fund Board and played a role in all aspects of the investment and management of the Real Estate portfolio including portfolio construction strategy; acquisitions and dispositions; asset management; and performance monitoring and reporting.  At ATRF, his responsibilities covered a wide range of direct and indirect investments including direct real estate holdings, joint ventures, club structures, co-investments, open-end and closed-end funds, and fund-of-funds in equity and debt real estate investments in all property-types and across the risk-spectrum with a broad geographic focus which included Canada, the U.S. and western Europe. Mark is an Accredited Appraiser of the Canadian Institute (AACI); a CFA Charterholder; and a Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS).