The 5 most powerful people in Canadian finance

You may not be familiar with their names, but you’re definitely familiar with their firms and the work they do. These investors, managers and corporate sharks—compiled from Canadian Business’s Power 50 list—shape the Canadian financial landscape every day.

1. John Ruffolo, CEO, OMERS Ventures. OMERS is the venture capital branch of the Ontario municipal workers’ pension. “Ruffolo presides over a $200-million fund that’s offering big money to startups that just might become megaplayers,” writes CB.

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2. Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital. A New Yorker running an American fund, Ackman still has outsized influence in Canada, says CB. His latest Canuck deal sees him pairing up with Valeant Pharmaceuticals to buy drugmaker Allergan.

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3. Mark Wiseman, President and CEO, CPP Investment Board. With more than $200 billion in his hands, Wiseman is responsible for the welfare of retired Canadians now and for generations to come. Recently, the CPPIB has embraced a more active management philosophy, and has bought stakes in global infrastructure, REITs and other massive long-term investments. Last year, the fund saw a 16.5% annual return.

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4. Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield Asset Management. Under-the-radar Flatt wields a $175-billion portfolio and counts a city’s worth of office buildings, 153 million square feet of retail space, power transmission lines, pipelines and timber, says CB. “If an asset is on the market, Flatt is among the first to know,” the magazine writes.

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5. Prem Watsa, CEO, Fairfax Financial Holdings. Known as Canada’s Warren Buffett, “there’s good reason for the devotion to Watsa, as he continues to rack up wins on counterintuitive bets,” says CB. Earlier this year, he tripled his investment after selling his stake in the Bank of Ireland.

Read Canadian Business’s full Power 50 list here.

Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.