Kenneth Woods Portfolio Management Program

The KWPMP is thrilled to announce that the students of the program had the privilege of attending the inaugural CIBC Mellon Student Investment Fund Conference. The event featured a diverse range of sessions, including discussions on real-world sponsorship structures, career insights, and multiple networking opportunities. It was an invaluable opportunity to connect with industry leaders and gain insights into the latest developments in finance and investment management. We are equally excited to announce that the students secured 1st place in the inaugural Canadian Student Investment Fund Case Competition! Fund managers Julian Diodati, Roberto Lato, and Michael Kamel, along with research associate Giovanni Di Nunzio, delivered an outstanding presentation of the entire KWPMP's findings to the panel of judges. Along with the presenters, fund manager Eyal Zelinger and research associates Zahra Ahmed, Hannah Wang, Sijia Liu, Édouard Vézina, Garv Bhandari and Eli Marchesseault collaborated to prepare the report submitted to the judges ahead of the presentation. Competing alongside such talented peers was a valuable experience, and we are pleased that the fund's hard work and dedication paid off, allowing the students to effectively showcase their in-depth analysis. A special thank you to Brent Merriman and the team at CIBC Mellon, along with the University Pension Plan Ontario and the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO), for organizing the Student Investment Fund Conference, which saw over 400 participants attending both in person and online. In addition to the conference, KWPMP students had the incredible opportunity to tour the trading floors and head offices of RBC Capital Markets and BMO Capital Markets, gaining valuable insights into the operations of these leading financial institutions. We are grateful to our hosts, including Ravnoor B, Recruiter, Early Talent at RBC and Mary Ann Lew, Managing Director, Equity Products at BMO, for their hospitality. Special thanks to Fred Smith for his expert guidance on the intricacies of day-to-day trading, and to BMO’s Equity Research Associates, Stephen Machielsen, CFA and Rini Sharma, for their invaluable insights on crafting excellent research reports. Lastly, a heartfelt thank you to Ashley Misquitta, Senior Portfolio Manager at Empire Life Investments Inc. whose career advice and buyside wisdom will leave a lasting impact on the students' professional journeys. Thank you to all the organizers, sponsors, and speakers who made this possible!

The Kenneth Woods Portfolio Management Program is celebrating 25 years. To mark the occasion, we spoke with three alumni who have gone on to rewarding careers as industry leaders and entrepreneurs thanks to their time in the program. Featuring insights from Philippe Hynes, Michael Gentile and Kevin Henley. Read more about how the KWPMP changed their lives ⬇ #investmentmanagement #experientiallearning

The Kenneth Woods Portfolio Management Program is thrilled to announce the incoming cohort of Research Associates, who were admitted after an exceptionally competitive selection process. The KWPMP takes immense pride in its 100% placement record in securing highly sought-after front-office summer internships, thanks to its strong corporate partnerships and the exclusive opportunities offered to members of the program. This success is bolstered by the collaboration within the program, where current Research Associates and outgoing Fund Managers conduct mock interviews and provide mentorship to prepare the incoming cohort for their interviews. Special thanks are extended to Ms. Sukyong Yang, the program’s director, for her exceptional leadership in orchestrating the entire process. Congratulations to Benjamin Merid-Moore, Brad Pelaez Heredia, Joel Leger, Evan Mardas, Raphaël Ghali, Thomas Ritlop, and William Jackson on their remarkable placements and for being accepted into the KWPMP after all their hard work!

Students in the KWPMP are consistently provided with unique opportunities to engage directly with industry leaders, enhancing their knowledge and gaining valuable insights into key areas of investment and portfolio management. Recently, fund manager Nicholas Cormier and research associate Édouard Vézina attended a lunch presentation with Eric Nuttall, Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager at Ninepoint Partners. The students gained valuable insights into Mr. Nuttall's perspectives on the oil and gas sector, including the strong tailwinds driving the industry and why energy companies are prime investment opportunities. Many thanks to KWPMP Director Ms. Sukyong Yang and Ms. Andrea T. Bobkowicz for making these impactful experiences possible.

When the Kenneth Woods Portfolio Management Program (KWPMP) was created twenty-five years ago, the program was committed in providing exceptional training to bright and motivated students. Encompassed as part of the training was to create an environment that emulated real-life scenarios as closely as possible and this included the fund managers presenting to a client committee each quarter. While the students have the extraordinary responsibility of managing the portfolio with full discretion, the client committee functions as clients of the foundation to ensure the funds are invested in a professional and prudent manner. The KWPMP is extremely fortunate to have Robert Beauregard, Jérôme Bichut, Susan Da Sie, CFA, Paul Harris, CFA, Bill Healy, CFA, Annie Laliberté, CFA, and Kenneth Woods, all veteran industry professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to the program. Each quarter, the client committee receives a comprehensive report on all the companies in the portfolio along with a presentation by the fund managers. The committee in turn provide their expert feedback, furthering the education of the students in the program. Yesterday evening, the fund managers of the KWPMP (Roberto Lato, Michael Kamel, Julian Diodati, Eyal Zelinger, and Nicholas Cormier) presented to the client committee with a third quarter update of the $6.3 million portfolio. They provided details of their first quartile performance, the status of both the equity and fixed income strategies, and the activities that took place during the quarter. As well, they outlined their outlook for their final quarter as fund managers. There were thought-provoking questions from the client committee and the fund managers answered with professionalism and as in real-life, there were follow-up matters to be reviewed in the next quarterly meeting. The research associates (Zahra Ahmed, Garv Bhandari, Giovanni Di Nunzio, Sijia Liu, Eli Marchesseault, Édouard Vézina, and Hannah Wang) who worked alongside the fund managers this past year will take the baton as fiduciaries of the portfolio in January. The incoming cohort, the class of 2026 (Raphaël Ghali, William Jackson, Joel Leger, Evan Mardas, Benjamin Merid-Moore, Brad Pelaez Heredia, Thomas Ritlop) joined the meeting and experienced their first client committee meeting. Their wonderful journey in the program has just begun! 

The Kenneth Woods Portfolio Management Program’s fall celebration is an occasion where we celebrate our supporters of the program. We want to thank them for their ongoing support and it is wonderful to see the community come together to meet old friends and make new acquaintances. We were delighted to have Bruno Roy, MSc CFA, President and CEO of CN Investment Division (CNID) as our keynote speaker at this year’s fall celebration. Mr. Roy is accountable for all aspects of investment management and organizational oversight at CNID, one of Canada’s largest corporate pension plans. During our fireside chat, we covered a wide range of topics, from the challenges of being a CEO, insights on how CNID remains relevant in a competitive field, along with his views on some industry trends. Bruno also shared personal stories including the power of mentorships, how he overcame setbacks, and useful advice to the younger generation who are striving to be tomorrow’s leaders. We want to thank Bruno Roy for his enthusiasm and the encouragement he gave to our friends and supporters of the program.

The KWPMP was pleased to welcome Jordan Houle, CFA, Senior Investment Associate at Trans-Canada Capital (TCC), as the guest speaker at our recent seminar. Mr. Houle shared valuable insights into venture capital, discussing its unique investment opportunities and the significant role it plays in accessing high-growth, early-stage companies with strong potential.

We are pleased to share the second installment in our series of articles commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Kenneth Woods Portfolio Management Program.

The KWPMP was delighted to host Mr. Steve Foley, a seasoned wealth manager and former Vice Chairman at RBC Capital Markets, as our most recent seminar speaker. With an extensive career in capital markets, Mr. Foley shared his unique insights on the industry’s evolution, comparing buy-side and sell-side dynamics and reflecting on his experiences with firms like RBC and Merrill Lynch. His presentation offered invaluable perspectives on market changes, investment strategies, and the shifting roles within the financial sector.

The KWPMP was proud to welcome Mr. Michel Deslauriers, CPA to our recent seminar. Mr. Deslauriers offered valuable insights into real estate investment analysis, giving our students a deeper understanding of key strategies and dynamics.