Finance and Investing is pleased to announce The Top 25 CFOs of Vancouver for 2023. Vancouver, British Columbia, may look familiar, even to those who’ve never been there. That’s because the city, nicknamed “Hollywood North,” has appeared on screen in countless movies, thanks to its thriving film and television production industry. With a scenic landscape, mild climate, and outdoorsy and friendly local population, it’s not hard to understand what makes the city so inviting, but that’s not all it has to offer.
Vancouver is the most densely-populated in Canada, with a thriving and walkable downtown business area, and it’s one of Canada’s most ethnically diverse cities, with more than half of the population listing a first language other than English. It’s for good reason that a number of international businesses are either based there or have major offices there, including Hootsuite and Arc’teryx.
Among this year’s awardees is Meghan Frank, CFO of athletic apparel giant Lululemon, whose 20 plus years of experience in the the retail industry landed her the role as Lululemon’s first female CFO; Les Whiting, Chief Financial Services Officer (CFSO) at H&R Block, who’s been instrumental in carrying out the company’s mission of helping millions of people better manage their money and reach their financial goals during tax season and beyond; and Simon Bodymore, CFO of Tasktop Technologies, a company whose software aims to transform the way organizations are able to develop and deliver their software for quicker time to market and improved customer satisfaction.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 25 CFOs of Vancouver for 2023.
1. Marcie Beggs
CFO, PwC Global Licensing Services Corporation (GLSC)
Marcie Beggs is the CFO of PwC GLSC. She first joined the firm in 2002 as a Senior associate. PwC’s industry-focused professional services include audit and assurance, tax, deals, and consulting targeting solutions for cybersecurity, privacy, financial crime, workforce of the future, finance transformation, value creation, strategic reassessment, and cost optimization. The firm works as one to bring different perspectives and capabilities together to achieve what matters most. With offices in 155 countries and more than 284,000 employees, PwC is among the leading professional services networks in the world. It delivers the best of its collective thinking, experience, and solutions to build public trust and create value for its people, clients, and communities.
Beggs earned an undergraduate degree in advanced accounting from BCIT and an undergraduate degree in mathematical and earth sciences from the University of British Columbia.
2. Fernando Pica
CFO & VP of Strategic Business Services, Vancouver Coastal Health
Fernando Pica is the CFO and VP of Strategic Business Services at Vancouver Coastal Health, one of five regional health authorities in British Columbia working in partnership with the Ministry of Health to provide high-quality, appropriate and timely health services to British Columbians. Pica, who began his career in 1997, has 27 years of experience.
Before joining Vancouver Coastal Health, Pica was VP and CFO at Cardinal Health, and before that a VP of Finance, Supply Chain, and Lab operations at Mount Sinai Hospital. Earlier in his career he worked at Deloitte as a Manager. Pica graduated from York University with an undergraduate degree in accounting and finance.
3. Meghan Frank
CFO, Lululemon
Meghan Frank has more than 20 years of experience in the retail industry. She joined Lululemon in 2016 as its Senior Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis and, since April, has served as interim co-CFO, along with Alex Grieve, a Vice President and Controller for the company. Previously, Ms. Frank held senior roles at Ross Stores and J.Crew, where she served for nearly a decade. She earned her B.A. from Colgate University.
As CFO, Frank will assume responsibility for the finance, tax, treasury, investor relations, asset protection, facilities, operations excellence, and strategy functions.
4. Les Whiting
Chief Financial Services Officer (CFSO), H&R Block
Les Whiting is H&R Block’s CFSO, and also leads the financial strategy for the company’s subsidiary, Wave Financial. In his role, Whiting directs the efforts across the enterprise to develop financial solutions for consumers and small business owners. Whiting is one of the leading payments industry experts in North America, with more than 25 years of technology, banking, and financial services experience. Most recently he helped transform Wave from a software startup to a fintech disruptor, and continues to guide its risk, anti-fraud, and regulatory compliance. His background in financial services and payments spans from large corporations such as First Data, one of the world’s largest payment processors, and TD Bank Financial Group, to fintech startups. He is also an active early stage investor and advisor to emerging fintech and payment startups in North America.
Whiting holds a degree in business and management studies from MacEwan University, and Certificate in Internet Marketing from the University of British Columbia Sauder
School of Business.
5. Greg Palaschuk
CFO, Finning
Greg Palaschuk was appointed CFO of Finning International in March of 2020 and took on responsibility for global information technology in December of 2022. He is responsible for finance, information technology, investor relations, risk management, cyber security, strategic planning, and business development. Palaschuk joined Finning International in 2014 and has held multiple senior leadership positions within the company,including VPof Treasury for Finning International, Finance Director for Finning UK and Ireland and SVP of commercial and financial performance management for Finning Canada. In 2020 Mr. Palaschuk was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40.
Prior to joining Finning, Palaschuk worked at Goldman Sachs as Vice President of Natural Resources Investment Banking in Calgary and New York. Mr. Palaschuk holds a Bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Calgary.
6. Todd Ingledew
CFO, Aritzia
As the CFO at Aritzia, a retail company, Todd Ingledew is responsible for all finance functions including financial planning and analysis, financial reporting, treasury, internal controls, and tax. Prior to joining the organization in 2016, Ingledew was the president of Steve Nash Fitness World & Sports Club, after serving as its CFO. He successfully transformed the organization’s back office into a scalable platform capable of supporting rapid growth, refinanced its debt twice, and supported the exit of its private equity firm through a sale to new equity investors. In recognition of his contributions to Steve Nash Fitness World & Sports Club, he was honored with the British Columbia CFO of the Year award in 2015. Prior to 2011, Ingledew held various senior finance positions at Intrawest ULC over a 10 year period. Ingledew earned a BA in urban development from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA in finance from the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.
7. Katherine Angus
CFO, JOEY Restaurant Group
Katherine Angus is the CFO of JOEY Restaurants, which offers a refined modern industrial aesthetic, balanced by materials that lend a sense of warmth. With the company's open kitchens, equipped with sushi stations, guests are able to see the culinary team in action at all times. Central to the restaurant is an open bar, a visual focal point, where fresh juice is pressed and cocktails are crafted. JOEY’s culinary team is continuously exploring new flavors, techniques, and dishes and aiming to offer innovative dishes. offer innovative dishes. Angus, who began her career in 2000, has 23 years of experience.
Before joining JOEY, Angus was CFO at A&B Sound, a Canadian home electronics retailer. Angus graduated from Simon Fraser University with an undergraduate degree in accounting and business management.
8. Nick Biln
VP of Finance & Regulatory, Coast Capital Savings
Nick Biln currently serves as the Vice President of Financial Reporting at Coast Capital Savings Federal Credit Union, where he leads the organization’s internal financial controls, financial regulatory and tax reporting requirements. He joined Coast Capital Savings in 2020 as a Senior Financial Analyst and has since applied his expertise across multiple roles in finance and revenue-generating business units. Nick is a CFA Charterholder and a CPA, CGA with over 20 years of experience in strategic, financial and operational management across both corporate and entrepreneurial environments.
9. Malcolm Horne
Regional CFO, Methanex Egypt
Malcolm Horne began his professional career 18 years ago, in 2005, getting his start as a station service representative at Rocky Mountaineer. Today, he is the Regional CFO for Egypt at Methanex, an international supplier and distributor of methanol. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Methanex currently operates production sites in Canada, Chile, Egypt, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States. Their good global operations are supported by an extensive global supply chain of terminals, storage facilities and the world’s largest dedicated fleet of methanol ocean tankers. The Power of Agility is their key brand differentiator and is how their global team of approximately 1,400 employees safely and reliably delivers on their brand promise every day by quickly adapting and responding to customers’ needs and creating and capitalizing on opportunities in the marketplace.
Before Methanex, Horne worked for CMLS Financial Ltd., where he eventually rose to become a financial manager, his most recent position prior to joining Methanex. Horne graduated from the University of British Columbia with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
10. Ignacio Couturier
CFO, Pan American Silver
Couturier joined Pan American Silver in 2002 and was appointed CFOin 2022. He was previously Vice President of Finance. Couturier brings nearly 25 years of experience in treasury, planning, and commercial and risk management. He has broad management and financial experience with exposure to capital markets and corporate development. Prior to joining Pan American Silver, Couturier worked for Minera Antamina and Rio Algom. He holds a BS in geological engineering from Queen’s University and an MBA from McGill University.
11. Paul Dobson
CFO, Ballard Power Systems
Mr. Dobson brings over 25 years of global financial, operations and leadership experience, including significant experience in the energy industry. Dobson most recently served as CFO and Interim CEO of Hydro One. He previously held senior financial and operating roles at Direct Energy for 15 years, including as CFO and COO. Prior to that, Dobson served for 10 years at CIBC in various finance, strategy, and business development roles.
Mr. Dobson holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Waterloo, and an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University, and is a CPA, CMA. He currently serves on the board of directors of Methanex.
12. Kay Wong-Alafriz
CFO, Kabam
Kay has been with Kabam since 2017 and currently oversees the company’s finance, business intelligence, data science and analytics, legal and asset infrastructure.
At Kabam, Kay is regarded as a visionary, innovator, and trailblazer, and with her executive partnership and leadership, they feel they have grown and raised the bar of excellence in mobile gaming.
13. Glen Ibbott
CFO, Aurora Cannabis
Glen Ibbott is the CFO of Aurora Cannabis. He first joined the company in 2017. The story of Aurora Cannabis started when medical cannabis could only be produced by designated growers or patients themselves who were authorized by the Canadian government. Since then, they’ve come a long way.
Previously, Ibbott was an SVP and CFOat QLT Inc., a biotech focused on developing treatments for retinal diseases, and before that a VP of finance at Nordion Inc., a health science company that provides Cobalt-60 used for sterilization and disease treatment. Earlier in his career he worked with KPMG as a senior manager. Ibbott earned an MBA from Cornell University and an undergraduate degree in accounting from Simon Fraser University.
14. Chris Allen
CFO, Copperleaf Technologies
As CFO of Copperleaf, Allen is responsible for driving strategic planning across the organization. He is passionate about maintaining Copperleaf’s exciting growth trajectory. Allen joined Copperleaf in 2015 and brings over 25 years of experience ranging from product development to global business strategy. Along with several other members of the Copperleaf leadership team, Allen began his career at Creo and has since held a variety of leadership roles with diverse companies ranging from ag-biotech startups to large technology multinationals where he was able to leverage his technical background, critical business thinking, and intense analytical nature to successfully develop and execute numerous strategic plans. Allen earned his engineering degree from the University of British Columbia
15. Victor Pang
CFO, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Victor Pang is the CFO of Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, which manages the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port. Home to 29 major terminals, the port handles the most diversified range of cargo in North America: bulk, containers, breakbulk, liquid bulk, automobiles, and cruise ships. As the country’s gateway to over 170 trading economies around the world, the port handles $1 of every $3 of Canada’s trade in goods outside of North America.
Previously, Pang served as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis and Corporate Development at CHC Helicopter. He is a board member and chair of the Finance and Audit Committee of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Audit and Finance Committee of Stratford Hall, an independent school. Pang began his finance career at HSBC and worked at law firm McCarthy Tétrault. He earned his Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the University of British Columbia.
16. Shahrad Avazpour
VP of Finance at Thinkingbox Media & Design
Shahrad Avazpour is a finance and accounting professional with more than 25 years of experience in South West Asia and North America. As the current Vice President of Finance at Thinkingbox Media & Design, Shahrad is responsible for overseeing all financial operations of the organization, including accounting, auditing, tax, and financial reporting.
Shahrad holds a PhD in Finance and Accounting, a Master's degree in Accounting, and a Bachelor's degree in Accounting. He is also a CPAof IACPAs, a Qualified Public Accountant of the Iranian Institute of Certified Accountants (I.I.C.A), a member of the Iranian Accounting Association (I.A.A.), the Iranian Association of Certified Financial Managers (I.A.C.F.M.), the Iran Management Association (I.M.A.), and the Iran Management Consultants Association (I.M.C.A.). In addition, Shahrad is a Judiciary Official Expert under the Ministry of Justice.
Prior to joining Thinkingbox, Shahrad held various senior positions in leading firms such as PWC and GGI. He worked as a Senior Auditor at PWC for five years before becoming a Partner in Geneva Group International (Kashefan Audit Firm) for 14 years. Additionally, Shahrad worked as a Tax Specialist at H&R Block Canada for 2.5 years.
Aside from his impressive job experience, Shahrad is also an accomplished academician. He was a professor of accounting at Azad University and has published numerous accounting articles. Shahrad is a regular speaker at prestigious accounting conferences and has received several appreciation awards, including the Appreciation Award for presenting at The First Auditing Seminar celebrated by the Iranian Association of Certified and Public Accountants (IACPA). He also received recognition from EslamShahr Azad University, Mobarake Azad University, and the Scientific Association of Accounting Zanjan Azad University.
17. Gregory Don
CFO, Thinkingbox
Gregory Don is the CFO of Thinkingbox, a global creative collective shaping the future of brands through craft and curiosity. Don, who began his professional career in 2004, has 19 years of experience. Before joining Thinkingbox, Don was a CFO at West key Graphics. Don graduated from the University of British Columbia.
18. Jase Vanover
CFO, Sunrise Farms
Jase Vanover began his professional career in 2001, as the director of finance at Lafarge North America, and from there went on to Volker Stevin Canada. Today, he is the CFO of Sunrise Farms. From their hatcheries to their “ready to eat” state of the art cooking facilities they service customers in the retail, food service, and industrial sectors. They are proud of their support of the Canadian farm as well as their investment in the latest equipment and technologies at their facilities across Canada. Sunrise Farms’ test kitchens have the most current cooking equipment replicating that used in commercial establishments, to facilitate precision testing. One of the company’s goals is to ensure the product its customers receive will perform to their expectations.
Vanover graduated from the Wharton School with an MBA and from the University of Calgary with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
19. Chui Wong
VP of Finance and Administration, Neptune Terminals
Chui Wong has more than 20 years of diverse international financial management experience. Currently, he serves as Vice President of Finance and Administration for Neptune Bulk Terminals (Canada), where he oversees the company’s finance, procurement, information technology, legal and insurance, and risk departments. He also currently sits on the Audit and Finance Committee of the BC Maritime Employers Association. Chui has previously held positions as CFO for various publicly traded companies in the mining and telecommunications industries, where he oversaw global finance, treasury, and tax functions, and was actively involved in corporate development, commercial negotiations, capital markets, and merger and acquisition activities.
Prior to these roles, Chui held financial management positions at Methanex Corporation, and was Vice President, SEC External and Financial Reporting at Bear Stearns in New York City. He began his career at Deloitte, where he obtained his CPA designation, and holds a Bachelor' of Commerce degree from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia.
20. Simon Bodymore
CFO, Tasktop Technologies
Simon Bodymore is the CFO of Tasktop Technologies, which was acquired by Planview. Planview has one mission: to build the future of connected work, from ideas to impact. Planview helps organizations accelerate the achievement of what matters most, supporting its customers from need to speed, from passion to progress, and from overhead to optimization. Planview’s connected platform of solutions underpins the business and digital transformations of more than 4,500 customers globally, including 59 of the Fortune 100. Planview empowers enterprises to improve time-to-market and predictability, increase efficiency to unlock capacity, and ensure their most strategic initiatives deliver the desired business outcomes. Bodymore has 23 years of experience. He began his career in 2000.
Before joining Tasktop Technologies, Bodymore was a CFO at WurldTech Security Technologies and before that a CFO at PNI Digital Media. Earlier in his career he worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers as an audit manager.
21. Bill Tsang
CFO, Atico Mining Corporation
Bill Tsang graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting. Tsang is a CPA and has been extensively involved in managing growth-oriented companies through acquisitions, integrations, and greenfield initiatives, as well as specific financing activities. Tsang has held several senior accounting positions with multiple companies over the past decade, including four years as the corporate controller of the company.
22. Fraser Reid
CFO, CheckSammy
Fraser Reid has professional designations in accounting and finance as well as an extensive background in international taxation. He has over 19 years experience as an executive with an NYSE listed marine-midstream energy transportation company, and more recently has helped CheckSammy secure debt financing with Firepower out of Toronto, a simple agreement for future equity “SAFE” with Zero Infinity Partners from New York, and launch a significant Series A capital raise initiative. Fraser has been instrumental in facilitating CheckSammy’s continued growth as an asset light operator leveraging technology solutions in pursuit of building the world’s largest bulk junk/recycler and bespoke sustainability provider.
23. Jen Temple
CFO, Trademark Group of Companies
Jen Temple began her professional career 31 years ago. Today, she is the CFO of Trademark Group of Companies, which aims to go beyond exceptional service to develop deep and long-term client relationships and success stories by providing end-to-end solutions to their community members active in the industrial, construction education, medical, and real estate development space. Temple first got her start in 1992 as a secretary before moving on to become Trademark Group’s director of sales and marketing. She studied at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
24. Sarah Boatman
CFO and COO, Photonic
Sarah Boatman oversees the financial vision and operating strategies to drive Photonic’s sustainable growth. Regarded by her colleagues as an inspiring leader who builds inclusive teams, Sarah fosters a growth mindset in every organization she leads.
Prior to joining Photonic, Sarah was on the senior leadership team at Microsoft Studios in Vancouver, as the Director of Business Development and Strategy.
In 2009, Sarah joined Microsoft through the acquisition of BigPark, where she was the CFO and COO. AtBigPark, Sarah was instrumental in the successful sale of the company and subsequent integration with Microsoft. Prior to joining BigPark, she was the Director, Financial Planning and Analysis for Electronic Arts.
Sarah is currently a board member for Swiftmerge Acquisition and Atira Property Management. She has also served on the board of directors for the UBC Investment Management Trust, Atira Women’s Resource Society, and the BC Premier’s Economic Council. Sarah holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from McGill University, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and is a CPA of British Columbia.
25. Michelle Chang
CFO, Rove Concepts
Michelle Chang is the CFO of Rove Concepts. She first joined the company in 2002. Rove Concepts provides a curated and crafted experience that connects design with the individuals who seek it. Founded in the Pacific Northwest in 2011, their company grew from a desire to modernize the furniture industry. Focusing on quality and contemporary design, the company offers sophisticated home decor to help create an inspired lifestyle.
Previously, Chang was a VP of finance at Native Shoes, and before that a group head of finance at Plenary Group. Earlier in her career she worked with HSBC Bank as an accountant manager and commercial financial services. Chang earned a master’s in professional accounting from the University of Saskatchewan and an undergraduate degree in marketing and finance from the University of British Columbia.
