Our Team

Robert Wessel

CA, CFA

Managing Partner & Co-Founder

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Robert Wessel

CA, CFA

Managing Partner & Co-Founder

Rob Wessel is Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Hamilton ETFs and has specialized in the financial services sector since 1995. Prior to co-founding Hamilton ETFs in 2009 (formerly Hamilton Capital), Rob worked for 15 years in various roles in the financial sector, including experience in corporate finance, investment banking plus senior roles in proprietary trading and equity research at a bank-owned investment dealer, the latter as a top ranked financial services and Canadian bank analyst each and every year.

Rob is recognized as one of Canada’s leading experts in the financial services sector, frequently speaks at industry events and has presented to management teams and boards of directors of many of Canada’s largest banks and insurers. Over the past 20 years he has also been a frequent commentator on the financial sector on BNN and in the Globe and Mail.

Rob has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and is a Chartered Accountant and a CFA Charterholder.

Jennifer Mersereau

FSA, CFA, ACIA

Senior Partner, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

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Jennifer Mersereau

FSA, CFA, ACIA

Senior Partner, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer

Jennifer Mersereau is Senior Partner, Co-Founder and COO of Hamilton ETFs. Jennifer oversees or is involved in managing all aspects of the firm. Prior to founding Hamilton ETFs (Hamilton Capital Partners Inc.), Jennifer worked with Rob Wessel at the dealer arm of a Big-6 Canadian bank, first in the capacity of Associate Analyst, Financial Services (assisting in the equity research coverage of the large-cap Canadian banks and life insurance companies), and later as co-manager of a successful internal long-short strategy specializing in financial services stocks.

Jennifer began her career at a major Canadian insurance company, where she held various roles of increasing responsibility in the Life Insurance New Product Pricing, Corporate Actuarial, and Investment Product Financial Management departments. She has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Diploma of Engineering, both from the University of Prince Edward Island. Jennifer is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, an Associate of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and a CFA charterholder.

Patrick Sommerville

Senior Partner, Head of Business Development

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Patrick Sommerville

Senior Partner, Head of Business Development

Pat is Senior Partner, Head of Business Development with Hamilton ETFs, overseeing all business development and marketing activities, and assists in managing the overall firm. Since joining the firm in 2013, he has contributed to the firm’s asset growth through his close work and partnership with portfolio managers and investment advisors across Canada who integrate Hamilton ETFs into their portfolios. Pat has worked in the financial services sector since 2005 in progressive sales and marketing roles, and has an Honours Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University.

Babak Assadi

CFA

Partner, Product Strategy, Portfolio Management & Head of Trading

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Babak Assadi

CFA

Partner, Product Strategy, Portfolio Management & Head of Trading

Babak is a Partner (Product Strategy, Portfolio Management, & Head of Trading) at Hamilton ETFs and a day 1 employee of the firm. As Head of Trading and Portfolio Manager, Babak is responsible for all trading related functions, from trade execution to communicating with clients and market makers for trading of Hamilton ETFs, as well as oversight of the firm's rules based ETFs. Babak also plays an integral role in product strategy, leading the development of new product ideas. Babak holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Honours Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo and is a CFA charterholder.

Derek Smith

CFA

Partner, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Compliance Officer

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Derek Smith

CFA

Partner, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Compliance Officer

Derek is Partner, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer of Hamilton ETFs. Having joined the firm upon its founding in 2009, Derek today oversees the firm’s financial, compliance and technology functions. Specifically, Derek manages the firm’s finances, regulatory reporting, performance monitoring, and supports strategic planning. Derek has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Honours Systems Design Engineering with an Option in Management Sciences and specialization in Intelligent Systems from the University of Waterloo. Derek is a CFA charterholder.

Nick Piquard

CFA

Chief Options Strategist (Bilingual)

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Nick Piquard

CFA

Chief Options Strategist (Bilingual)

Nick is Chief Options Strategist at Hamilton ETFs, overseeing our growing suite of income-focused covered call ETFs. Nick brings with him over 25 years of experience specializing in quantitative and options strategies including most recently over a decade as a Portfolio Manager and Options Strategist with one of Canada’s largest ETF providers, where he oversaw the day-to-day options activities of their covered call products. Nick has a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Adrian Ercolani

Managing Director, Operations

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Adrian Ercolani

Managing Director, Operations

Adrian is Managing Director, Operations with Hamilton ETFs and is responsible for overseeing the operational management and administration of the firm’s suite of ETFs. Before joining Hamilton ETFs in 2022, Adrian spent more than sixteen years at one of Canada’s largest custodian banks, supporting many of Canada’s ETF providers and various market participants through a range of roles covering Service Delivery, New Business and Relationship Management. Adrian received his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of Guelph, with specializations in Economics and Finance.

Robert Webb

CFA, MBA

Managing Director, Portfolio Manager

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Robert Webb

CFA, MBA

Managing Director, Portfolio Manager

Rob is Managing Director, Portfolio Manager with Hamilton ETFs, managing the firm’s actively managed ETFs, through a combination of macro analysis, bottom-up security selection and fundamental research. Before joining Hamilton ETFs in 2021, Rob most recently spent more than a decade analyzing global banking and mining stocks at one of Canada’s largest pension plans, ultimately managing the team of analysts selecting long and short investments in global financials and resources. Rob began his career on the sell-side in equity research at the investment banking arm of a Big-6 Canadian bank. Rob has an MBA from McMaster University.

Louis Ribieras

Director, Marketing (Bilingual)

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Louis Ribieras

Director, Marketing (Bilingual)

Louis is Director, Marketing with Hamilton ETFs, responsible for the firm's marketing initiatives and strategies to help grow the firm. Louis brings to the firm previous experience providing superior customer service to clients at a leading Canadian asset manager. Louis has a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University.

Alexei Vertan

Regional Director, Business Development (Bilingual)

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Alexei Vertan

Regional Director, Business Development (Bilingual)

Alexei is Regional Director, Business Development with Hamilton ETFs and is responsible for the firm’s sales and marketing initiatives in Quebec, Ottawa, and Atlantic Canada. Alexei has worked in the financial services sector since 2011 in progressive sales and marketing roles at several leading Canadian asset managers. Alexei has a Bachelor of Commerce, Finance from Concordia University.

Alexei est directeur régional, développement des affaires au sein de l’équipe de Hamilton ETFs et est responsable des initiatives de vente et de marketing de l'entreprise pour le Québec, Ottawa et le Canada atlantique. Alexei travaille dans le secteur des services financiers depuis 2011 dans des rôles progressifs de vente et de marketing chez plusieurs gestionnaires d'actifs canadiens. Alexei est titulaire d'un baccalauréat en commerce, finances, de l'Université Concordia.

Adam DeFreitas

Regional Director, Business Development

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Adam DeFreitas

Regional Director, Business Development

Adam is Regional Director, Business Development with Hamilton ETFs and is responsible for the firm’s sales and marketing initiatives in Southwestern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Adam has worked in various sales and marketing roles over the past 7 years at several leading Canadian asset managers, partnering with financial advisors to help them meet the needs of their clients. Adam has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from McMaster University.

Matthew Clarke

CIM, CFP

Regional Director, Business Development

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Matthew Clarke

CIM, CFP

Regional Director, Business Development

Matthew is Regional Director, Business Development with Hamilton ETFs and is responsible for the firm’s sales and marketing initiatives in western Canada. Matt has worked in the financial services sector since 2000 in various progressive sales and marketing roles. Matt has a Business Administration & Marketing Diploma from Seneca College, and the Canadian Investment Manager (CIM) designation from the Canadian Securities Institute and the Certified Financial Planner Designation from FP Canada.

Kristian Minorgan

CIM

Regional Director, Business Development

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Kristian Minorgan

CIM

Regional Director, Business Development

Kristian is Regional Director, Business Development with Hamilton ETFs and is responsible for the firm's sales and marketing initiative in Toronto. Kristian has worked in various sales roles in wealth management over the last 10 years. At his previous role with a leading Canadian asset manager, Kristian partnered with Portfolio Managers and Investment Advisors to help them meet their needs. Kristian has a Bachelor of Arts from Ontario Tech University and is currently pursuing his MBA at Sprott School of Business. Kristian also has his Canadian Investment Manager (CIM) designation from the Canadian Securities Institute.

Alex Fozard

Business Development Associate

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Alex Fozard

Business Development Associate

Alex is Associate, Business Development with Hamilton ETFs, focusing on supporting the firm's sales team and helping to develop advisor relationships across Canada. Alex has worked in the financial services sector since 2017 in progressive sales and marketing roles and has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Guelph.

Tim Zhou

Trading Associate

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Tim Zhou

Trading Associate

Tim is Trading Associate with Hamilton ETFs, providing assistance on a wide range of trading functions including execution and fund operations, as well as supporting the portfolio management team. Tim is a recent graduate of the joint double degree program from Wilfred Laurier (Bachelor of Business Administration) and the University of Waterloo (Bachelor of Mathematics).

Fernando Sanchez

Options Trading Associate

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Fernando Sanchez

Options Trading Associate

Fernando is Options Trading Associate with Hamilton ETFs, providing assistance on a wide range of trading functions including execution. Fernando brings to the firm previous experience specializing in quantitative and options strategies with one of Canada’s largest ETF providers. Fernando holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto – Rotman Commerce program with specializations in economics, data analytics, and statistics. Fernando is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 2 Candidate.

Tyler Goertzen

Analyst, ETF Operations & Accounting

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Tyler Goertzen

Analyst, ETF Operations & Accounting

Tyler is the ETF Operations and Accounting Analyst for Hamilton ETFs, with his role primarily focused on supporting the operations and overall administration of the firm’s suite of ETFs . Prior to joining Hamilton ETFs, Tyler spent five years at one of the largest custodian banks in Canada, working in Fund Accounting, with a focus on ETFs. Tyler has an advanced diploma in Business Administration - Accounting from Humber College.

Ivy Nguyen

Marketing Associate

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Ivy Nguyen

Marketing Associate

Ivy is Marketing Associate with Hamilton ETFs, supporting a wide range of marketing initiatives. Ivy brings to the firm previous experience from a leading Canadian asset manager where she worked closely with the sales and marketing teams. Ivy has a Bachelor of Arts in Banking & Investments from Vietnam National University and a diploma of Education, Banking and Financial Support Services from Humber College.

Kevin Beatson

Senior Consultant

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Kevin Beatson

Senior Consultant

Kevin is Senior Consultant with Hamilton ETFs, providing guidance on operations, strategy, and compliance based on his more than 35 years of experience in Canadian financial services, and especially with Exchange Traded Funds. Prior to joining Hamilton ETFs, Kevin worked for more than 20 years in various roles, including Portfolio Manager, Futures Trading Supervisor, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer, at Horizons ETFs. In addition to working with Hamilton ETFs, Kevin continues to serve on several industry boards and investment review committees.

Board of Directors

Howard Atkinson

CFA

Board Member

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Howard Atkinson

CFA

Board Member

Howard has over 30 years in the investment industry and brings extensive expertise and insight particularly as the retired President and co-founder of Horizons ETFs Management (Canada) Inc. Throughout his career, Howard has held executive positions at some of Canada’s largest investment firms including Horizons ETFs and Barclays Global Investors (Canada) Ltd. Viewed as a pioneer in the ETF field in Canada, Howard is the author of several of books on ETFs, including the world’s first on the subject entitled “The New Investment Frontier: A Guide to Exchange Traded Funds for Canadians“. Over the years, he has been an active advisor in the industry, serving on several public and private boards including Wealth Bar, a full-service online financial advisor that was recently acquired by CI Financial. He is also the past Founding Chair of the Canadian ETF Association, a past president of the CFA Society Toronto, and a firm consumer advocate, a commitment for which he was awarded the 2010 ‘Top Educator’ title for fostering financial literacy among Canadians by ACTIF.

Bob Brooks

Board Member

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Bob Brooks

Board Member

Bob is the former Vice Chair and Group Treasurer of the Bank of Nova Scotia, where he enjoyed a 40 year career in a succession of senior investment banking, finance, and treasury roles. Throughout his career, Bob has also served on a number of boards of directors including Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Integrated Asset Management and numerous Scotiabank subsidiaries including Scotia Discount Brokerage and Scotia Life Insurance Company. He brings substantial financial industry experience dealing with finance, risk management, pension fund asset mix, investment strategies, treasury functions and international operations. Bob has also been actively involved in community service, having served as the board chair of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario and the board chair of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

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