Benoit Girard, Finance Expert in Montreal, QC, Canada
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Benoit Girard

Verified Expert  in Finance

Finance Expert

Location
Montreal, QC, Canada
Toptal Member Since
January 28, 2019

Benoit is an investment expert, having managed $100+ million portfolios as a founding member of the management team of the O'Leary Funds, growing the firm to over $2 billion in assets until its acquisition in 2016. Following this exit, he turned to venture capital and providing strategic advisory to startups. Benoit freelances to tackle challenging projects across sectors and help companies with a social mission.

Career Highlights

Director | Venture Capitalist
Investissement Québec
Principal
Imagine Capital Group
Portfolio Manager
Stanton Asset Management/O'Leary Funds

Education Highlights

Bachelor's Degree
John Molson School of Business

Certification Highlights

Chartered Investment Manager
Canadian Securities Institute

Work Experience

Director | Venture Capitalist

2019 - PRESENT
Investissement Québec
  • Managed a team of investment professionals focused on disruptive technologies across fintech, AI, deep technology, autonomous driving, mobility, and others.
  • Managed an investment portfolio valued at $340 million.
  • Served as a deal team leader on $60 million deployed across 11 transactions and two exits for $16 million.
  • Sourced and executed VC deals, primarily as lead or co-lead, agnostic of growth stage or industry vertical.
  • Prepared investment memorandums for investment committees approvals.
  • Monitored portfolio companies’ governance through the board of representation as a non-executive director or board observer.
  • Coached junior analyst resources, notably in due diligence, deal structuring, negotiation, and salesmanship.
Focus areas: Early-stage Startups, Venture Capital, Financial Modeling, Investments, Investment Analysis, Investment Portfolio Management, Office 365, Excel 2016, Microsoft PowerPoint, Investment Return Scenario Analysis, Canada, Deal Analysis, Pitch Books, Deal Flow Origination, Fintech, Portfolio Management, Investment Strategy, Global, Startups, Due Diligence, Deal Structuring, Early-stage Venture Capital, Financial Analysis, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Alternative Investments, Startup Funding

Principal

2017 - 2019
Imagine Capital Group
  • Steered the launch of an early-growth venture capital fund focusing on Europe and Asia fintech.
  • Spearheaded an institutional process to scale deal sourcing efforts effectively across 1500+ potential targets.
  • Initiated dialogues with management teams to explore and evaluate investment attractiveness.
  • Conducted thorough financial, operational, and strategic due diligence programs to validate risk/reward assumptions.
  • Prepared investment memorandums for internal investment approval and for distribution to syndicated investors.
Focus areas: Fintech, Startup Funding, Venture Capital, Financial Modeling, Fundraising, Investments, Investment Analysis, Investment Portfolio Management, Office 365, Excel 2016, Microsoft PowerPoint, Investment Return Scenario Analysis, Deal Analysis, Pitch Books, Deal Flow Origination, Asia, Investment Strategy, Global, Startups, Due Diligence, Deal Structuring, Fundraising Consultant, Early-stage Venture Capital, Financial Analysis, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Alternative Investments, Early-stage Startups

Portfolio Manager

2017 - 2017
Galliant Advisors
  • Managed a market-neutral mandate with Growth at a Reasonable Price (GARP) investment bias focusing on American mid- and large-cap equities.
  • Structured an investment process leveraging a total portfolio approach for risk management through beta neutralization and thematic alpha generation.
  • Implemented operational and compliance control activities to align with industry best practices and institutional requirements.
Focus areas: Investment Strategy, Portfolio Management, Financial Modeling, Fundraising, Investments, Investment Analysis, Hedge Funds, Investment Funds, Investment Portfolio Management, Office 365, Excel 2016, Microsoft PowerPoint, North America, Investment Return Scenario Analysis, Canada, Bloomberg, Deal Analysis, Pitch Books, Equity Markets, Global, Due Diligence, Deal Structuring, Fundraising Consultant, Financial Analysis, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Alternative Investments

Portfolio Manager

2007 - 2016
Stanton Asset Management/O'Leary Funds
  • Played leadership roles in the establishment and the rapid growth of mutual-fund company O’Leary Funds as a founding member in 2008, subsequently growing AUM to $2 billion under four years.
  • Exited following the sale of fund management contracts to competing firm Canoe Financial in February 2016.
  • Managed global mandates as a lead or co-portfolio manager, up to $200 million AUM; mandates included global dividend, global infrastructure, emerging markets, US strategic yield, and North America preferred equities.
  • Developed expertise in portfolio construction within broad universes of securities, leveraging a methodical top-down process and proprietary resources to identify global macro narratives to drive beta allocation strategies.
  • Aligned top-down tactical positioning in the construction of core dividend portfolios with bottom-up fundamental analysis with a value/yield bias across regions and sectors.
  • Engineered process improvements and managed firm-wide FX overlay strategies across multi-class hedging structures.
  • Ran trade implementation for equity mandates (>$1.5 billion) across global markets with high- and low-touch trading strategies, managing commission allocation across global brokerage relationships.
  • Led firm initiatives to build out front-office and back-office infrastructures to support exponential AUM growth, captaining the initial implementation and later transition of OMS and EMS systems.
  • Supported fundraising objectives through thought leadership marketing initiatives and client presentations.
Focus areas: Capital Investment Appraisals, Portfolio Management, Markets, Financial Modeling, Fundraising, Investments, Investment Analysis, Hedge Funds, Investment Funds, Mutual Funds, Investment Portfolio Management, Office 365, Excel 2016, Microsoft PowerPoint, North America, Investment Return Scenario Analysis, Canada, Bloomberg, Deal Analysis, Pitch Books, Equity Markets, Investment Strategy, Global, Due Diligence, Deal Structuring, Fundraising Consultant, Financial Analysis, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Alternative Investments
2016 - 2017

Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree in General Management

IE Business School - Madrid, Spain

2003 - 2006

Bachelor's Degree in Finance

John Molson School of Business - Montreal, Quebec

SEPTEMBER 2012 - PRESENT

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

CFA Insitute

NOVEMBER 2011 - PRESENT

Chartered Investment Manager

Canadian Securities Institute

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