TORONTO, Nov. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CFA Society Toronto is pleased to announce the election of its 2025/2026 Board of Directors following the Annual General Meeting held on November 12, 2025. The Board of Directors serves a critical leadership role by providing strategic direction to carry out the Society’s mission and vision, delivering value to its members in a rapidly changing investment environment, and promoting high ethical standards for the enhancement of the investment profession.
From Left to Right: Garvin Deokiesingh ,CFA; Derek Walker, CFA; Minal Upadhyaya, LLB; Brian Madden, CFA; Jenifer Rush, CFA; Heather Cooke, CFA; Bobby Thompson, CFA; Sarim Farooqi, CFA; Fred Pinto, CFA; Sebastian Becerra, CFA; Nigel Carpenter, CNE; Noelle Sargeant.
CFA Society Toronto extends sincere thanks to Brian Madden for his outstanding leadership and dedication as Chair of the Board, under which the Society delivered exceptional value to its members. Brian now serves as Past Chair, and Heather Cooke assumes the role of Chair, bringing over 30 years of experience across institutional client management, investment management, and private wealth management.
CFA Society Toronto welcomes two new Board Members:
Garvin Deokiesingh (Hons) BA, CPA, CA, CFA – Director
Garvin Deokiesingh has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is a dynamic Finance, Audit, Risk Management and Financial Services Executive, with expertise in internal controls, enterprise risk management, and compliance. He is an influential leader, partnering with senior executives and key stakeholders to ensure achievement of organizational goals. He is effective at building and maintaining solid and trusted business relationships, and developing high performing teams through mentorship and coaching, enabling individuals to reach their fullest potential.
He is currently a Partner in the Governance, Risk and Compliance Services at KPMG Canada. He has previously been the Head of Enterprise Risk Management at Infrastructure Ontario, Chief Operating © 2025 CFA Society Toronto. All Rights Reserved. Officer for Foyston, Gordon & Payne Inc., and has served roles as Chief Auditor and Head of Enterprise Risk, Vice-President, Audit Services, and Associate Partner with various reputable international organisations and listed conglomerates. He has managed global teams across 13 countries, including 10 Asian countries, managing over 90 high-performing financial professionals.
Derek Walker, CFA – Director
Derek leads the Research group within the Total Fund Management department at CPP Investments. The Research group delivers focused, high-impact research and builds quantitative models and analytical tools to support investment decision-making and strengthen overall Total Fund management. Prior to his current role, he was Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Design & Construction, which recommends the Fund’s risk appetite and investment allocations across all horizons, as well as Head of Active Investment Management and Head of Portfolio Engineering – all within Total Fund Management (TFM). Prior to joining TFM, Derek was a Senior Portfolio Manager in the Global Tactical Asset Allocation group within Public Market Investments.
Before joining CPP Investments in 2008, Derek held a variety of positions related to quantitative investing and indexing at Barclays Global Investors and Morgan Stanley Capital International SA. © 2025 CFA Society Toronto. All Rights Reserved. Derek holds an MS in Computing and Information Science from Queen’s University and an MBA from INSEAD. He is a CFA Charterholder.
CFA Society Toronto Board Members stepping into new roles:
- Brian Madden, CFA – Past Chair
- Heather Cooke, CFA – Chair
- Bobby Thompson, CFA – Vice Chair
- Sarim Farooqi, CFA – Treasurer
CFA Society Toronto Board Members continuing to serve:
- Minal Upadhyaya, LLB – Secretary
- Sebastian Becerra, CFA – Director
- Nigel Carpenter, CNE – Director
- Audrey Gan, CFA – Director
- Jenifer Rush, CFA – Director
- Noelle Sargeant – Director
- Fred Pinto, CFA – Director & CFA Society Toronto CEO
The Society also expresses gratitude to departing board members Kar-Wei Lam, CFA and Sadiq Alladina, CFA.
“On behalf of CFA Society Toronto, we welcome Garvin Deokiesingh and Derek Walker to the Board of Directors. We also thank Kar-Wei Lam and Sadiq Alladina for their dedication, insight, and leadership during their tenures on the Board of Directors,” said Brian Madden, CFA, Chair of the Board of Directors and Chief Investment Officer of First Avenue Investment Counsel Inc. “I look forward to collaborating with my fellow board members, our dedicated volunteers, and staff to grow and enhance our diverse community to promote an ethical, dynamic, and vibrant investment and financial services industry.”
For more information about CFA Society Toronto, visit cfatoronto.ca.
About CFA Society Toronto
CFA Society Toronto is the world’s largest Society of CFA® Charterholders, dedicated to supporting the professional and business development of more than 11,500 members. With a focus on education, networking, and thought leadership, CFA Society Toronto empowers finance professionals to excel in a dynamic and competitive global market. Founded in 1936, CFA Society Toronto is a not-for-profit organization affiliated with CFA Institute, the global body that administers the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) curriculum and sets voluntary, ethics-based performance-reporting standards for the investment industry. For more information, visit cfatoronto.ca.
Chartered Financial Analyst® and CFA® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.
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