Former RBC DS portfolio manager to helm new family office

Walter Global Asset Management (Walter GAM), W Investments Group LP and the Grondin Group have launched a multi-family office, Walter GAM said in a release on Wednesday.

The new Westmount, Que.–based multi-family office, Samara, will offer clients “a personalized, values-based approach,” the release said, as well as wealth management services and “institutional-calibre” investment solutions.

Michael Grondin, a portfolio manager with RBC Dominion Securities until recently according to LinkedIn, will lead Samara as president and CEO.

He’ll be supported by Catherine Janson, partner and chief investment officer, and a team of investment, financial planning and operations professionals.

Westmount, Que.–based Walter GAM, a private equity firm, and Montreal-based W Investments, a private equity fund, will help underpin Samara with their complementary expertise in investment and business management, the release said.

“It’s an exciting time to invest in a multi-family wealth management firm, because Samara will be active in a high-growth sector that is underdeveloped in Quebec,” said Sylvain Brosseau, CEO and founding partner of Walter GAM, in the release.

In addition to Brosseau and Grodin, Samara’s board of directors will include Jean-François Courville, managing partner of Purpose Advisor Solutions; François Rivard, president and CEO of Innocap; and René Fournier, president and CIO of Walter Financial.

Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.