Dr. Jay Smith, PhD, CIM, FCSI
As a Portfolio Manager of CIBC Wood Gundy, Dr. Smith is responsible for providing financial advice to his clients while managing a high net worth branch of CIBC Wood Gundy. He currently manages over $5 billion dollars in client assets.
Background
After completing his Doctorate at the University of Toronto, Dr. Smith lectured at the University of Toronto, McGill University and Universiti Sains Malaysia, joining Merrill Lynch Canada as a Financial Consultant in 1978. He was named a Vice President and Chairman of the Advisory Council to Management in 1984, and by 1987 he had been named a Senior Vice President and Director. In January 1990, he joined Wood Gundy as a Vice President, Director and shareholder.
Designations and Awards
Dr. Smith is a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute, and a Chartered Investment Manager. In 1991, he was the first recipient of the Investment Dealers Association's National Award of Distinction, an annual award that recognizes excellence and the highest standards of professionalism in the investment industry. He has also contributed articles to philosophical journals, financial publications, and gives talks and interviews on financial matters.
Philanthropic Work
Dr. Smith is well known for his philanthropic work and currently serves on the Boards and Executive Committees of numerous charitable organizations including the Art Gallery of Ontario, where he is a Trustee, Chair of the Photography Committee, past Chair of the Contemporary Curatorial Committee, and sits on their Executive and Strategic Planning Committee. He is a Life Director and a past President of the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery at Harbourfront Centre. He is a Trustee and Treasurer of The Gershon Iskowitz Foundation and on the Board and Executive Committee of the Council of Canadian and American Relations. He also sits on Tate's North American Acquisition Committee and on their International Council, and is the past Co-Chair of the Canadian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. In addition to being a strong supporter of culture, Dr. Smith is a former member of the Executive Council and International Board of the Weizmann Institute of Science, and was a member of the Board of Governors at Mount Sinai Hospital.
OUR TEAM
Michael Homburger
Financial Associate
Michael Homburger, is a CIRO registrant who trades in equities and options. He has been providing clients with seasoned financial analysis and portfolio reviews since 1987. He studied Economics at the University of Western Ontario.
Brad Brown, MBA, CFA
Associate Investment Advisor
Portfolio Manager
Prior to joining our team, Brad was a Director with CIBC Private Wealth’s Investment Strategy Group.In this role, Brad and his team managed several equity and fixed-income portfolios that were exclusive to CIBC Wood Gundy advisors. In addition, he also provided equity ideas and market views to Wood Gundy Investment Advisors and their clients across Canada.
Before joining CIBC, Brad was the head of U.S. equity research for a European research firm and spent several years trading fixed-income and equity index futures. Brad is a graduate of the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto, is a CFA Charterholder, and is also a registered Portfolio Manager with the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization.
Haleh Baek, DMS, FCSI, CIM®
Financial Associate
Haleh Baek is registered with CIRO and she handles equities and options trades. Haleh joined Dr. Smith's team in 2009 and takes pride in serving clients, while currently holding the Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI) and Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designations. She also holds a Specialized Honours degree in Pure Mathematics from York University.
Christopher Gillis, DMS, FCSI, CIM®
Financial Associate
A CIRO registrant who joined the team in 2005. Chris graduated with a BA (Honours) in Economics from the University of Toronto and currently holds the Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI) and Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®). Chris is an integral part of the team, who concentrates on equity trading, and assists with client service requests.
Alexa Wing
Client Associate
Alexa is a CIRO registrant Client Associate who joined the team in 2002.
She specializes in documentation, estates, TFSAs and client support.
She holds a degree from the University of Toronto.
Andrew Houldsworth
Client Associate
Andrew Houldsworth is a CIRO registrant Client Associate who joined Dr. Smith's team in 2015. He has almost 20 years of experience with CIBC after starting in Victoria, B.C., including over 13 years at CIBC Wood Gundy. Andrew brings value to the team by focusing on client relationships and administrative responsibilities, while providing impeccable service to clients and technical support to the team. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurial Management from Royal Roads University and a Diploma of Business Administration in Accounting from Camosun College.
Victoria Nepomuceno
Client Associate
Victoria Nepomuceno has over 13 years of experience in the financial services industry and a business education from Centennial College. Victoria joined Dr. Smith's team in 2019 as Branch Administrator to manage various aspects of branch operations, and she is a great asset to the team.
Mate Petrovic, CIM®
Financial Associate
Mate Petrovic joined Dr. Smith's team in 2019, coming from the Calgary branch where he had over 8 years of experience and he worked on one of the best teams in the city. His Bachelor of Business Administration was received from Mount Royal University, and Mate is able to assist in all aspects of client interaction as an CIRO registrant, from administration to trading support. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team.
Michael Shah
Client Associate
Michael Shah is the newest member of the team who supports many facets of our business, including documentation and other general administration. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from Toronto Metropolitan University and has 4 years of financial services experience.
Nikola Ljubicic
Financial Associate
Nik joined Dr.Smith’s team in 2023. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from Toronto Metropolitan University and over 3 years of experience in the financial services industry.
Kelly Leon
Client Associate
Kelly Leon joined Mr. Smith’s team in 2024 and she has accumulated over 20 years of experience working at CIBC Wood Gundy. Her ability to anticipate client needs before they arise sets her apart as a proactive and attentive professional. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Acadia University, she also holds the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation.
Kelly provides administrative support and client service, focusing on delivering outstanding client experiences and a strong foundation of knowledge.
Thomas Labrovic
Administrative Assistant
Thomas provides administrative support to the team and has been with CIBC for 12 years, much of which was spent with our Private Banking partners.
Michael Homburger
Michael Homburger, is a CIRO registrant who trades in equities and options. He has been providing clients with seasoned financial analysis and portfolio reviews since 1987. He studied Economics at the University of Western Ontario.
Brad Brown, MBA, CFA
Prior to joining our team, Brad was a Director with CIBC Private Wealth’s Investment Strategy Group.In this role, Brad and his team managed several equity and fixed-income portfolios that were exclusive to CIBC Wood Gundy advisors. In addition, he also provided equity ideas and market views to Wood Gundy Investment Advisors and their clients across Canada.
Before joining CIBC, Brad was the head of U.S. equity research for a European research firm and spent several years trading fixed-income and equity index futures. Brad is a graduate of the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto, is a CFA Charterholder, and is also a registered Portfolio Manager with the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization.
Haleh Baek, DMS, FCSI, CIM®
Haleh Baek is registered with CIRO and she handles equities and options trades. Haleh joined Dr. Smith's team in 2009 and takes pride in serving clients, while currently holding the Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute (FCSI) and Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designations. She also holds a Specialized Honours degree in Pure Mathematics from York University.
Our partners
We partner with CIBC experts to help address all of your wealth needs.
Peter Demestihas, PFP
Financial Planning Specialist
As a Financial Planning Specialist, Peter supports Investment Advisors in delivering integrated financial planning services to our clients. Before working with our team, he spent 10 years supporting financial planning at CIBC Wood Gundy's head office where he was responsible for the successful implementation of our industry-leading financial planning tools and software, and has helped create over 1,000 financial plans for Investment Advisors across the country. Peter has obtained the Personal Financial Planner (PFP) designation and completed a number of courses through the Canadian Securities Institute.
Peter Demestihas, PFP
As a Financial Planning Specialist, Peter supports Investment Advisors in delivering integrated financial planning services to our clients. Before working with our team, he spent 10 years supporting financial planning at CIBC Wood Gundy's head office where he was responsible for the successful implementation of our industry-leading financial planning tools and software, and has helped create over 1,000 financial plans for Investment Advisors across the country. Peter has obtained the Personal Financial Planner (PFP) designation and completed a number of courses through the Canadian Securities Institute.