Robert Christopher, CIM™
I have over thirty years of experience in the financial services industry. Since 1999 I’ve specialized in providing investment, retirement, risk management and estate planning advice to a large physician-focused client base.
I hold my Canadian Investment Management (CIM™) designation.
Moving to Nanaimo with my wife Liz in 1999 was life-changing. Our son, Aidan, was born in 2001 and the three of us absolutely love it on Vancouver Island. In 2018 we were lucky enough to find a lovely rec property near Great Central Lake and spend a lof of the summer time there with our Eurasier puppy “Winston”.
From 2004 to 2018 I was very involved with Nanaimo Search & Rescue. Over my career with NSAR I was active on the Swiftwater Rescue Team, the Rope Rescue Team and was also a SAR Manager, tasked with coordinating the search efforts in our area and in mutual aid of other SAR groups on the island. I spent the last six years of my time with NSAR as President of the Nanaimo Search & Rescue Society.
I do most of the cooking (using "every dish in the kitchen" usually) at home and love it. I also enjoy biking (road and mountain), motorcycling, golf, curling and gym workouts.
Kelsey Draper, BA, CFP®
Wealth Strategist
Kelsey's role as Wealth Strategist is to take an in-depth approach with each client, understanding their unique situation and what is important to them. She provides families with a comprehensive financial plan with ideas and recommendations to optimize their financial affairs integrating retirement, tax, will, estate, trust and insurance plans.
Kelsey collaborates with external professional advisors, including accountants, lawyers and the CIBC advisory team to implement recommended strategies.
Kelsey joined the financial services industry in 2006 and holds the Certified Financial Planner designation.
Louise Eng, CFP®
Financial Planning Specialist
I have been in the Financial Services Industry for 21 years, with the last 10 years focusing on financial planning. I aim to provide clients with an engaging holistic approach to financial planning where we focus on what is important to them and help them navigate through their present realities and challenges to their future goals. Through the planning process, we will look at cash flow, retirement strategies, risk management, tax planning and estate planning.
James Amarelo
Financial Planning Specialist
James joined the financial services industry in 2003 and has held various positions in wealth management and retail banking. In 2010, he acquired his Certified Financial Planner designation (CFP) for the reason that he is passionate about promoting financial literacy and ensuring that clients are on track through various stages of life. Originally from Toronto, he moved to Victoria 10 years ago and has made this his home.
James is quite active in the community and in his personal life. He was the Head Coach of the Victoria Special Olympics Curling team and lead them to the Canadian National Games in 2020. He enjoys spending time with his wife (Michelle) and their toddler (Annabelle) and has an active lifestyle in various types of sports.
Aaron McEwen
Estate Planning Specialist
Aaron’s passion and belief in holistic financial planning drives his purpose to build deep client relationships. Utilizing a team that’s entirely focused on family planning, helps guide him to finding the right solutions. Aaron believes in a client-first approach and loves solving complex personal and corporate estate planning issues. He gives his time generously to family planning, focusing on what matters most.
Outside of work, Aaron enjoys golfing with his wife Chelsey, and riding his motorcycle throughout British Columbia.
Brian Einarson, B.Comm., CFP, RRC
Senior Trust and Estate Consultant
Brian believes that a key component of any wealth management plan is an estate plan that protects our clients’ assets, preserves their legacy and ensures their estate is distributed efficiently. Brian has been in the financial services industry since 2000. He started his career with a major investment firm and joined CIBC in Victoria, BC in 2006. Since then he has been honing his skills in financial and estate planning. Brian provides clients with a personalized approach to Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Trust services. When it comes to estate planning, every family presents a unique set of circumstances and Brian helps clients establish a plan that is custom tailored to suit their distinct needs.
Jamie Golombek, CPA, CA, CFP®, CLU, TEP, FCPA
Managing Director Tax and Estate Planning
As CIBC’s tax expert, Jamie supports CIBC Wood Gundy investment advisors in delivering integrated financial planning and advisory solutions to our high-net-worth clients. Jamie is quoted frequently in the national media and writes a weekly National Post column called Tax Expert.
Benjamin Tal
Deputy Chief Economist, CIBC
Benjamin Tal is responsible for analyzing economic developments and their implications for North American fixed income, equity, foreign exchange and commodities markets. He also acts in an advisory capacity to bank officers on issues related to wealth management, household/corporate credit and risk. Benjamin is a regular commentator on financial and economic trends in the Canadian and American media.
Avery Shenfeld, PhD
Managing Director & Chief Economist, CIBC Capital Markets
Avery Shenfeld is Managing Director and Chief Economist of CIBC Capital Markets. He has been with CIBC since 1993 and is widely recognized as one of Canada's leading economists for his perceptive analysis and insight on economic developments and their implications for financial markets.
He is a repeat winner of the Dow Jones Market Watch forecasting award and has received awards for forecast accuracy on the U.S. and Canadian economies by Bloomberg Markets. He has also been consistently ranked as one of the top Canadian economists by institutional investors.
His prior background includes experience in management consulting. He was on the economics faculty at the University of Toronto and in the summer program at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has addressed numerous business groups and has been quoted in the media in the United States, Canada, Asia and Europe.
Dr. Shenfeld holds a PhD in Economics from Harvard University.
Kelsey Draper, BA, CFP®
Kelsey's role as Wealth Strategist is to take an in-depth approach with each client, understanding their unique situation and what is important to them. She provides families with a comprehensive financial plan with ideas and recommendations to optimize their financial affairs integrating retirement, tax, will, estate, trust and insurance plans.
Kelsey collaborates with external professional advisors, including accountants, lawyers and the CIBC advisory team to implement recommended strategies.
Kelsey joined the financial services industry in 2006 and holds the Certified Financial Planner designation.
Louise Eng, CFP®
I have been in the Financial Services Industry for 21 years, with the last 10 years focusing on financial planning. I aim to provide clients with an engaging holistic approach to financial planning where we focus on what is important to them and help them navigate through their present realities and challenges to their future goals. Through the planning process, we will look at cash flow, retirement strategies, risk management, tax planning and estate planning.
James Amarelo
James joined the financial services industry in 2003 and has held various positions in wealth management and retail banking. In 2010, he acquired his Certified Financial Planner designation (CFP) for the reason that he is passionate about promoting financial literacy and ensuring that clients are on track through various stages of life. Originally from Toronto, he moved to Victoria 10 years ago and has made this his home.
James is quite active in the community and in his personal life. He was the Head Coach of the Victoria Special Olympics Curling team and lead them to the Canadian National Games in 2020. He enjoys spending time with his wife (Michelle) and their toddler (Annabelle) and has an active lifestyle in various types of sports.