Management Committee
Gerald R. Connor
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Connor has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cumberland since founding the firm, together with three partners, in 1997. He is responsible for the firm’s overall investment policy, its operations and its strategic direction. He also has responsibility for managing a significant base of clients to which he brings over 40 years of investment experience. Prior to Cumberland, Mr. Connor was a founding partner of Connor, Clark & Company, Connor Clark & Lunn, and 20/20 Investment Management, which collectively managed over $16 billion for high-net-worth clients, pension plans and mutual funds. Before that, he managed discretionary funds at Baker Weeks of Canada and headed the Canadian operations of Francis I. DuPont and Co. Mr. Connor was a director of the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Foundation in Toronto for 14 years, and director of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre for 2 years.
Wesley Diong CA
Chief Financial Officer
Wesley Diong is Chief Financial Officer of Cumberland. He has over 15 years of senior finance experience in the investment management and financial services industry. Prior to Cumberland, he was a partner and Chief Financial Officer of a private markets investment advisory firm; and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of a Canadian distressed debt fund manager, responsible for finance, fund administration and investor relations. Before this, Mr. Diong was Vice President and acted as Chief Financial Officer at Fortress Canada, an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group, a private equity and hedge fund manager based in New York. Mr. Diong spent over 9 years at Royal Bank of Canada where he started his financial services career and held various positions including Chief Financial Officer of RBC Capital Partners, the private equity investment arm of RBC. Mr. Diong has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University and is a Chartered Accountant. He is a shareholder of Cumberland Partners Limited, the firm’s parent company.
Guida Fernandes
Operations Manager
Ms. Fernandes is a founding partner of Cumberland, and has responsibility for managing Cumberland’s operations and administrative staff. Prior to Cumberland, she was a partner at Connor, Clark & Company and has over 35 years experience within the investment industry in the areas of operations, compliance and general management. Ms. Fernandes is a director and shareholder of Cumberland Partners Limited, the firm’s parent company.
Peter Jackson HBSc, MBA, CFA
Chief Investment Officer, and Lead Manager, Canadian Equities
Mr. Jackson is Cumberland’s Chief Investment Officer. Mr. Jackson has been a Portfolio Manager at Cumberland since 1999, with overall responsibility for Canadian equities. He also manages the Cumberland Total Energy Fund and the Cumberland Special Opportunities Fund. Mr. Jackson is a member of Cumberland’s investment committee. Prior to Cumberland, Mr. Jackson managed a private investment partnership that acted as a sub-advisor for Elliott and Page Investment Counsel. Previously, he was a Portfolio Manager and Investment Analyst at Barclays McConnell and Sun Life, respectively, with a focus on Canadian equities stock selection and research. Mr. Jackson has over 25 years experience in the investment management business. He is a director and shareholder of Cumberland Partners Limited, the firm’s parent company.
Alexandra von Schroeter MBA, CFA
Head of Strategic New Business and Portfolio Manager
Ms. von Schroeter leads Cumberland’s strategic business and client portfolio management initiatives as well as marketing and communications for the firm. In addition, since 1999 when she joined Cumberland, Ms. von Schroeter has been managing investment portfolios for a significant base of affluent individuals and families. Prior to Cumberland, Ms. von Schroeter held senior positions at CIBC World Markets and Wood Gundy in Toronto and New York, and Bank of Montreal in Toronto. She brings over 24 years of experience in the investment industry, in capital markets and wealth management, and is affiliated with INSEAD, Europe’s leading international business school, as a trustee for the INSEAD Alumni Fund and the Canadian Foundation for INSEAD. Ms. von Schroeter is a director and a shareholder of Cumberland Partners Limited, the firm’s parent company.
Katharine Varik B.Sc.
Compliance Officer
As Compliance Officer, Ms. Varik oversees the regulatory aspects of the business for Cumberland. She has worked with Cumberland’s founding partners for over 20 years, and has broad experience within the investment industry in the areas of compliance, operations and general management. She joined Cumberland in1998 after working for Connor, Clark & Company where she was a partner. Ms. Varik is a shareholder of Cumberland Partners Limited, the firm’s parent company.