Our Team

As  an  Investment  Counsellor,  Pippa  Fry  provides  portfolio  management  services  and  her  experience  to  our  high  net  worth  clients  in  the  CI  Assante  Private  Client  program.  In  this  role,  in  consultation  with  our  team’s  knowledge  of  our  clients’  circumstances,  she  determines  an  appropriate  asset  allocation  to  best  meet  their  objectives.  She  also  provides  ongoing  review  of  client  portfolios  and  works  closely  with  our Wealth Planning team to ensure our clients’ investment plans continue to meet their needs. 

Pippa  comes  to  CI  Assante  Private  Client  with  30  years  of  experience  in  financial  services  working  in  London,  Hong  Kong, Tokyo, New York and Vancouver. Prior to joining Assante Private Client she was a Portfolio Manager at Phillips Hager & North, part of RBC Global Asset Management.  She started her  career  at  CIBC  in  London,  followed  by  roles  at  Merrill  Lynch  and  Swiss  Bank/UBS  before  joining  Citigroup  (on  the  merger of Citibank and Salomon Brothers Inc.) where she was a Managing Director of Fixed Income Capital Markets for 10 years before immigrating to Canada.  

Pippa  has  an  MA  from  Oxford  University.  She  holds  the  Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) designation. 

As Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning, Vanito Pobran works closely with our high net worth clients to identify issues and provide complex, tactical wealth planning support that complements their wealth plans. Vanito has a particular focus on tax and estate planning strategies for business owners, professionals and other affluent individuals and families.

Vanito joined CI Assante Private Client in 2015 after holding a tax manager position in the Calgary office of KPMG LLP. At KPMG, he worked in their tax group providing tax compliance and planning solutions to individuals and owner-managed businesses. Prior to this he was a Senior Accountant, Assurance and Business Advisory at Grant Thornton LLP in their Independent Business Group. Vanito has delivered his services across numerous sectors including manufacturing and processing, aviation, engineering, hospitality, real estate and construction. His overall professional experience in wealth planning exceeds 15 years.

Vanito is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Saskatchewan. In addition he holds the Certified Financial Planner® and Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designations. He is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta, the Canadian Tax Foundation, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and has completed both the CICA In-depth tax course and the CICA In-depth tax issues for the owner-managed business course.

As  a  Regional  Wealth  Planner,  Lisa  Friesen  facilitates  the  delivery  of  wealth  planning  reports.  Using  a  needs-based  approach,  Lisa  works  with  our  clients  to  not  only  gather  pertinent   financial   information,   but   more   importantly,   to  identify  issues  and  to  help  our  clients  articulate  and  document  their  goals  in  order  to  build  a  plan  that  meets  their complex needs. Working with the support of the wealth planning team, Lisa delivers a plan that addresses retirement planning, cash flow management, risk management, business planning and estate planning. 

Lisa  became  part  of  Assante  Private  Client  in  1996.  Her  experience  in  wealth  planning  and  financial  services  spans  over  25  years.  Before  joining  us,  she  held  a  position  at  BMO  Nesbitt Burns. 

Lisa  has  a  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree  from  the  University  of  Manitoba. 

As  an  Investment  Counsellor,  Pippa  Fry  provides  portfolio  management  services  and  her  experience  to  our  high  net  worth  clients  in  the  CI  Assante  Private  Client  program.  In  this  role,  in  consultation  with  our  team’s  knowledge  of  our  clients’  circumstances,  she  determines  an  appropriate  asset  allocation  to  best  meet  their  objectives.  She  also  provides  ongoing  review  of  client  portfolios  and  works  closely  with  our Wealth Planning team to ensure our clients’ investment plans continue to meet their needs. 

Pippa  comes  to  CI  Assante  Private  Client  with  30  years  of  experience  in  financial  services  working  in  London,  Hong  Kong, Tokyo, New York and Vancouver. Prior to joining Assante Private Client she was a Portfolio Manager at Phillips Hager & North, part of RBC Global Asset Management.  She started her  career  at  CIBC  in  London,  followed  by  roles  at  Merrill  Lynch  and  Swiss  Bank/UBS  before  joining  Citigroup  (on  the  merger of Citibank and Salomon Brothers Inc.) where she was a Managing Director of Fixed Income Capital Markets for 10 years before immigrating to Canada.  

Pippa  has  an  MA  from  Oxford  University.  She  holds  the  Chartered Investment Manager (CIM®) designation. 

As Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning, Cheryl Norton works  closely  with  our  high  net  worth  clients  to  identify  issues   and   provide   complex,   tactical   wealth   planning   support  that  complements  their  wealth  plans.    Cheryl  has  a particular focus on tax and estate planning strategies for business  owners,  farmers,  professionals  and  other  affluent  individuals and families.  

Cheryl joined CI Assante Private Client in 2018 after delivering tax planning services primarily in two multi-national public accounting  firms,  as  well  as  holding  senior  tax  and  estate  planning  positions  in  the  financial  services  and  insurance  industry.  Cheryl’s  expertise  includes  tax,  estate  and  trust  planning,  business  succession  planning,  intergenerational  wealth  transfer  strategies,  risk  management,  philanthropy  and charitable giving.  Her overall professional experience in tax and wealth planning exceeds 17 years.  

Cheryl  is  a  Chartered  Professional  Accountant  (CPA,  CA)  with  a  Bachelor  of  Commerce  degree  from  the  University  of  Windsor.    She  has  also  obtained  her  Certified  Financial  Planner®   (CFP®)   designation.   In   addition,   Cheryl   is   a  member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) and has completed the CICA In-Depth Tax Course and has acted as a group leader for this course.

As a Regional Wealth Planner, Dennis Kondratev facilitates the delivery of wealth planning reports. Using a needs based approach, Dennis works with our clients to not only gather pertinent financial information, but more importantly, to identify issues and to help our clients articulate and document their goals in order to build a plan that meets their complex needs. Working with the support of the wealth planning team, Dennis delivers a plan that addresses retirement planning, cash flow management, risk management, business planning and estate planning.
Dennis became part of CI Assante Private Client in 2019. Prior to this he held the role of Specialist, Estate and Financial Planning Services at Sun Life Financial, providing comprehensive financial planning to affluent families, professionals, and business owners.
Dennis has an MBA from Smith School of Business, Queens University. In addition, he holds his Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designations

As an Investment Counsellor, Ian McNeill provides portfolio management services and his experience to our high net worth clients in the CI Assante Private Client program. In this role, in consultation with our team’s knowledge of our clients’ circumstances, he determines an appropriate asset allocation to best meet their objectives. He also provides ongoing review of client portfolios and works closely with our Wealth Planning team to ensure that our clients’ investments plans continue to meet their needs.
Starting his career in the financial services industry in 2003, Ian has worked in a variety of roles within the investment industry, including as a Financial Planning Specialist with Edward Jones and as an Investment Analyst with a property & casualty insurance company. Prior to joining our team in 2021, Ian was most recently Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income and Chief Compliance Officer for a Toronto-based asset management firm which managed investments for institutional, family office, and individual clients.
Ian received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University in 2003, with a major in Business Administration, Computer Science and Finance. In addition, he is a CFA® (Chartered Financial Analyst) charterholder and holds the CFP® (Certified Financial Planner®) designation.

As  Regional  Vice-President,  Wealth  Planning,  Dilmini  works  closely  with  our  high  net  worth  clients  to  identify  issues  and provide complex, tactical wealth planning support that complements  their  wealth  plans.  Dilmini  has  a  particular  focus  on  estate  planning  and  wealth  transfer  strategies  for  business owners, professionals, and other affluent individuals and families. 

Dilmini   joined   CI   Assante   Private   Client   in   2019   after   practicing  estates  law  in  private  practice.  During  her  time  in  private  practice,  she  worked  both  as  an  estate  planning  lawyer  and  represented  clients  in  estate  litigation  matters.  Dilmini  assisted  clients  with  establishing  and  implementing  individualized   estate   plans   that   prioritized   their   wishes   and views with respect to legacy building. As a litigator, she represented beneficiaries, estate trustees, and guardians for property and personal care. Dilmini has appeared before all levels of Court in Ontario. 

Dilmini is a lawyer with a Bachelor of Law degree  from the University  of  Birmingham  (UK)  and  a  Bachelor  of  Science  degree  from  York  University.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Law  Society of Upper Canada  and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. 

As a Regional Wealth Planner, Debbie Simkins facilitates the delivery of wealth planning reports. Using a needs-based approach, Debbie works with our clients to not only gather pertinent financial information, but more importantly, to identify issues and to help our clients articulate and document their goals in order to build a plan that meets their complex needs. Working with the support of the wealth planning team, Debbie delivers a strategy that addresses retirement planning, cash flow management, risk management, business planning and estate planning.

Debbie became part of CI Assante Private Client in 2008. Her experience in wealth planning and financial services spans over 20 years. Before joining us, she was a director in the capital markets group of HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc. Debbie has a Business Administration diploma from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology and holds her Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designation

As an Investment Counsellor, Ian McNeill provides portfolio management services and his experience to our high net worth clients in the CI Assante Private Client program. In this role, in consultation with our team’s knowledge of our clients’ circumstances, he determines an appropriate asset allocation to best meet their objectives. He also provides ongoing review of client portfolios and works closely with our Wealth Planning team to ensure that our clients’ investments plans continue to meet their needs.
Starting his career in the financial services industry in 2003, Ian has worked in a variety of roles within the investment industry, including as a Financial Planning Specialist with Edward Jones and as an Investment Analyst with a property & casualty insurance company. Prior to joining our team in 2021, Ian was most recently Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income and Chief Compliance Officer for a Toronto-based asset management firm which managed investments for institutional, family office, and individual clients.
Ian received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University in 2003, with a major in Business Administration, Computer Science and Finance. In addition, he is a CFA® (Chartered Financial Analyst) charterholder and holds the CFP® (Certified Financial Planner®) designation.

As Regional Vice-President, Wealth Planning, Chris Thomson works  closely  with  our  high  net  worth  clients  to  identify  issues and provide complex, tactical wealth planning support that  complements  their  wealth  plans.  Chris  has  a  particular  focus   on   tax   and   estate   planning   for   business   owners,   professionals, and other affluent individuals and families. 

Chris joined CI Assante Private Client in 2008, after working in private  practice  serving  businesses  and  families  throughout  Eastern  Canada,  specializing  in  both  personal  and  business  estate  and  tax  planning.  His  overall  professional  experience  in wealth planning exceeds 25 years.  

Chris is a lawyer with a Bachelor of Law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. He is a member of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society,  and  the  Society  of  Trust  and  Estate  Practitioners.  Chris  has  completed  both  the  CICA  In-Depth  Tax  Course  and  the  CICA  Advanced  Tax  Issues  for  the  Owner-Managed  Business course. 

As  a  Regional  Wealth  Planner,  Graham  Long  facilitates  the  delivery  of  wealth  planning  reports.  Using  a  needs-based  approach, Graham works with our clients to not only gather pertinent  financial  information,  but  more  importantly,  to  identify issues and to help our clients articulate and document their goals in order to build a plan that meets their complex needs.  Working  with  the  support  of  the  wealth  planning  team,  Graham  delivers  a  plan  that  addresses  retirement  planning, cash flow management, risk management, business planning and estate planning. 

Graham became part of CI Assante Private Client in 2013. His experience in wealth planning and asset management spans over  20  years.  It  includes  holding  senior  positions  with  two  large  Canadian  asset  management  companies  and  working  with two of the major Canadian banks. Before joining us, he was  with  Atlantic  Canada’s  largest  independent  chartered  accounting firm. 

Graham  is  a  Chartered  Professional  Accountant  (CPA,  CGA)  with   a   Bachelor   of   Commerce   degree   from   Dalhousie   University. In addition, he holds both his Certified Financial Planner®  (CFP®)  and    Trust  and  Estate  Practitioner  (TEP)  designations.