New CEOs named at First National and CCIB
First National Financial has named Hassan Pirnia as its new president and chief executive officer, effective November 2. Pirnia will succeed Jason Ellis, who previously announced his retirement. Ellis praised Pirnia, saying he “knows our industry well, understands the importance of the broker channel and has a strong track record of getting things done.”
Pirnia most recently served as North American chief risk officer, personal and business banking at BMO. He also held senior roles at CIBC for over 10 years. First National chairman Moray Tawse expressed gratitude to Ellis for his leadership and welcomed Pirnia, saying “First National is an exceptional franchise with a great team and strong momentum across the business. Hassan is the right leader to build on that success.”
New Leadership at First National
Pirnia holds designations from the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada and the Institute of Corporate Directors. He expressed excitement about joining First National, saying “The company has an exceptional franchise, a great team, and a strong position in the Canadian mortgage market.” First National Financial has over $170 billion in mortgages under administration and is one of Canada’s largest non-bank mortgage originators.
In other news, Northview Residential REIT has appointed Sarah Walker as its new chief operating officer and Laura Ingram as chief financial officer, effective November 2. Walker joined Northview in 2021 as chief financial officer, while Ingram brings over 18 years of senior financial experience to her new role.
Appointments at Northview and CCIB
Todd Cook, president and CEO of Northview, praised Walker’s contributions to the company’s success, including the recapitalization transaction in 2023. He also welcomed Ingram, saying “Laura’s leadership, experience and the strategic perspective that she brings will be invaluable as we continue executing our long-term strategy.” The Canadian Council for Indigenous Business has also appointed Peter Dinsdale as its new president and CEO, effective November 16.
Dinsdale spent over 10 years as president and CEO of YMCA Canada and previously served as CEO of the Assembly of First Nations. He said “Economic reconciliation requires practical action, strong relationships, and measurable results, and I am excited to help advance that work.” Robert Brant, CCIB board of directors co-chair, praised Dinsdale’s track record of strategic leadership and bridge-building with corporate Canada.
Colliers Real Estate Management Services has hired Roberto DeBarros as vice-president, construction project management. DeBarros previously worked at RioCan REIT for over 24 years, overseeing 550 projects annually with budgets up to $100 million. Rick Charlton, executive vice-president at Colliers REMS, expressed confidence in DeBarros’ ability to deliver high-quality results.
Balmoral Capital has promoted Mathew Marino to managing director, where he will oversee origination and execution of advisory mandates. Marino previously worked at Avina Capital for almost three years. Crown Realty Partners has also appointed Edward Lam as senior vice-president, investments, who spent over 15 years in commercial real estate, most recently at QuadReal Property Group.
Lam led over $3.5 billion in real estate transactions during his tenure. The Real Estate Council of Ontario has appointed Jean Lépine as interim CEO, who has served as acting CEO since December. RECO’s board of directors chair J. Mark Rodger praised Lépine’s strong leadership during a period of significant change.
Paul T. Vanderslice has been chosen as the incoming president and CEO of the CRE Finance Council, effective September 30. Vanderslice joins from BMO Capital Markets, where he is head of commercial mortgage-backed securities. Toby Cobb, chair of CREFC’s executive committee and board of governors, praised Vanderslice’s deep industry expertise and commitment to CREFC.
Vanderslice has been a member of CREFC for nearly three decades and previously worked at Citigroup and Cantor Commercial Real Estate. CREFC is the trade association for the over US$6 trillion commercial real estate finance industry in the U.S., with a membership of over 400 companies and 19,000 individuals.
