Awards

Awards

November 17, 2025
The OMNI King Edward Hotel Toronto

Join Us for an Evening of Excellence at the Institutional Connect Awards!
2025 Host

Dianne Buckner


View Bio

Experience a night of sophistication and celebration as we honour the outstanding achievements in Canada’s institutional investment industry at the prestigious Institutional Connect Awards. This exclusive event highlights the industry’s trailblazers—those who are redefining the future of pension funds and investment management with innovative strategies, dedication to fiduciary excellence, and bold approaches that challenge the status quo.

As the investment landscape evolves, organizations and individuals are rising to meet new challenges in areas like macroeconomic trends, organizational culture, and investment practices. At the Institutional Connect Awards, we celebrate these remarkable efforts, recognizing achievements at both the organizational and individual levels. Whether at the beginning of their journey or already established leaders, award recipients will be celebrated for the unique impact they’ve made in their own way.

Judge Committee

Tamara Close

MSc, CFA

Senior Director, ESG Advisory

Petra Funds Group

View Bio

Jean-David Tremblay Frenette

M.Sc.

Chief Economist and Director, Investment Strategy Research

Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo)

View Bio

Ju Hui Lee

CFA, CAIA, FSA, FCIA, CERA, FRM

Head of Market Risk

United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF)

View Bio

Les Marton


Managing Director

bfinance Canada Inc.

View Bio

Jordan Ostapchuk


Partner

Fuse Strategy

View Bio

Christine Tessier

CFA, CAIA

Chief Investment Officer, Mercer Global Investments

Mercer

View Bio

Raylene Whitford

ACA, MBA

Vice Chair, Investment Committee

Metis Settlements Impact Fund

View Bio

Ying Wu

CFA

Director, Risk Management and Chief Compliance Officer

Vestcor Inc.

View Bio
Celebrating Innovation: Introducing 2025 Institutional Connect Awards New Categories!
Institutional Connect is pleased to announce new awards categories for this year Institutional Connect Awards 2025! Click the tab below to discover more!
Awards Categories

Submit your nominations today to honor excellence across the industry. Recognize the individuals and organizations shaping the future. We look forward to celebrating their achievements at the 2025 Awards Ceremony!

What to Expect

Nominations Open until September 19th, 2025

Judge Committee Review nominations, select finalists and winners

Finalists will be announced in late October

Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on November 17th, 2025

Participate at the​ Awards Ceremony
Purchase
individual tickets
Register Now
Reserve a table for your colleagues and clients
Learn More
Sponsor
the event
Learn More
Scroll to Top

Dianne Buckner

Dianne Buckner‘s best known for her role as host of CBC’s longtime business reality program Dragons’ Den, and for her work as a & Business News Correspondent for CBC News.
She’s had a front row seat as inventive entrepreneurs and confident moguls negotiate deals, while her work as a correspondent for CBC News has sent her around the world and across North America, to report on business stories important to Canadians. She brings a natural curiosity along with years of experience to her work as a host/mc and in her presentations on trends in business.
Dianne has interviewed prime ministers, CEOs, and innovators of all types. She brings a depth of knowledge – along with a sense of fun – when asked to MC events. She also has extensive experience as a moderator for panel discussions.
“I don’t know what’s more fun,” she says, “Spending time with the Dragons–they’re just as entertaining and impressive off the air–or meeting all the brave and creative entrepreneurs who come to pitch!”
For 10 years, she hosted the popular current affairs program Venture, eventually becoming the show’s executive producer, as well. From there, Buckner went on to co-create Fortune Hunters, a magazine show on CBC Newsworld that focused on entrepreneurship. And since 2006, she has hosted CBC’s popular reality show Dragons’ Den.
Prior to her time with CBC, Buckner spent five years at CTV, where she co-hosted the consumer affairs program Live It Up!, and was backup host for Canada AM.
Buckner’s work has taken her to Australia, the Netherlands, Japan and Iceland; she’s interviewed prime ministers, as well as celebrity CEOs, such as Jack Welch and super-investor Warren Buffett.
Buckner has also worked in print journalism, writing book reviews for The Globe and Mail, and a weekly column for the Metro chain of newspapers.

Tamara Close

MSC, CFA

Senior Director, ESG Advisory

Petra Funds Group

Tamara has over 25 years of combined experience in capital markets and ESG strategy. She is based in Montreal and works with investment management firms and asset owners to advance their ESG integration practices across both risk and value frameworks. She was previously the Head of ESG Integration for KKS Advisors, a global ESG Advisory firm. Tamara has held various front office investment management positions for the Bank of Montreal and Credit Lyonnais in the global derivatives and foreign exchange markets and was previously the head of research and risk for a start-up fixed income asset management firm in Montreal. Before founding Close Group Consulting, she spent 10 years in senior leadership roles within the risk and public markets investment groups of PSP Investments. She is also the founder and creator of the Sustainable Risk Assessment Framework

Tamara holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification and is a member of the ESG Examination Subcommittee for CFA Institute, a council member of the Canadian Advocacy Council for CFA Societies Canada. She is a Board director for Evovest, an investment management firm using artificial intelligence and evolutive learning techniques to manage investment portfolios. She is also a Board director for CFA Montreal and was previously the Chair of the ESG Committee. Tamara is also a member of the Investment Committee for the JGH Foundation. Tamara is a Strategic Advisor to the Veristell Institute, a globally focused think-tank on ESG and Corporate Purpose, and an Advisor and Contributor to PracticalESG, a source for ESG thought leadership. Tamara is a regular contributor to industry journals and author of thought leadership on ESG, risk management and sustainable investing and is a sought after speaker. She earned a Bachelor in Economics from McGill University and a Master of Science degree in Finance from the John Molson School of Business. She is based in Montreal and is fluent in English and French. 

Jean-David Tremblay Frenette

M.Sc.

Chief Economist and Director, Investment Strategy Research

Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo)

Jean David joined AIMCo in December 2010 to lead the Global Tactical Asset Allocation investment activity. He has, since then, transitioned internally in a senior capacity to work on investment strategy research, asset allocation, quantitative research and macroeconomic analysis. He is currently Chief Economist and Director, Investment Strategy Research.

Prior experience includes macroeconomic analysis, tactical asset allocation and global macro portfolio management at Caisse dépôt et placement du Québec – CDPQ. He also worked in strategic investments for National Bank of Canada. Jean David began his career working in mergers and acquisitions at Credit Suisse in Toronto.

He holds an M.Sc. degree in finance from the Henley Business School – ICMA Centre at the University of Reading, United Kingdom and a BCom. – finance major, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Canada.

Ju Hui Lee

CFA, CAIA, FSA, FCIA, CERA, FRM

Head of Market Risk

United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF)

Ju Hui Lee is Head of Market Risk of UNJSPF (United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund), responsible for market risk oversight and asset-lability management. The fund manages assets of US$91.5 billion as of 31 December 2021.

Before joining UNJSPF, Ju Hui worked on the asset-liability analysis of the Canada Pension Plan and the factor studies at Canada Pension Investments (CPP Investments). In addition, she led modelling groups in the Global Risk Management at Scotiabank and ALM consulting, pension investment strategy development and risk management activities for financial institutions, model vetting, and actuarial valuation reporting for clients at KPMG and Mercer and developed the LDI methodology and was responsible for the strategic asset allocation at Manulife Financial.

Ju Hui holds a BSc. Mathematics, an MBA from the Yonsei University in Korea, and an MSc in Financial Mathematics from the University of Chicago. Ju Hui holds the CFA, CAIA, FSA, FCIA, CERA, and FRM designations.

Les Marton

Managing Director

bfinance Canada Inc.

Les is the Managing Director and Lead Client Consultant in bfinance’s Canadian institutional investment consultancy practice.

He has worked in financial services for more than 35 years, with more than two decades of experience in asset management. He has extensive experience on the buy-side, having managed the Scotia Alternative Asset Fund from 2001-2003, launched the Scotiabank Canadian Hedge Fund Index and was Head of Operational Due Diligence for Scotia Capital’s alternative assets business. Les has worked extensively with institutional allocators in a range of advisory roles throughout his long and varied career. Prior to joining bfinance in 2017 he held senior roles at Scotiabank including Managing Director, Head of Hedge Fund Consulting & Capital Introduction and Head of the Global Alternative Asset Group. He began his career at Royal Bank of Canada and RBC Capital Markets.

Les has been a frequent speaker at pension investment conferences on a wide range of topics. He has eclectic tastes in literature and music, is an avid sports enthusiast as well as a keen (though unaccomplished) golfer. In the dim mists of time he received an MBA from York University and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and English from the University of Toronto, Trinity College. 

Jordan Ostapchuk

Partner

Fuse Strategy

Jordan advises institutional investors and capital allocators on strategic choice-making through the lens of Capital Design, with over 15 years of experience in working with some of the world’s leading funds.
Prior to founding Capital Design, he spent a decade at OMERS where he led strategy, innovation, and communication functions across Infrastructure, Pensions, and Real Estate, most recently leading OMERS Infrastructure’s investment strategy function. He started his career as a Consultant at Deloitte.
Jordan is defending his PhD from the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology in early 2024, on strategic choice-creation and decision-making in institutional capital allocation via the new field of Capital Design. Jordan also has an M.A. from the University of Southern California, and an M.Des. in Strategic Foresight and Innovation from OCAD University. 

Christine Tessier

CFA, CAIA

Chief Investment Officer, Mercer Global Investments

Mercer

Christine Tessier (CFA, CAIA) is an investment professional with +25 years of experience in institutional and retail product governance and investment and operational due diligence across asset classes, in both public and private markets. Mrs. Tessier is returning to Mercer as Chief Investment Officer of Mercer Global Investments in Canada. Previously, Ms. Tessier was Chief Investment Officer at Harbourfront Wealth Management, a Canadian-based independent wealth management firm focused on providing institutional quality solutions to the retail channel. Mrs. Tessier was Chief Investment Officer at Foresters Financial, overseeing the company’s $7B in life insurance and pension assets. Prior to joining Foresters, Mrs. Tessier was head of Investments at CAA Club Group, where she oversaw the company’s $1.5B in corporate, pension and P&C insurance assets. Prior to working in the insurance industry, Mrs. Tessier worked in institutional product development at Invesco Ltd. She was a Principal at Mercer Investments, where she focused on Manager Research. Mrs. Tessier began her career at TAL Global Asset Management (now CIBC Asset Management) in Montreal. Mrs. Tessier is a CFA charterholder and a CAIA charterholder. She holds an honor Bachelor of Commerce degree from Laurentian University.

Raylene Whitford

ACA, MBA

Vice Chair, Investment Committee

Metis Settlements Impact Fund

Raylene Whitford is a Cree-Métis finance professional with a longstanding career in the energy industry. As an inaugural member of the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board, Raylene is focused on integrating Indigenous rights and interests into corporate sustainability reporting. A former equity partner at Deloitte, Raylene is the Vice-Chair of the Métis Settlements Development Corporation’s $100m impact investment committee, and a Director for a Stó:lō Nation development corporation. She is also the founder of Canative Energy, a boutique consultancy focused dedicated to advancing Indigenous inclusion in corporate spaces. Her previous leadership positions include directing a company listed on the London Stock Exchange and leading a $42 billion capital efficiency project for an integrated energy company in the Middle East. Raylene began her career in London with KPMG UK, where she spent several years working in the Audit, Transactions & Restructuring, and Strategy practices. Raylene is a Chartered Accountant (ICAEW), has an MBA from the Aberdeen Business School (UK) and is currently completing an interdisciplinary PhD in Indigenous Studies and Business at the University of Alberta. Raylene is a proud member of the Otipemisiwak Métis Nation in Alberta.

www.linkedin.com/in/raylene-whitford

Ying Wu

CFA

Director, Risk Management and Chief Compliance Officer

Vestcor Inc.

Ying is the Director, Risk Management at Vestcor, where she leads the Risk Team and oversees all activities related to the assessment and management of investment risk and enterprise risk across the organization. She also serves as Chief Compliance Officer at Vestcor. Prior to leading the Risk Team, Ying held positions in Quant/Applied Research where she focused on investment research, investment risk management, asset allocation and asset & liability management.

Ying has over 15 years of experience working in risk management. She holds an M.A. degree in Economics and is a CFA charter-holder. Ying is a Board Member of Pension Investment Association of Canada (PIAC). She is also the Vice President of the CFA Society Atlantic Canada Board.