Since I grew up in Montreal, McGill was the only university I applied to. It was an obvious choice because it had the best reputation. I was fortunate to have a close group of friends who applied with me and we were all accepted.
At McGill, I enjoyed the social experiences just as much as the academic experiences. I have fond memories of playing touch football, basketball, squash, golf and many other sports. I also served as Class President of the Management Undergraduate Society, which allowed me to meet different people and immerse myself in the diversity of cultures that McGill has to offer.
I had two influential professors, Professor Byrd and Professor Armstrong, who both had a powerful impact on me and always encouraged me to do my best.
When I was 26 years old, my father passed away and I decided to take over his accounting and insolvency practice. The CPA profession has been rewarding, challenging and interesting. It has been a fantastic foundation to build on to do many other things and achieve my goals.
I joined a KPMG predecessor firm and was chairman and managing partner of the restructuring and insolvency division which became very profitable for the firm. Over the years, I evolved from one aspect of financial services to another – from insolvency to corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. I was given an opportunity to take on an executive role and join my first board, the KPMG board of directors. KPMG was the largest professional services firm in Canada, so this was an exciting opportunity in my career.
I retired after 26 years at KPMG, but there were new adventures waiting for me. I spend over half my time on boards; I'm currently on five public boards as well as institutional and private boards. I continue to be active in mergers, acquisitions and corporate finance. Exercise is also an important part of my day. I start every day with an hour either on the treadmill or a walk up the mountain, which is beautiful and so close to McGill.
I was lucky to work at KPMG because it challenged me to push myself and provided me a fulfilling career. I was able to capitalize on all the opportunities I was given and take advantage of them. But opportunities are not always handed to you – there must be passion, drive, hard work and ambition too.
My advice to students is to find a mentor to encourage you. I love being a mentor for young people because of how much my first mentor motivated me at KPMG. He helped me launch my career, promoted me, and challenged me. Also, we became very close friends.
Another piece of advice is to travel and be accepting of each other’s differences. I've had the privilege of travelling to Africa, India, China, Europe, Israel, and most of Canada, amongst many other places. McGill provides such a wealth of opportunities to travel, which broadens your horizons and can help you cultivate tolerance, acceptance, and integrity. As a young person, it is imperative to develop a good value system which will remind you of the important things in life and business.
McGill has always been a focal point in my life and remains so, even today. I live a seven-minute walk from campus, my office is a three-minute walk from Roddick Gates, and my wife and three of my four children have attended McGill.
It was only after travelling the world that I realized how renowned McGill is for its stellar education and reputation. Everywhere I go, I am received with respect and admiration when I mention that I went to McGill. I have a lot of pride and I greatly appreciate the education I received. I certainly believe it gave me the right foundation to succeed.