| Derek is an experienced corporate director, having served
on the boards of several growth companies. He also has served as CEO of
a large financial enterprise as well as a troubled manufacturing company.
His particular skills include advising young companies preparing to raise
investment capital. His passion is working with entrepreneurial managements
as a mentor and advisor on strategic issues to assist them in achieving
optimum success.
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS
Managed multi-million dollar investment portfolios of publicly listed
shares for a substantial Canadian life insurance company in Montreal and
London, England. He grew the value of the investments while training replacement
management of the portfolio.
A key contributor in the founding and management of one of Canada’s
first venture capital groups funded by institutional investors, identifying
and investing in, several highly profitable companies.
Led the turnaround of a tufted carpet manufacturer from virtual bankruptcy
to an annual profit in excess of $1 million.
Helped to create a new Western based venture capital Company, the largest
fund of its kind in Canada and, together with a team of professional executives
built a portfolio of venture investments worth over $100 million.
Corporate director on the boards of a number of Canadian growth companies,
assisting several to prepare for and to market successfully, initial public
offerings (IPOs) of equity securities.
Operated a consulting practice which focused on assisting early stage
technology companies to develop financing strategies based on their business
plans.
Part of the original management team formed to develop a BC based mentoring
initiative to assist technology company CEOs to grow their businesses, and
helped to build this organization to the point where it attracts annually
over 100 technology CEOs to its symposia and other networking functions.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE
Vancouver Enterprise Forum – President
AceTech (Academy for Technology CEOs) –
Founding Executive Director
Vencap Equities Alberta Ltd. – Founding
CEO, Director
Westmills Carpets Inc. – CEO, Director
Canadian Enterprise Development Corp. –
Executive Vice President
Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada – Investment
Officer
Softworld – Executive Director
QUALIFICATIONS
McGill University – B. Com.
CityXpress Corp. – Director
Science World – Member, Equity Committee
BC Technology Social Venture Partners – Partner
AceTech – Fellow
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