Walter Capital Management is an asset management firm offering a full array of investment strategies, including public market investments through the Walter Public Investments team, private equities through two specialized teams, Walter Capital Partners and Walter Global Asset Management (WGAM), as well as an array of alternative investment solutions through its network of affiliates (WGAM’s Affiliates).
Our seasoned investment management teams carry a keen business acumen and leading-edge financial expertise to perform a thorough fundamental analysis for each investment to ensure they align perfectly with our vision. Our financial experts possess the hands-on experience to go beyond market analysis and we have the patient capital to support value creation in the long term.
We believe that innovation is at the core of our approach to investing capital.
Our
values
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WE PUT PEOPLE FIRST
We bring passion to everything we do and have fun along the way
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WE ARE BUILDERS
We add real value in all we do
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WE BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS
Because our partnerships are based on trust, integrity, respect and fairness
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WE ARE PATIENT
This lays at the heart of our long-term view
Our people
Pierre Somers is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Walter Group headquartered in Montreal, Canada. The Walter Group is mainly active in the financial sector, especially through Walter Capital Management, a major investment firm and pillar of the Group, which brings together business units specializing in public and private markets: Walter Public Investments, Walter Capital Partners and Walter Global Asset Management.
For over 30 years, Pierre helmed the Walter Group’s founding company, Walter Surface Technologies, which was founded by his father in 1952 and owned by the Group until 2018. As head of the company, he was the driver behind its expansion to international markets. Walter Surface Technologies now operates in nine countries across the Americas and Europe. He also innovated with the creation of the Bio-Circle division, which offers environmentally safe solutions for industrial cleaning applications through bioremediation. On the financial side of the Walter Group’s activities, he contributed to the establishment of Walter Capital Management, a renown investment firm in the financial sector. Over the years, he initiated the creation of Walter Capital Partners, a private equity firm dedicated to supporting the growth of SMEs, as well as Walter Global Asset Management, a North American private investment platform specializing in asset management.
Before taking the lead at Walter Group, Pierre held various positions within Walter Surface Technologies in Canada and the U.S., where he garnered in-depth knowledge of various sectors of the company, on his way to becoming Chairman & CEO. At the beginning of his career, he worked as a mechanical engineer at Metabo AG, in Germany.
Pierre holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University, in Potsdam, NY, which he obtained in 1976. In 2005, he was appointed Alumni of the YPO/MBA program at the Harvard Business School, an institution he has been active with for over 20 years. He is fluent in English, French and German.
Pierre is a strong supporter of education. He has been honorary president for numerous fundraising campaigns held by organizations such as Madeli-Aide and the ITHQ (Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec), from which he has received an honoris causa degree. Through the Walter J. Somers Foundation, he supports the HEC Montréal Walter J. Somers Foundation Centre for Productivity and Prosperity, where he sits on the steering committee. Mr. Somers is a founding member of the Business Families Foundation, and is a member of the Presidents Club of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the World Presidents Organization and the CEO Organization.
Isabelle Somers is Chair of Walter Capital Management – diversified asset manager – and she is a venture capital investor, founded Walter Ventures in Europe and North America in 2018, specializing in investments in enterprise software such as manufacturing, healthcare, legal, HR, ESG reporting, and identity management.
She began her career in industrial companies, eventually moving into leadership roles, gaining experience that informs her approach to venture capital. She is actively involved on the board of several companies, is a business angel investor and passionate philanthropist. She studied visual arts, finance and eventually completed her MBA in 2016 at IESE Business School.
Isabelle is passionate about fostering innovation and collaboration.
A favorite quote:
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Alexandre Somers has helped develop new restaurant projects, including real estate transactions, since 2016. For the Walter Group, Mr. Somers has drawn from 15 years of culinary experience to launch a new line of business: Walter Hospitality. During this time, he has also consulted on food production and served as a private chef.
Across two continents, Alexandre rose through the ranks in many celebrated establishments. He perfected his culinary art at, most notably, the restaurants Leméac and Maison Boulud in Montréal and at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in Paris and L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence – two Michelin star-rated restaurants in France.
Alexandre holds a diploma of vocational studies in culinary arts from the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ). He also completed the restaurateur program at the École supérieure de cuisine française Grégoire-Ferrandi in Paris. Before he donned his chef’s whites, he studied architecture at Carleton University and commerce at HEC Montréal.
Alexandre is actively involved in the community and local charitable endeavours, including the first editions of Les Grands Chefs Relais & Châteaux, a benefit dinner for the Fondation ITHQ.
René Fournier is the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Walter Capital Management. In this role, René leads the executive team and is responsible for the company’s investment strategies, including asset allocation. He is also a member of the Board of Walter Global Asset Management and Walter Capital Partners in addition to being the Head of its Investment Committee. Furthermore, René is a member of the Board of Directors of several portfolio companies.
Before joining Walter Capital Management, René was responsible for the Canadian equities and corporate bonds team at a large Canadian pension fund. His responsibilities included leading the team of analysts in addition to leading the research strategy. Earlier, he worked at EDC as a director of structured project finance and as a project manager at J.D. Irving.
René received an MBA from McGill University. He holds a CFA title and a professional engineer title in addition to a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Moncton University.
Mathieu Bernier is the Managing Director & Lead Portfolio Manager at Walter Public Investments (WPI). After joining Walter Group in 2016 as Senior Investment Officer, he was later appointed Portfolio Manager and Head of Research at Walter Group in 2018. In his current role, Mathieu is the lead portfolio manager for the firm’s public equity strategy offered to outside investors and was a key actor behind the creation of WPI. Given his history with the firm, he remains a strategic advisor to the Walter Group and all its investment divisions.
An engineer by training, Mathieu started his career in finance in 2011 in the Investment Banking group of TD Securities and later joined CN Railway’s employee pension fund as a financial analyst on the Canadian Equities team. Mathieu held several positions at CN over five years where he was responsible for large portfolio investments in industrial, energy and utility companies.
Before working in finance, Mathieu held highly technical roles at various industrial organizations. While at Dominion Engineering Inc. (DEI), a US-based consultancy, he helped develop and commercialize Ultrasonic Fuel Cleaning technology at eleven nuclear power plants globally. Prior to DEI, he conducted research at MIT’s Gas Turbine Lab where he participated in the design of micro-rockets for NASA and DARPA. Mathieu began his engineering career at Pratt & Whitney Canada, where he worked on the performance and testing of regional aircraft engines.
Mathieu holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from McGill University in Montréal, and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston. Mathieu is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and a CFA charterholder.
Emilie Biron-Esbérard has been a part of Walter Group’s finance team since 2017. She began as Corporate Accountant before being promoted to Director, Finance and Administration in 2020. She now holds the position of Director, Financial and Corporate Projects at Walter Capital Management. Emilie is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of software systems as well as for the process of external investor onboarding. She provides structural support on all business projects and serves as the primary liaison between WCM’s business units and its accounting/reporting functions.
Before joining the Walter Group, Emilie served as an accounting technician and administrative coordinator at Physiothérapie Universelle for seven years, where she oversaw the full accounting cycle and handled multi-company accounting. She also prepared and analyzed financial statements and budgets, in addition to managing sales, IT services and repairs and the planning of company events.
Emilie holds a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) from the École des métiers de l’informatique, du commerce et de l’administration (EMICA) and is currently working toward a Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting from HEC Montréal.
Stephanie Pellerin joined Walter Capital Management in 2021 as Chief Operating Officer to oversee the firm’s operations as well as information technology and administration. She brings to the team over 20 years of experience in dynamic and continuously changing work environments—experience that she can use to help grow Walter Capital Management and the other investment units.
Ms. Pellerin previously worked at the National Bank of Canada as a Senior Manager, where she managed critical IT assets for the financial markets sector and served as a transformation leader. Furthermore, she was involved in strategic workforce planning for the financial market sector. She excelled in this role at rallying teams behind the recommendations required for continuous improvement. Prior to this, she spent over 13 years in consulting as a Senior Manager at Deloitte with the Strategy and Operations group, focusing on finance function transformation. She began her career in finance at Bombardier Aerospace and Bombardier Inc., where she held a variety of positions, including Transfer Pricing Analyst, Corporate Auditor and Financial Analyst.
She graduated from the Université de Sherbrooke, where she received a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Management Information System certificate. She is a CPA, CMA, holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation from the Project Management Institute, and is “Scaled Agile” certified. For several years now, she has also volunteered with the Junior Chamber of commerce of Montreal and Polytechnique Montréal, mentoring the next generation of business leaders.
Sylvain Brosseau has served as Chief Executive Officer and Founding Partner of Walter Global Asset Management since the company was founded in 2018. His proven expertise in generating growth allows him to support independent asset management firms in reaching new heights.
Mr. Brosseau has over 25 years of experience in the investment management industry, including his tenure as Global President and Chief Operating Officer of Fiera Capital from 2003 to 2017. Under his leadership, the company grew its assets under management from $5 billion to $120 billion and its market capitalization from $20 million to over $1 billion. He also spearheaded the firm’s international expansion, overseeing more than 15 acquisitions across Canada, the United States and Europe and the opening of new offices throughout North America and Europe.
Before joining Fiera Capital, Mr. Brosseau served as Executive Vice-President, Institutional Markets at TAL Global Asset Management Inc. and as Executive Vice-President at TAL International, where he oversaw worldwide distribution and operations. His experience also includes terms as Vice-President of Marketing and Vice-President of Technology and Operations at Talvest Mutual Funds.
Mr. Brosseau is a current member of the board of directors for several organizations, including Equisoft and many of WGAM’s underlying portfolio partners. He has also sat on the board for numerous other organizations in the past, such as Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Fiera Capital Corporation, Centria Commerce, Fiera Properties, Bel Air Investment Advisors, Charlemagne Capital, Fiera-Axium Infrastructure and Fundserv.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Vermont and a Master of Science from McGill University. A member of YPO, he also regularly participates in numerous fundraising campaigns in support of Montréal charities.
Aurelie Nana joined Walter Capital Management as an Accounting Technician in 2024. In this role, she is responsible for all accounts payable accounting processes, and she contributes to the preparation of financial statements.
Aurelie has seven years of experience in accounting, primarily in the hospitality industry. She previously worked at Brigil Location, where she was involved in all aspects of the accounting cycle.
Aurelie holds a D.E.S.S. in Accounting from the École normale supérieure d’enseignement technique, as well as a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Catholic University of Saint Jerome of Douala in Cameroon. Additionally, she is currently pursuing the CPA certification at HEC Montréal.
Patrick Chamberland joined Walter Capital Management as Chief Financial Officer in 2024. In this role, Patrick leads and is responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the finance team, including developing operational excellence and a scalable back-office infrastructure.As a member of Walter Capital Management’s Executive Committee, he collaborates closely with the heads of the various business units and the investment teams.
Patrick brings more than 20 years of experience in the investment industry to the table, including as a finance executive for the last 5 years. Before joining Walter Capital Management, he worked for some of the most sophisticated institutional investors, such as the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Trans-Canada Capital. He also accumulated a wealth of entrepreneurial experience as the co-founder, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Cook it, a startup that pioneered the meal-kit industry in Canada.
Patrick studied in Montreal, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science from the Université du Québec à Montréal. He holds a Fellow designation from the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and is a CFA charter holder with the CFA Institute
Marie-Noelle Gunnacao joined Walter Capital Management as an Accounting Technician in 2021. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing all monthly accounting processes, managing the Group’s portfolio, and coordinating regulatory filings. She also contributed to the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements. In 2025, Marie-Noelle advanced to the position of Investment Accounting Analyst. In this capacity, her primary responsibilities include accounting for investment transactions, GP/LP and fund accounting, data management, and contributing to the implementation of financial software to streamline accounting operations. Additionally, she is responsible for investor reporting.
Prior to joining Walter Capital Management, Marie-Noelle accumulated five years of accounting experience, primarily in the retail industry, where she was deeply involved in all aspects of accounting cycles.
Marie-Noelle holds a Collegial Degree in Accounting and Business Management from Dawson College.
Pierina Maximiliano joined Walter Capital Management in 2024 as a Senior HR Advisor, where she provides support to the different business units in all the processes related to human resources, such as recruitment and payroll.
Pierina has more than 6 years of experience as an HR Generalist, mainly in small and medium-sized businesses, which allowed her to acquire a diverse work experience in human resources.
Pierina holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations from the University of Montreal, as well as a microprogram of second cycle in people management in the workplace from the University of Quebec in Rimouski. She is also a CRIA member since October 2018. Moreover, Pierina is involved in the community, among other things, with organizations such as Make-A-Wish Quebec and the Carrefour Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
Ophélie Bonifas joined Walter Capital Management in 2021, first as Administrative Officer and then as Office Manager. In her role, she assists the various teams, in addition to putting her organizational and communication skills to good use by ensuring the administrative management of the office.
Since her arrival in Quebec, Ophélie has held similar positions in various fields such as optometry and new technologies. In the various roles she has held, she has been able to demonstrate her skills in project management, event planning, process improvement and also quality control system.
Fluent in French, English and Spanish, Ophélie also holds a bachelor’s degree in human sciences and a master’s degree in archaeology from the University of Toulouse II le Mirail, France.
Éric Phaneuf has been a Managing Partner with Walter Capital Partners since it was founded in 2015, before becoming its President and Chief Executive Officer in 2019. His professional experience includes significant career achievements in financial and operational executive management positions, mainly with North American publicly traded companies active in international markets, including Cascades, MediaGrif and Mega Brands. Eric has taken on various roles, including the development and execution of the business and operational plans of a $200-million U.S. business. Before joining Walter Capital Partners, he expertly led the turnaround of a packaging company based in Ontario. He was also a key player in the successful completion of multiple funding rounds that raised over $750 million. He has an extensive background in financial planning, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, business integration, business process improvement and contract negotiations. Backed by a proven track record as a well-rounded leader, he applies his financial acumen and thorough knowledge of operations to provide support and guidance to expansion-minded entrepreneurs.
Eric holds a degree in business administration, with a major in finance, from the Université de Sherbrooke, along with the title of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). He serves on the Board of Directors for several private and public companies, as well as Fondation Montréal inc., a non-profit organization supporting the development of entrepreneurs in the Greater Montréal Area.
Martin Dufresne joined Walter Global Asset Management in 2019 as President and Managing Partner. An outstanding manager with extensive experience in finance, he leverages his expertise to grow the firm’s portfolios and asset management companies.
An early stakeholder in Fiera Capital, Martin spent more than 16 years there in senior management positions. He was responsible for nearly $75 billion in assets under management as Executive Vice-President and Head of Institutional Markets. Prior to this appointment, he served as Vice-President and Senior Portfolio Manager, Small Cap Equities as well as Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Quebec, Institutional Markets. Before joining Fiera, Martin was an analyst for a number of major Canadian portfolio management companies.
Martin earned a master’s degree in finance from the Université de Sherbrooke, as well as a bachelor’s degree in business administration from HEC Montréal (majoring in finance and economics). He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Martin serves on the board of directors of LFIS Capital, Nalmont Capital, Réseau Capital and Umalia, a firm that inspires and enables businesses to create a more sustainable world, and Educaid, an organization that rewards student perseverance in school, and is a past board member of Fiera Private Lending.
Megan joined Walter Capital Management in 2024 as an administrative assistant. In her role, she is responsible for the reception and administrative support for the different units.
Previously, Megan held the position of administrative officer at the Montreal Cardiology Institute, where she developed her organizational and communication skills, which she now applies at Walter Capital Management.
Balancing between university and the professional world, Megan is currently pursuing distance studies in human resources management at Teluq University. Her background also includes a certificate in operational excellence from ESSEC Business School in France.
Frank Vitale is the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary Treasurer for the Walter Group. In this capacity, Frank is responsible for the development, growth and strategic direction of all international finance, taxation, reporting and treasury-related matters of the Group and its businesses.
Frank launched his career in the accounting and audit field. After seven years, he transitioned to privately held companies, where he occupied progressively senior positions. He acquired a strong financial and operational background in the apparel industry, first as a corporate controller at Baltex Swimwear in Montreal in 1997, and then in the role of Vice President, Finance and Operations of the Corwik Apparel Group. He joined the Walter Group in 2009 as Vice President, Finance of Walter Surface Technologies and transitioned in 2014 to his current role as Chief Financial Officer.
Frank studied in Montreal where he completed a Finance and Accounting Bachelor’s Diploma from Concordia University and subsequently completed the intensive Chartered Accountancy Program at McGill University. He successfully completed the Canadian Institute for Chartered Accountants exam in 1989 to obtain his CA designation.
Jean-Pierre Cadorette joined Walter Capital Management in 2024 as Executive Vice President. In this role, he is responsible for developing and deploying the firm’s growth and development strategy. As a manager and entrepreneur with a solid track record in investment and financial services, he leverages his expertise to build strong relationships with the firm’s existing and potential partners and clients.
Known for his strategic approach and his in-depth understanding of investors’ needs, Jean-Pierre also serves as a Portfolio Manager for Walter Public Investments (WPI). In this role, he presents tailored investment opportunities aligned with clients’ objectives.
Jean-Pierre has over 20 years of experience in the financial markets industry. Before joining Walter Capital Management, he was Managing Partner, Portfolio Manager, and Chief Compliance Officer at a firm focused on portfolio management and serving high-net-worth investors. Previously, he held positions as Vice President and Portfolio Manager at RBC Global Asset Management – PH&N Institutional and at Scotia Institutional Asset Management, where he led a team responsible for portfolio management and institutional client service. He also served as Vice President of Institutional Fixed Income Sales in the Capital Markets division of TD Bank, after beginning his career in research and financial analysis roles at various financial institutions, including a major Canadian public pension fund.
Jean-Pierre holds the CFA designation (Chartered Financial Analyst) and has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Finance) from the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières and a Master’s degree in Management Science from HEC Montreal.
Christina Venerio joined Walter Capital Management in July 2024 as Corporate Controller. In this capacity, she oversees all accounting and financial reporting matters for this business unit and its underlying entities.
Before joining Walter Capital Management, Christina began her career at Ernst & Young LLP where she began as Senior Auditor specializing in the aerospace industry, before transitioning to EY’s Strategy and Transactions team as a Manager in the Valuation, Modeling, and Economics group. She subsequently moved to Vortex Aquatic Structures International Inc., a private manufacturing organization, and served as their Financial Controller for three years.
Christina holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy and a Graduate Diploma in Chartered Professional Accountancy from Concordia University. She also holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA auditor) designation.
Pierre Somers is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Walter Group headquartered in Montreal, Canada. The Walter Group is mainly active in the financial sector, especially through Walter Capital Management, a major investment firm and pillar of the Group, which brings together business units specializing in public and private markets: Walter Public Investments, Walter Capital Partners and Walter Global Asset Management.
For over 30 years, Pierre helmed the Walter Group’s founding company, Walter Surface Technologies, which was founded by his father in 1952 and owned by the Group until 2018. As head of the company, he was the driver behind its expansion to international markets. Walter Surface Technologies now operates in nine countries across the Americas and Europe. He also innovated with the creation of the Bio-Circle division, which offers environmentally safe solutions for industrial cleaning applications through bioremediation. On the financial side of the Walter Group’s activities, he contributed to the establishment of Walter Capital Management, a renown investment firm in the financial sector. Over the years, he initiated the creation of Walter Capital Partners, a private equity firm dedicated to supporting the growth of SMEs, as well as Walter Global Asset Management, a North American private investment platform specializing in asset management.
Before taking the lead at Walter Group, Pierre held various positions within Walter Surface Technologies in Canada and the U.S., where he garnered in-depth knowledge of various sectors of the company, on his way to becoming Chairman & CEO. At the beginning of his career, he worked as a mechanical engineer at Metabo AG, in Germany.
Pierre holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University, in Potsdam, NY, which he obtained in 1976. In 2005, he was appointed Alumni of the YPO/MBA program at the Harvard Business School, an institution he has been active with for over 20 years. He is fluent in English, French and German.
Pierre is a strong supporter of education. He has been honorary president for numerous fundraising campaigns held by organizations such as Madeli-Aide and the ITHQ (Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec), from which he has received an honoris causa degree. Through the Walter J. Somers Foundation, he supports the HEC Montréal Walter J. Somers Foundation Centre for Productivity and Prosperity, where he sits on the steering committee. Mr. Somers is a founding member of the Business Families Foundation, and is a member of the Presidents Club of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the World Presidents Organization and the CEO Organization.
Isabelle Somers is Chair of Walter Capital Management – diversified asset manager – and she is a venture capital investor, founded Walter Ventures in Europe and North America in 2018, specializing in investments in enterprise software such as manufacturing, healthcare, legal, HR, ESG reporting, and identity management.
She began her career in industrial companies, eventually moving into leadership roles, gaining experience that informs her approach to venture capital. She is actively involved on the board of several companies, is a business angel investor and passionate philanthropist. She studied visual arts, finance and eventually completed her MBA in 2016 at IESE Business School.
Isabelle is passionate about fostering innovation and collaboration.
A favorite quote:
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Alexandre Somers has helped develop new restaurant projects, including real estate transactions, since 2016. For the Walter Group, Mr. Somers has drawn from 15 years of culinary experience to launch a new line of business: Walter Hospitality. During this time, he has also consulted on food production and served as a private chef.
Across two continents, Alexandre rose through the ranks in many celebrated establishments. He perfected his culinary art at, most notably, the restaurants Leméac and Maison Boulud in Montréal and at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in Paris and L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence – two Michelin star-rated restaurants in France.
Alexandre holds a diploma of vocational studies in culinary arts from the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ). He also completed the restaurateur program at the École supérieure de cuisine française Grégoire-Ferrandi in Paris. Before he donned his chef’s whites, he studied architecture at Carleton University and commerce at HEC Montréal.
Alexandre is actively involved in the community and local charitable endeavours, including the first editions of Les Grands Chefs Relais & Châteaux, a benefit dinner for the Fondation ITHQ.
René Fournier is the Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Walter Capital Management. In this role, René leads the executive team and is responsible for the company’s investment strategies, including asset allocation. He is also a member of the Board of Walter Global Asset Management and Walter Capital Partners in addition to being the Head of its Investment Committee. Furthermore, René is a member of the Board of Directors of several portfolio companies.
Before joining Walter Capital Management, René was responsible for the Canadian equities and corporate bonds team at a large Canadian pension fund. His responsibilities included leading the team of analysts in addition to leading the research strategy. Earlier, he worked at EDC as a director of structured project finance and as a project manager at J.D. Irving.
René received an MBA from McGill University. He holds a CFA title and a professional engineer title in addition to a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Moncton University.
Mathieu Bernier is the Managing Director & Lead Portfolio Manager at Walter Public Investments (WPI). After joining Walter Group in 2016 as Senior Investment Officer, he was later appointed Portfolio Manager and Head of Research at Walter Group in 2018. In his current role, Mathieu is the lead portfolio manager for the firm’s public equity strategy offered to outside investors and was a key actor behind the creation of WPI. Given his history with the firm, he remains a strategic advisor to the Walter Group and all its investment divisions.
An engineer by training, Mathieu started his career in finance in 2011 in the Investment Banking group of TD Securities and later joined CN Railway’s employee pension fund as a financial analyst on the Canadian Equities team. Mathieu held several positions at CN over five years where he was responsible for large portfolio investments in industrial, energy and utility companies.
Before working in finance, Mathieu held highly technical roles at various industrial organizations. While at Dominion Engineering Inc. (DEI), a US-based consultancy, he helped develop and commercialize Ultrasonic Fuel Cleaning technology at eleven nuclear power plants globally. Prior to DEI, he conducted research at MIT’s Gas Turbine Lab where he participated in the design of micro-rockets for NASA and DARPA. Mathieu began his engineering career at Pratt & Whitney Canada, where he worked on the performance and testing of regional aircraft engines.
Mathieu holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from McGill University in Montréal, and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston. Mathieu is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and a CFA charterholder.
Emilie Biron-Esbérard has been a part of Walter Group’s finance team since 2017. She began as Corporate Accountant before being promoted to Director, Finance and Administration in 2020. She now holds the position of Director, Financial and Corporate Projects at Walter Capital Management. Emilie is responsible for the implementation and maintenance of software systems as well as for the process of external investor onboarding. She provides structural support on all business projects and serves as the primary liaison between WCM’s business units and its accounting/reporting functions.
Before joining the Walter Group, Emilie served as an accounting technician and administrative coordinator at Physiothérapie Universelle for seven years, where she oversaw the full accounting cycle and handled multi-company accounting. She also prepared and analyzed financial statements and budgets, in addition to managing sales, IT services and repairs and the planning of company events.
Emilie holds a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) from the École des métiers de l’informatique, du commerce et de l’administration (EMICA) and is currently working toward a Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting from HEC Montréal.
Stephanie Pellerin joined Walter Capital Management in 2021 as Chief Operating Officer to oversee the firm’s operations as well as information technology and administration. She brings to the team over 20 years of experience in dynamic and continuously changing work environments—experience that she can use to help grow Walter Capital Management and the other investment units.
Ms. Pellerin previously worked at the National Bank of Canada as a Senior Manager, where she managed critical IT assets for the financial markets sector and served as a transformation leader. Furthermore, she was involved in strategic workforce planning for the financial market sector. She excelled in this role at rallying teams behind the recommendations required for continuous improvement. Prior to this, she spent over 13 years in consulting as a Senior Manager at Deloitte with the Strategy and Operations group, focusing on finance function transformation. She began her career in finance at Bombardier Aerospace and Bombardier Inc., where she held a variety of positions, including Transfer Pricing Analyst, Corporate Auditor and Financial Analyst.
She graduated from the Université de Sherbrooke, where she received a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Management Information System certificate. She is a CPA, CMA, holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation from the Project Management Institute, and is “Scaled Agile” certified. For several years now, she has also volunteered with the Junior Chamber of commerce of Montreal and Polytechnique Montréal, mentoring the next generation of business leaders.
Sylvain Brosseau has served as Chief Executive Officer and Founding Partner of Walter Global Asset Management since the company was founded in 2018. His proven expertise in generating growth allows him to support independent asset management firms in reaching new heights.
Mr. Brosseau has over 25 years of experience in the investment management industry, including his tenure as Global President and Chief Operating Officer of Fiera Capital from 2003 to 2017. Under his leadership, the company grew its assets under management from $5 billion to $120 billion and its market capitalization from $20 million to over $1 billion. He also spearheaded the firm’s international expansion, overseeing more than 15 acquisitions across Canada, the United States and Europe and the opening of new offices throughout North America and Europe.
Before joining Fiera Capital, Mr. Brosseau served as Executive Vice-President, Institutional Markets at TAL Global Asset Management Inc. and as Executive Vice-President at TAL International, where he oversaw worldwide distribution and operations. His experience also includes terms as Vice-President of Marketing and Vice-President of Technology and Operations at Talvest Mutual Funds.
Mr. Brosseau is a current member of the board of directors for several organizations, including Equisoft and many of WGAM’s underlying portfolio partners. He has also sat on the board for numerous other organizations in the past, such as Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Fiera Capital Corporation, Centria Commerce, Fiera Properties, Bel Air Investment Advisors, Charlemagne Capital, Fiera-Axium Infrastructure and Fundserv.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Vermont and a Master of Science from McGill University. A member of YPO, he also regularly participates in numerous fundraising campaigns in support of Montréal charities.
Aurelie Nana joined Walter Capital Management as an Accounting Technician in 2024. In this role, she is responsible for all accounts payable accounting processes, and she contributes to the preparation of financial statements.
Aurelie has seven years of experience in accounting, primarily in the hospitality industry. She previously worked at Brigil Location, where she was involved in all aspects of the accounting cycle.
Aurelie holds a D.E.S.S. in Accounting from the École normale supérieure d’enseignement technique, as well as a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Catholic University of Saint Jerome of Douala in Cameroon. Additionally, she is currently pursuing the CPA certification at HEC Montréal.
Patrick Chamberland joined Walter Capital Management as Chief Financial Officer in 2024. In this role, Patrick leads and is responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the finance team, including developing operational excellence and a scalable back-office infrastructure.As a member of Walter Capital Management’s Executive Committee, he collaborates closely with the heads of the various business units and the investment teams.
Patrick brings more than 20 years of experience in the investment industry to the table, including as a finance executive for the last 5 years. Before joining Walter Capital Management, he worked for some of the most sophisticated institutional investors, such as the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Trans-Canada Capital. He also accumulated a wealth of entrepreneurial experience as the co-founder, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Cook it, a startup that pioneered the meal-kit industry in Canada.
Patrick studied in Montreal, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science from the Université du Québec à Montréal. He holds a Fellow designation from the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and is a CFA charter holder with the CFA Institute
Marie-Noelle Gunnacao joined Walter Capital Management as an Accounting Technician in 2021. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing all monthly accounting processes, managing the Group’s portfolio, and coordinating regulatory filings. She also contributed to the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements. In 2025, Marie-Noelle advanced to the position of Investment Accounting Analyst. In this capacity, her primary responsibilities include accounting for investment transactions, GP/LP and fund accounting, data management, and contributing to the implementation of financial software to streamline accounting operations. Additionally, she is responsible for investor reporting.
Prior to joining Walter Capital Management, Marie-Noelle accumulated five years of accounting experience, primarily in the retail industry, where she was deeply involved in all aspects of accounting cycles.
Marie-Noelle holds a Collegial Degree in Accounting and Business Management from Dawson College.
Maximiliano
Pierina Maximiliano joined Walter Capital Management in 2024 as a Senior HR Advisor, where she provides support to the different business units in all the processes related to human resources, such as recruitment and payroll.
Pierina has more than 6 years of experience as an HR Generalist, mainly in small and medium-sized businesses, which allowed her to acquire a diverse work experience in human resources.
Pierina holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations from the University of Montreal, as well as a microprogram of second cycle in people management in the workplace from the University of Quebec in Rimouski. She is also a CRIA member since October 2018. Moreover, Pierina is involved in the community, among other things, with organizations such as Make-A-Wish Quebec and the Carrefour Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
Ophélie Bonifas joined Walter Capital Management in 2021, first as Administrative Officer and then as Office Manager. In her role, she assists the various teams, in addition to putting her organizational and communication skills to good use by ensuring the administrative management of the office.
Since her arrival in Quebec, Ophélie has held similar positions in various fields such as optometry and new technologies. In the various roles she has held, she has been able to demonstrate her skills in project management, event planning, process improvement and also quality control system.
Fluent in French, English and Spanish, Ophélie also holds a bachelor’s degree in human sciences and a master’s degree in archaeology from the University of Toulouse II le Mirail, France.
Éric Phaneuf has been a Managing Partner with Walter Capital Partners since it was founded in 2015, before becoming its President and Chief Executive Officer in 2019. His professional experience includes significant career achievements in financial and operational executive management positions, mainly with North American publicly traded companies active in international markets, including Cascades, MediaGrif and Mega Brands. Eric has taken on various roles, including the development and execution of the business and operational plans of a $200-million U.S. business. Before joining Walter Capital Partners, he expertly led the turnaround of a packaging company based in Ontario. He was also a key player in the successful completion of multiple funding rounds that raised over $750 million. He has an extensive background in financial planning, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, business integration, business process improvement and contract negotiations. Backed by a proven track record as a well-rounded leader, he applies his financial acumen and thorough knowledge of operations to provide support and guidance to expansion-minded entrepreneurs.
Eric holds a degree in business administration, with a major in finance, from the Université de Sherbrooke, along with the title of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). He serves on the Board of Directors for several private and public companies, as well as Fondation Montréal inc., a non-profit organization supporting the development of entrepreneurs in the Greater Montréal Area.
Martin Dufresne joined Walter Global Asset Management in 2019 as President and Managing Partner. An outstanding manager with extensive experience in finance, he leverages his expertise to grow the firm’s portfolios and asset management companies.
An early stakeholder in Fiera Capital, Martin spent more than 16 years there in senior management positions. He was responsible for nearly $75 billion in assets under management as Executive Vice-President and Head of Institutional Markets. Prior to this appointment, he served as Vice-President and Senior Portfolio Manager, Small Cap Equities as well as Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Quebec, Institutional Markets. Before joining Fiera, Martin was an analyst for a number of major Canadian portfolio management companies.
Martin earned a master’s degree in finance from the Université de Sherbrooke, as well as a bachelor’s degree in business administration from HEC Montréal (majoring in finance and economics). He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Martin serves on the board of directors of LFIS Capital, Nalmont Capital, Réseau Capital and Umalia, a firm that inspires and enables businesses to create a more sustainable world, and Educaid, an organization that rewards student perseverance in school, and is a past board member of Fiera Private Lending.
Darcy
Megan joined Walter Capital Management in 2024 as an administrative assistant. In her role, she is responsible for the reception and administrative support for the different units.
Previously, Megan held the position of administrative officer at the Montreal Cardiology Institute, where she developed her organizational and communication skills, which she now applies at Walter Capital Management.
Balancing between university and the professional world, Megan is currently pursuing distance studies in human resources management at Teluq University. Her background also includes a certificate in operational excellence from ESSEC Business School in France.
Frank Vitale is the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary Treasurer for the Walter Group. In this capacity, Frank is responsible for the development, growth and strategic direction of all international finance, taxation, reporting and treasury-related matters of the Group and its businesses.
Frank launched his career in the accounting and audit field. After seven years, he transitioned to privately held companies, where he occupied progressively senior positions. He acquired a strong financial and operational background in the apparel industry, first as a corporate controller at Baltex Swimwear in Montreal in 1997, and then in the role of Vice President, Finance and Operations of the Corwik Apparel Group. He joined the Walter Group in 2009 as Vice President, Finance of Walter Surface Technologies and transitioned in 2014 to his current role as Chief Financial Officer.
Frank studied in Montreal where he completed a Finance and Accounting Bachelor’s Diploma from Concordia University and subsequently completed the intensive Chartered Accountancy Program at McGill University. He successfully completed the Canadian Institute for Chartered Accountants exam in 1989 to obtain his CA designation.
Jean-Pierre Cadorette joined Walter Capital Management in 2024 as Executive Vice President. In this role, he is responsible for developing and deploying the firm’s growth and development strategy. As a manager and entrepreneur with a solid track record in investment and financial services, he leverages his expertise to build strong relationships with the firm’s existing and potential partners and clients.
Known for his strategic approach and his in-depth understanding of investors’ needs, Jean-Pierre also serves as a Portfolio Manager for Walter Public Investments (WPI). In this role, he presents tailored investment opportunities aligned with clients’ objectives.
Jean-Pierre has over 20 years of experience in the financial markets industry. Before joining Walter Capital Management, he was Managing Partner, Portfolio Manager, and Chief Compliance Officer at a firm focused on portfolio management and serving high-net-worth investors. Previously, he held positions as Vice President and Portfolio Manager at RBC Global Asset Management – PH&N Institutional and at Scotia Institutional Asset Management, where he led a team responsible for portfolio management and institutional client service. He also served as Vice President of Institutional Fixed Income Sales in the Capital Markets division of TD Bank, after beginning his career in research and financial analysis roles at various financial institutions, including a major Canadian public pension fund.
Jean-Pierre holds the CFA designation (Chartered Financial Analyst) and has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Finance) from the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières and a Master’s degree in Management Science from HEC Montreal.
Christina Venerio joined Walter Capital Management in July 2024 as Corporate Controller. In this capacity, she oversees all accounting and financial reporting matters for this business unit and its underlying entities.
Before joining Walter Capital Management, Christina began her career at Ernst & Young LLP where she began as Senior Auditor specializing in the aerospace industry, before transitioning to EY’s Strategy and Transactions team as a Manager in the Valuation, Modeling, and Economics group. She subsequently moved to Vortex Aquatic Structures International Inc., a private manufacturing organization, and served as their Financial Controller for three years.
Christina holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy and a Graduate Diploma in Chartered Professional Accountancy from Concordia University. She also holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA auditor) designation.