Team
We are a close-knit team of dedicated and experienced professionals with proven track records within bank owned investment dealers, institutional investment firms, commercial banks as well as commercial real estate brokerages. When you are a Brookfield Financial client, you have access to our entire team with the experience to help ensure you always get the best solution.
Gregory Smith has over 16 years experience in investment, operation, acquisition and financing of public and private infrastructure, real estate and power & utility businesses. Most recently, Greg was President of Macquarie Capital Funds Canada Ltd. where he was responsible for the establishment, growth and operations of Macquarie’s unlisted and listed funds business in Canada along with the active management of Macquarie’s Canadian assets owned by off-shore funds. During this time, Greg also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Macquarie Power & Infrastructure Income Fund (TSX:MPT.UN), a Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSE”) listed fund, and as a Director and Chief Executive Officer of Macquarie Essential Assets Partnership, a private fund. Prior to Macquarie, Mr. Smith was Managing Director and Co-Head of RBC Capital Partners – Mezzanine Fund and a Managing Director at Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance.
Greg currently serves as the elected President of Canada’s Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (“CVCA”), an industry association founded in 1974 that represents Canada’s venture capital and private equity industry. A CVCA member since 1994, Executive Committee from 2005 and now leading the CVCA with over 1,800 members engaged in venture capital and buyout activity who collectively manage over $75 billion.
He has held various positions on the Board of Directors and observer/advisor to Board of Directors for several reporting issuers including 407ETR International, AltaLink Management Ltd. and Leisureworld Senior Care GP Inc. as well as private companies such as Sea-to-Sky Highway Investment Limited Partnership and Erie Shores Wind Farm.
Greg is a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Business Valuator, graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University.
Philip Ward leads Brookfield Financial’s European team. Philip previously worked as a Managing Director at Eurohypo. His experience also includes leading the European Real Estate, Gaming, Lodging & Leisure group as a Senior Managing Director at Bear Stearns. Prior to that he worked in investment banking at Rothschild in London and Paris, latterly as a Managing Director overseeing the Hotels, Travel, Tourism & Leisure sector.
Notable transactions that Philip has participated in include the €2.7bn take-private of Groupe Taittinger/Société du Louvre by Starwood Capital, the US$1bn disposal of Premier Lodge by TPG, Blackstone, Colony et al., the US$1bn acquisition of Center Parcs by Pierre & Vacances (with DB Capital Partners) and the €475m purchase of CGIH by Blackstone (with Accor and Colony).
Philip has qualifications from ESCP Europe (Masters in Management programme), and from Paris University in both history and law. He also holds a Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance from the UK Association of Certified Accountants.
Chris Wilson is Managing Partner at Brookfield Financial US, LLC, responsible for debt restructuring and recapitalization. He has over 15 years of real estate and structured finance experience.
Prior to joining the Firm, Chris was Founder and Managing Director of RTB Capital LLC, an independent real estate advisory firm that specialized in debt restructuring for borrowers. Prior to that, Chris has had an number of executive positions in the Real Estate Finance Group at the Royal Bank of Scotland, including Managing Director and Co-head of the US business, Regional Managing Director and Head of Europe, and Head of the Financial Institutions Group. Previously, Chris was at GE Capital, where he held senior Real Estate, Capital Markets and Structured Finance roles. Chris worked for Ernst & Young LLP at the start of career in both audit and consulting roles.
Chris is a graduate of the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, and a graduate of Lehigh University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics (with honors). He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Patrick Boocock has over 10 years in the investment banking and private equity sectors and is responsible for originating, executing and providing other advisory services on infrastructure related transactions on behalf of public and private sector clients. Prior to joining Brookfield Financial, Patrick was responsible for the origination, financial and commercial structuring, negotiation and development of public infrastructure projects procured primarily under a Public Private Partnership (“P3”) model across a variety of sectors serving most recently as Senior Vice President with a leading investor, developer and operator of public infrastructure assets. Prior to entering the infrastructure sector, Patrick worked for Ernst & Young in its M&A Transaction Support group.
Patrick is a Chartered Accountant, Certified Public Accountant and graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University.