Kelly Willis is responsible for corporate marketing and client development at Newport Partners. She has more than 15 years marketing and communications experience in both corporate and agency roles for a broad range of financial services companies. During her career, she has developed a unique appreciation of the DNA of entrepreneurs and their wealth creation capabilities through research, personal interviews and experience.
Prior to joining Newport Partners in 2002, Kelly was the manager of the affluent market segment for a major global bank and directed the Canadian launch of the bank’s first worldwide banking service. In previous roles, Kelly had been VP, Marketing for a boutique investment brokerage and VP with a mid-sized advertising and marketing agency that acted for leading firms such as Mackenzie Financial Corporation and BMO. Kelly brings the added perspective of a family business background – a 100 year old company that is now in its fourth generation of family management. She can be reached by email at willis@newportpartners.ca.
As a Managing Director of Newport Partners, Mike Vanderburgh focuses on providing individuals and families with investment and wealth management services. He has more than 20 years of experience dealing with successful entrepreneurs, business people and 11 of the top 100 wealthiest families in Canada.
Prior to joining Newport Partners, Mike was Vice-President and Portfolio Manager of BMO Harris Investment Management and its predecessor, Jones Heward, managing the investment needs of clients. His responsibilities included acting as a member of the investment policy committee, overseeing the management of the firm’s pooled funds and sitting on the steering committee responsible for setting the firm’s growth and strategic goals. Previously, Mike was Director, Investment Services for Wittington Financial the Weston Family’s private holding company responsible for managing in-house portfolios and overseeing external portfolio advisors. He was also an investment executive with Burns Fry (now Nesbitt Burns) and an analyst with Manulife Financial. Mike can be reached by email at mv@newportpartners.ca.
As a Managing Director of Newport Partners, Peter Churchill-Smith provides individuals and families with investment and wealth management services. He has spent his entire 30-year career working with and advising successful entrepreneurs: - 10 years of lending and providing capital and 20 years managing the private wealth of entrepreneurs and their families.
Peter is passionate about the experience of entrepreneurs who have sold a business - an area of specialization for Newport Partners. He has written several articles on the subject and most recently helped launch Newport Partners' nation wide survey of business sellers that further strengthens the firm’s capability in advising the next generation of business-sellers.
Prior to joining Newport Partners in 2001, Peter was a Vice President with Connor Clark Private Trust (now RBC Private Counsel) and Vice President of Mutual Securities Inc. and Mutual Trust Company. He also spent 10 years in the commercial lending business at both Morguard Bank of Canada and Mercantile Bank of Canada. Peter can be reached by email at pcs@newportpartners.ca.
As a Managing Director in Newport Partners’ corporate wealth practice, John Garrow focuses on the corporate finance needs of the firm’s entrepreneurial clients. These activities typically include capital raising (both equity and debt), business sales and acquisitions and advisory work. His client base includes organizations across a diverse spectrum of growth stages and industries and includes both private and public companies
Prior to joining Newport Partners, John spent 11 years with RBC Capital Markets. His responsibilities included acting as co-head of the financial institutions group, several years in the firm’s Calgary office and positions in the debt markets and financial products groups.
John qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse and, over his six years with that firm, audited several of Canada’s largest private and public companies in a variety of industries with his final year in the consulting practice. He can be reached by email at garrow@newportpartners.ca.
David Lloyd is a founding partner and Managing Director of Newport Partners. David focuses on providing individuals and families with investment and wealth management services. He has built a thriving wealth management practice over more than 25 years serving many of Canada’s leading entrepreneurs. David serves on Newport Partners’ Investment Committee developing strategy and overseeing external money managers.
Prior to starting Newport in 2001, David co-founded Merchant Private Trust in 1991 growing it from a vision of Canada’s first exclusive private banking firm through to its successful sale to RBC in 1999.
As a Chartered Accountant (1983, Clarkson Gordon), David has specialized in all areas of financial planning throughout his career, particularly saving and deferring tax for clients. He is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation and has appeared on numerous radio and television business programs discussing insights into managing wealth and financial issues unique to entrepreneurs. He is also on the Board of Directors of several of Newport Partners’ private investments. David can be reached by email at dl@newportpartners.ca.
