We’re in the business of growth

Kristi leads our nimble and entrepreneurial team and delivers innovative junior capital solutions to the mid-market across Canada. She drives our strategy, brand and culture in order to meet the needs of our clients and grow our business.

Kristi saw an opportunity to bring sophisticated and creative capital to the mid-market when she co-founded First West Capital in 2010. Under her leadership, we have grown into a national junior capital firm and have funded more than $200 MM. With 20+ years of finance expertise, she knows how to build and grow businesses – our clients’, and our own.

Kristi has an MBA from UBC, a flaky (but fascinating) undergraduate degree in History and Russian Studies from McGill University and received her ICD.D from the ICD-Rotman, Directors Education Program in 2019. Kristi is a passionate and dedicated community volunteer, she currently chairs the board of Junior Achievement of B.C., sits on the board of the Fulmer Foundation, and volunteers as a fitness instructor for the YWCA of Vancouver.

Kristi is also a finalist for EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2019.

David has a passion for business and working with entrepreneurs. Through innovative junior capital solutions, he helps our clients build successful and sustainable companies.

David fully embraced the entrepreneurial spirit when he joined First West Capital in 2016 to open and run our Toronto office. As a key leader, David drives strategy, business development, portfolio management, and leads our Eastern Canadian team. David’s business acumen and partnership-based approach help clients’ businesses – and our own – leverage strategic opportunities to grow.

David has spent his 15+ year career developing financial solutions for a wide range of businesses and has held leadership positions at GE Capital, BMO Capital Markets and Roynat Capital. David holds a Masters in Business Administration (Finance) with honours from McGill University and Bachelor of Commerce (Business Management) from the University of British Columbia. He currently sits on the Young Professionals Board of Directors for the Jays Care Foundation.  

Steve is passionate about creating long-term relationships with our clients and helping them to overcome barriers to growth.

An entrepreneur at heart, Steve believes in the synergy of great financing and strong partnerships – which led him to join our team in 2019. He understands the ups and downs on the road to growth and truly enjoys collaborating with high-performing businesses to help them achieve their objectives. As Managing Director, Steve is a strategic member of the Western Canadian team and is responsible for origination, execution and portfolio management.   

From start-ups to multinational corporations, Steve has 13+ years in growth and M&A financing and has held roles at BDC Growth and Transition Financing and BMO Asset Based Lending, as well as VanCity Capital and CIBC Leveraged Finance.

He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA Charterholder) and received an honours degree in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University. Steve is also a board member of the Vancouver Chapter of the Risk Management Association, and a member of the Accounting Standards Board, Private Enterprise Advisory Committee. 

Sarah leads the day-to-day operations that keep our business running smoothly. She’s an expert at streamlining processes that allow our team to work effectively and efficiently.

Sarah is involved in every aspect of running First West Capital, from setting financial budgets to hiring and developing top talent. Sarah is a master trouble-shooter that is passionate about continuous improvement. She strategically connects all the areas of our business and helps our team focus on the big picture.

With 15+ years in finance and business, Sarah has worked with entrepreneurs across all sectors, including Fortune 100 Companies, developed a high-performance operations team, and has played an integral role in growing First West Capital. (She was our first employee!) She graduated with a BA (Hons) in Management and Business and Business Administration from the University of Reading and is also a Chartered Business Valuator and a member of the CPA and Institute Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

Its Darryl’s mission to help businesses fulfill their strategic vision. Through innovative junior capital solutions, and a collaborative approach, he paves the way for our clients to grow.

Darryl has a genuine interest in every business’ story; discovering financial solutions that solve their unique challenges makes him tick. His entrepreneur-focused perspective led him to join the First West Capital team in 2018. As a strategic member of the Eastern Canadian team, Darryl is responsible for origination, execution and portfolio management.  

Darryl has 12+ years in commercial and mid-market financing with experience across diverse industries. He has led the development of various specialty business segments at Laurentian Bank, CIT and GE Capital, and is an alumnus of the GE Commercial Leadership Program.

He holds an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Real Estate Investments and Asset Management Certification from Cornell University. Darryl is a proud supporter of the United Way Campaign and Second Harvest Toronto, and has been a volunteer basketball coach at various clinics and programs across the Greater Toronto Area.

Debby is a key liaison between First West Capital and our clients and provides deal evaluation, investment analysis and ongoing portfolio management.

Debby plays a crucial role in crafting well-structured junior capital solutions. Highly analytical and relationship-focused, she has a talent for uncovering clients’ needs and establishing strong partnerships. She also provides insights and solutions for improving internal processes and procedures, making us more efficient at serving our clients.

Debby has been in financial services for 10 years, including auditing financial institutions and gaining valuable deal experience at a large investment bank in Johannesburg, the financial hub of South Africa. She graduated with a B.Bus.Sci Finance (Honours) and Accounting from the University of Cape Town and is also a CFA Charterholder and a member of the CPA and South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Amir is passionate about getting to the core of our clients’ needs and helping them realize their strategic vision.

Amir has hands-on experience with navigating the unique challenges and opportunities entrepreneurs face while growing their businesses. With finely-tuned advisory skills and business acumen, he is an expert at developing junior capital solutions to fuel growth. He is responsible for qualifying, executing and monitoring new opportunities.

Amir has 10+ years experience in corporate finance and financial management working with companies in Canada, US and the UK. Prior to First West Capital he was the Business Controller of an international manufacturing company with facilities across North America, and CFO of a mid-size technology company (who just so happened to be a First West Capital client!) Amir holds a BASc in Mechanical Engineering from University of British Columbia and is also a CPA,CA.

Maddy is a key liaison between First West Capital and our clients and provides deal evaluation, investment analysis and ongoing portfolio management.

Maddy has a strong business acumen and financial expertise, helping to ensure our clients have well-structured junior capital solutions. She builds strong, long-term partnerships through a deep understanding of our clients’ unique needs. With a keen eye for efficiencies, she also provides logical solutions to streamline internal processes.

Maddy has been in financial services for 4 years. Prior to joining First West Capital, she worked in Deloitte’s Audit and Advisory practice, specializing in investment fund valuations and assurance services.

Maddy graduated from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario with an Honours Business Administration (HBA) degree and is a Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA). She has also successfully completed all Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams.

Jason is a key liaison between First West Capital and our clients and provides deal evaluation, investment analysis and ongoing portfolio management. Jason‘s expertise in due diligence and underwriting provides our team support with crafting innovative junior capital solutions. His client-focused approach helps identify client needs and foster strong relationships. Jason also manages and oversees First West Capital’s existing investments, ensuring clients feel supported and empowered in executing their operational and financial plans.

Jason has 8+ years in financial services and management consulting. He started his career in public accounting, providing assurance services for both the public and private markets across Canada, he then went on to become a management consultant providing financial solutions for high-growth businesses in California and Toronto.

Jason graduated from Brock University with a Bachelors in Accounting (BAcc), and is also a Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA).  

Zahid is a key liaison between First West Capital and our clients and provides deal evaluation, investment analysis and ongoing portfolio management.

Zahid is involved in the entire due diligence and underwriting process and provides the team support in creating innovative junior capital solutions. His expertise in financial analytics ensures clients can grow, acquire and transition effectively.

Zahid has 5+ years’ experience in financial services, public accounting (KPMG) and venture debt with a focus on debt funding solutions for early stage technology companies.

Zahid graduated with a B.Comm (Accounting) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (South Africa). Zahid is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and a CFA Charterholder.

Katie is chief storyteller for First West Capital. She amplifies our brand by creating opportunities to connect with our audience through digital and traditional marketing.

Chances are, if you’ve seen or read anything from First West Capital, Katie has crafted it. (This website and bio included!) Behind the scenes, Katie develops the marketing strategy that helps us stand out in the market, foster relationships with clients and partners, and grow our business.

Katie brings 10+ years of marketing know-how and has held a variety of B2B marketing and communications positions in Vancouver. She graduated with a Diploma of Marketing Management from BCIT and also received an Associate of Arts degree from Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Robyn assists in amplifying First West Capital’s brand through effective storytelling, relationship building, and various marketing communications strategies.

Robyn supports the team by managing the day to day marketing activities at First West Capital, including social media, communications, events and client relations. Highly organised and energetic, she helps to ensure our marketing is consistent, effective and on-brand. Robyn leverages her experience in financial services and passion for marketing to effectively engage with our audience. 

Prior to her role at First West Capital, Robyn worked as a Financial Advisor on the retail banking side of First West Credit Union at Envision Financial. She brings robust experience in customer relationship management, event planning and written communication.

Robyn attended Simon Fraser University, where she focused on English and World Literature and considered becoming a teacher, however, through her work at First West, Robyn discovered she had a talent and passion for business and marketing.  

Jane leads the essential administration and account management services at First West Capital. Her client-focused approach ensures all financial transactions run like clock-work.

Nothing gets by Jane. We depend on her attention to detail and technical skills to manage the behind-the-scenes funding administration and so much more! Jane is known for going the extra mile to keep things running smoothly, and is the go-to for transactions, CRM support and client relations.

Having worked in the credit union industry for 35+ years, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team, including many years leading a retail lending administration team.

Yvonne leads the integral administrative support that helps the National Managing Director and our team work efficiently. She ensures the team stays organised, allowing us to prioritise clients and grow our business.

Yvonne doesn’t shy away from taking on new challenges. We rely on her self-motivated professionalism and people-focused approach to manage our day-to-day activities. With her unmatched multitasking and organizational skills, Yvonne supports the team with scheduling, events and meetings, client relations and much more. We’re not sure how we managed without her! 

Yvonne is well-versed in client services and building strong team relations and has 8+ years’ experience with First West Credit Union in commercial and retail lending administration, plus nearly 30 years of entrepreneurship as a nail technician and salon owner.