Our Team

Ivan de Souza is a highly decorated business executive, with over 30 years of investment banking experience. He was a Senior Vice President and major shareholder of McLeod Young Weir, now Scotia McLeod, one of Canada's four largest investment banking firms. Ivan provided leadership in growing McLeod Young Weir’s Corporate Finance, Retail and Institutional business.
He has served on many Boards (government and private) in the past. Including The Ontario Energy Board and Canada’s Bid Board for The Pan Am Games. Helped win Brazil’s backing for choosing Canada.
Ivan has held senior executive positions with Imperial Oil ( Exxon subsidiary) – Vice President Esso Chemicals – responsible for growing the business.
Golden Eagle Network – as Executive Vice President. A transportation logistics company.
Bid Freight Global – as Executive Vice President. A transportation logistics company – providing leadership and raising equity investment
Du Pont of Canada - Leading Economics, Sales and Marketing
Government of Canada – OECD representative for the Petroleum and Energy industries, Paris

Ivan is recognised as one of Canada’s top Fund raisers
Ivan was instrumental in the creation of “the de Souza Institute” at UHN by obtaining funding of $15 million from the Ontario government. The de Souza Institute is across Canada, in Brazil and Kuwait
Ivan and his late Brazilian wife Anna Maria directed approx. $70 millions to the hospitals in Toronto for research on several medical issues. Ivan was a close friend and advisor to the former Premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan and to The National Energy Board of the Government of Canada Ivan wrote the first book on “The Athabasca Tar Sands” for release to the investment community in Canada.
Subsequent to leaving McLeod, Ivan founded Investcan Securities; a TSE regulated firm, Investcan Financial Corporation and Investcan Inc. The latter Investcan Inc. has offices in Toronto, Canada and a representative office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mr. de Souza is President & CEO of Investcan Inc and President & CEO of IVANT Global Funding Inc.
In recognition of his support for Health Care Ivan received “The Distinguished Services Medal” by the Governor General of Canada Ivan has made presentations at various business seminars and workshops in Canada, the United States and Europe, including a monthly nationally televised program in the United States “World Business Review” hosted by the late Alexander Haig.

Ivan has for many years dedicated himself to serving the Toronto community with a number of large philanthropic commitments. Ivan & his late wife Anna Maria (founder of The Brazilian Ball) have through the Brazilian Ball funded approximately $70 million for medical research and patient care at hospitals in Toronto and other deserving causes in Canada and Brazil. Mr. de Souza is President & CEO of The Brazilian Ball. The Brazilian Ball was the largest Fund raiser in Canada.
Ivan graduated from Cambridge University (UK), and has an MBA graduating “Magna Cum Laude” from Universite Laval (Quebec. Canada).
As well he has furthered studies in technology management at MIT. Governor General of Canada – Distinguished Services Medal Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal Recipient of the President’s Award - CAPO 2013 Knight “Order of Constantine” Knight “Order of St. Gregory Knight “Order of St. Basil”

QScott Ride is a distinguished senior executive, he brings to CMBB a remarkable track record spanning over 20 years, demonstrating a consistent ability to drive revenues, spur growth, and enhance business performance. Currently serving as the President and Chief Operating Officer at The Hillman Group Canada ULC, Mr. Ride has been at the forefront of leading business transformations and overseeing day-to-day operations across multiple divisions and distribution centres in the manufacturing sector.

In his role at The Hillman Group, a leading distributor and manufacturer, Mr. Ride has been instrumental in steering a 700+ employee organization through a strategic vision. His responsibilities encompass business development, manufacturing, purchasing, operations, IT, HR, finance, and sales and marketing. He has successfully managed key relationships with major retailers and buying groups, solidifying the company's position in the market.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Ride served as the President of Husqvarna Canada. With 15,000 employees and 4.3B in Revenue Husqvarna is the world's largest producer of outdoor power products. During his tenure, he notably orchestrated the successful turnaround of an underperforming business, achieving a 16% growth in the top line, improving EBIT from a significant negative to 7%, and expanding national market share by 4.4%.

Under his strategic leadership, Scott launched a private label program generating $25M+ in new business and established a commercial sales program delivering $1M+ in annual sales. He significantly increased existing dealer business by 15.9% ($10.73M) in the first transitional year and oversaw the opening of 43 new dealerships contributing $2.4M in incremental business.

reduced aged receivables from $9.2M to $1.9M, slashed non-current inventory by over $10.5M, and cleared $825K of old stock through effective sales campaigns. Secured $16M in product placement and facilitated the company’s successful participation in a commercial summit, resulting in $1M+ in new business.

Scott's commitment to excellence extended to delivering product quality improvements, leading to a 23% reduction in service incidents rates and increased customer satisfaction. Demonstrating reliability, he consistently met annual stretch targets in sales, EBITDA, inventory control, and working capital.

As President, Global Operations at Electrolux Home Care Products Canada Inc. & Electrolux Central Vacuum Systems, Mr. Scott C. Ride oversaw corporate development, sales, manufacturing, marketing, and various critical functions for 300 employees across major companies. Managing a portfolio spanning 70+ countries, 1000+ distributors/dealers, and a 60-person sales team, he achieved remarkable milestones. Under Scott's strategic direction, he achieved a remarkable flat sales growth of $120M, defying a 30% industry decline. Simultaneously, he expanded the account base by an impressive 4.3%, showcasing his adeptness in driving revenue in challenging market conditions.

Additionally, Scott demonstrated financial acumen by overseeing the relocation of the company's manufacturing facility from Iowa to Mexico, achieving this transition on time and within budget. His strategic initiatives also included plans to move the US international business headquarters to Canada, contributing to cost savings. Moreover, he successfully executed an M&A strategy, directing acquisitions and partnerships while effectively managing service to key accounts such as Sears, Costco, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Zellers, and Canadian Tire. Scott's leadership prowess and achievements in driving growth, cost savings, and strategic relocations underscore his significant impact on organizational success.

In his earlier roles at Maytag Canada, Onyx Marketing Group, and Canon Canada Inc. (Photographic Division), Mr. Ride consistently demonstrated his ability to lead national marketing efforts, secure key accounts, and drive revenue growth. His strategic acumen and results-oriented approach were pivotal in achieving success across diverse industries.

Beyond his corporate roles, Mr. Ride has been affiliated with TEC Canada (Chief Executive & Leadership Development Group) since 2009. He also served as a Director and Officer of Gardena Corporation, overseeing Canadian business activities and ensuring corporate compliance.

Mr. Ride holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Marketing from Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke. His comprehensive experience, strategic vision, and proven leadership make him an invaluable addition to the Board, contributing to the growth, performance, and client service excellence of at CMBB.

Leo is a seasoned entrepreneur with over a decade of success in driving revenue, fostering growth, and enhancing business performance. Leveraging cross-functional expertise, he consistently delivers optimized organizational effectiveness and targeted results, demonstrating a proficiency in orchestrating transformative initiatives.

In the late-2000s, Leo became the founding partner at UTI Capital, an investment bank. His strategic acumen was immediately apparent as he provided immediate growth solutions, singularly raising an impressive $20 million in capital within the first 18 months of the bank's operation. Leading a team of 15, Leo not only effectively managed UTI Capital but also played a pivotal role in driving its growth, ultimately leading to a double- digit exit to private equity within three years. Leo continued to contribute as the Chief Operations Officer of UTI, overseeing the acquisition and merger of four assisted living companies. His responsibilities extended to the development and implementation of a post-acquisition integration strategy for all four companies, achieving regulatory compliance and driving a remarkable 19% increase in revenue within 12 months post- consolidation.

In his subsequent role as President of Great Global Agriholding, Leo continued to showcase his prowess in driving growth, both organically and through mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

Leading a team of professionals from The Big Four (E&Y, Deloitte, PWC, KPMG), he successfully navigated a comprehensive acquisitions process, completing the purchase of five businesses in the agri-industry of Ukraine, totaling 53 million USD. Under Leo's leadership, Great Global Agriholding experienced extraordinary growth, witnessing a staggering increase in its market capitalization from $1,000,000 to USD 53,000,000, reflecting a remarkable 4900% growth in just 24 months.

Leo's entrepreneurial spirit, financial acumen, and leadership skills make him a valuable asset to CMBB. Furthermore, Leo's completion of two industry consolidations and exits, collectively generating $84 million in equity, underscores his strategic vision and ability to deliver substantial returns on investment.

Jacques brings to CMBB over 45 years of experience in investment, law and pensions, both in Canada and globally. In June 2023, he completed four years chairing the York University Investment Committee and Pension Fund Board. He is Treasurer and a director of the World Ocean Council, a not-for-profit alliance of businesses committed to the sustainable stewardship of the world’s oceans.

Lawyer since 1977, he co-founded one of Canada’s most respected business law firms (now integrated within Norton Rose Fulbright) and pioneered several “first-of-a-kind” corporate and project financings and infrastructure-related investments. Encouraged by several former law clients and members of his relationship network he has launched a counsel practice, CONSILIUM COUNSEL, a member of Consilium Juris Collaboration Internationale, assisting law firms and practices facing conflicts of interest or other client challenges.

Jacques has been a private investor since 1987 was an initial investor in Cashway and Porter Airlines, among others. He is the co-founder and Chairman of AGAWA Partners Inc. and AGAWA Fund Management Inc.

He served, between 2008-2015, as a member of the Senior Executive Leadership team of Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) and President & CEO of the OMERS fund’s strategic investment division, OMERS Strategic Investments, where he (a) worked closely with his then (and now continuing) colleague, James Donegan, (b) managed a $3 billion portfolio for OMERS and $500 million portfolio for its investment partners and (c) led a number of innovative, strategic investment initiatives for the OMERS fund, including the USD$12.6 billion Global Strategic Investment Alliance infrastructure fund, OMERS Ventures program and Airports Worldwide (now part of Vinci Airports).

He is Treasurer and a director of the World Ocean Council, a not-for-profit alliance of businesses committed to the sustainable stewardship of the world’s oceans. Jacques serves as Honorary Solicitor of The Royal Canadian Military Institute. Jacques serves as Honorary Solicitor of The Royal Canadian Military Institute. He is invited to speak regularly on investment, legal, and regulatory matters recently addressing institutional investor gatherings in Barcelona, Tokyo, Muscat and New York. Following studies in economics, history and philosophy at McGill University, Jacques studied law at Université Laval (LLB’76).

Service: Canadian Grenadier Guards (Montreal) primary reserve (infantry). Jacques is a member in good standing of the Barreau du Québec (1977), Law Society of Ontario (1984), American Bar Association and International Bar Association.