Management Team

Michael is our Founder and Executive Chair of the Board of Trustees. Prior to entering the real estate business in 1988, he was a partner at the law firm of Aird & Berlis LLP, specializing in corporate and real estate finance. He is also a Director of EQB Inc. and Equitable Bank.

Cecilia joined Allied in 2015 and is our President and Chief Executive Officer. She began her career at Arthur Andersen, where she obtained her Chartered Accountant designation in 2001 while working in the assurance and valuation practices. Cecilia continued her career development through progressively more senior roles at Magna International, Canwest Broadcasting/Shaw Media and Dream Unlimited. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto.

Jean-François is our Senior Vice President, Montréal and Ottawa and is responsible for portfolio performance and user satisfaction in Ottawa and Montréal. Prior to joining Allied in 2007, he was at BLJC and SNC Lavalin. Over the course of his real estate career, JF has held numerous positions in property and project management, as well as construction and building expertise for government interest, privately owned and publicly traded companies.

David is our Senior Vice President, People and Brand and is responsible for leading and executing our People, Brand, Communication and ESG strategies. Prior to joining Allied in 2019, David held progressive executive and human resources roles with The Canadian Accountability Board, Dream Unlimited, DundeeWealth Inc. and Husky Injection Molding Systems. A graduate of the University of Guelph, David blended his passion for helping people and human performance with post-graduate studies at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College as well as Rotman’s Advanced Program in Human Resources Management.

Tim is our Senior Vice President, Leasing, responsible for Allied’s National office and retail portfolio. Prior to joining Allied, he worked for a number of large commercial real estate and private equity firms, leasing office space across Canada. Over his extensive real estate career, Tim has leased a variety of commercial properties including heritage properties and Class A bank towers.

J.P. is our Senior Vice President, National Operations, responsible for the Property Management, Technical Services, Energy Management and Life Safety and Security teams supporting Allied's national portfolio. Prior to joining Allied, J.P. held roles at Timbercreek Asset Management and RioCan REIT. He has extensive experience in acquisitions, asset management and operations. J.P. is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and the University of Western Ontario.

Nanthini joined Allied in 2016 and is our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Throughout her career, Nanthini has held progressive positions in the real estate industry with Skyline Commercial and Retail REIT, Oxford Properties Group, Smart Centres and Calloway REIT. Nanthini holds her CPA, CMA designation and is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University.

Anne is our Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. She is responsible for leading and executing Allied’s legal strategy and advising the senior executive team and the Board of Trustees. As General Counsel, Anne oversees Allied’s legal, acquisitions and lease documentation teams and provides support to multiple teams across the organization. She brings a humanistic approach to the role, working closely with other members of the executive team to develop and implement strategies that align with the company's vision, mission and environmental, social and governance priorities. Prior to joining Allied, she was a partner at Aird & Berlis LLP, where her practice focused on corporate, commercial and securities law. Anne holds an LL.B. from Western University and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2007.

Travis is our Senior Vice President, Technology and Innovation and is responsible for leading and executing our technology and innovation strategies. Prior to joining Allied in 2020, he worked in a variety of industries for companies including Dream Unlimited, BlackBerry, Dynacare, Carpedia International, and the Canadian Forces. He is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada and the University of Manitoba.

Scott is our Vice President, Associate General Counsel. Prior to joining Allied, he was a lawyer in the Real Estate Group at Stikeman Elliott LLP, where he had a broad commercial real estate practice. Scott holds an honours Bachelor of Arts from Wilfrid Laurier University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 2014.

Leslie is our Vice President and Corporate Controller. She is responsible for internal and external financial reporting, procurement and corporate taxes. Prior to joining Allied, Leslie held progressive positions at Sienna Senior Living, CIBC, and Deloitte & Touche. She is a graduate of the University of Waterloo and obtained her Chartered Accountant designation in 2006.

Andrew is our Vice President, Finance and Accounting, overseeing our Treasury, Valuation, Tax and Lease Reporting functions. He works closely with the property accounting and corporate teams to provide value-added analysis to support reporting and decision making. He joined Allied in 2013 where he has held progressive accounting roles. Andrew is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University and holds the CPA designation after achieving honour roll placement on the 2018 professional examinations.

Jo Flatt is our Vice President, Corporate Sustainability & Brand, and is responsible for Allied’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) and brand strategies. Prior to joining Allied, Jo worked at Evergreen where she led programs with communities from across Canada to address important local issues, including Toronto’s laneway housing policy. Jo is a Board member of STEPS Public Art, a 2019 Action Canada fellow, and a former instructor at the Munk School of Public Policy at the University of Toronto. She is a graduate of McGill University and the University of Toronto.

Thileepan is our Vice President, Property Accounting and is responsible for overseeing the property accounting teams supporting Allied’s Montréal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver properties. Prior to joining Allied, Thileepan held progressive positions at Avison Young and Fengate Properties. Thileepan is a CPA, CGA designee and is a graduate of McMaster University.

Hersha is our Vice President, Technical Services and Construction, and is responsible for establishing and leading our national facilities management and preventative maintenance programs with continued focus on training and development of building operations teams. She began her career at H.H.Angus Consulting Engineers, where she focused on data centre design and commissioning, ultimately becoming a partner. Hersha joined Royal Bank of Canada to lead its Critical Environment Engineering & Operations, overseeing its global data centre portfolio. Hersha is an Electrical Engineer with the professional engineer designation and is a graduate of McMaster University.

John is our Vice President, Development. He is responsible for overseeing intensifications, ground-up developments, and redevelopments. Prior to joining Allied, John worked for a large construction management firm in Vancouver. He holds an engineering degree and MBA from the University of Western Ontario.

Ana is our Vice President, Lease Documentation and is responsible for overseeing lease transactions nationally. Prior to joining Allied Properties in 2010, Ana held positions at Colliers International and SNC-Lavalin. She is a graduate of Toronto Metropolitan University and holds her CLO designation with the Real Estate Institute of Canada.

Assmae is our Vice President, Portfolio Operations, for Montréal and Ottawa. She is responsible for overseeing portfolio operation activities in the cities. Prior to joining Allied, Assmae held various positions in property and project management with Crofton Moore and Sandalwood, in addition to her experience in immigration and web communication abroad. Assmae graduated university with a degree in Commercial Management.

Gord is our Vice President, Leasing, Central and Western Canada. He is responsible for overseeing leasing activities across Allied’s Central and Western office and retail portfolios. Prior to joining Allied in 2015, Gord spent eight years in brokerage with Avison Young. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario.

Christopher is our Vice President, Leasing and is responsible for overseeing leasing activities across Allied’s office and retail portfolios in Montréal and Ottawa. Prior to joining Allied in 2016, Christopher represented institutional property owners in industrial and office transactions while at a leading real estate advisory company. He is a graduate of the faculty of law at the Université de Montréal, and prior to that, obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences, major Psychology from Concordia University.

John is our Managing Director, Urban Data Centres and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the facilities. He joined Allied in 2021 following 10 years as an engineering consultant with a focus on redundant systems design. He applies problem solving and critical thinking skills to increase the reliability and efficiency within the critical environment of our urban data centres. John is a mechanical engineer and is a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Christian is our Senior Director, Technical Services, responsible for overseeing the facilities management, capital planning and building performance for Allied’s assets in Montréal and Ottawa. He has been instrumental in optimizing the portfolio’s physical attributes while focusing on client satisfaction. Prior to joining Allied in 2009, Christian was with SNC-Lavalin Profac, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, O&Y Enterprise, and CN Real Estate. Christian is a real estate graduate of the Université of Québec in Montréal.

André is our Senior Director, Construction and is responsible for overseeing major construction projects in Montréal and Ottawa. Over the course of his career, André has applied his extensive project management skills to successfully complete numerous large and complex construction projects. He is a licensed engineer in Québec and a graduate from l'École de Technologie Supérieure in construction engineering.

Tony is our Controller, Property Accounting andis responsible for overseeing the property accounting teams supporting Allied’s Toronto and Urban Data Centre properties. Prior to joining Allied in 2016, Tony held progressive positions in the real estate industry at Timbercreek Asset Management, Skyline Commercial REIT, Epic Realty and First Capital Realty. Tony is a graduate from York University and holds CPA, CGA and FCCA designations.

Rashmi is our Director, Brand Experience, and is responsible for developing and overseeing the organization's brand strategy. Prior to joining Allied, Rashmi worked at Oxford Properties where she led the marketing strategy and team for the country's most notable and successful shopping centres. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and a Minor in Communications from the University of Calgary.

Phillip is our Director, Development and is responsible for development and construction activities in Alberta and British Columbia with a focus on redevelopment and adaptive re-use. Prior to joining Allied, Phillip held progressively senior roles at Dream Unlimited and with commercial general contractors in Alberta. Phillip is a graduate of Queen’s University.

Ian is our Director, Safety and Security and is responsible for overseeing and leading Allied’s national strategy to ensure and enhance the safety and security of our employees, tenants and visitors. Prior to joining Allied in 2021, he held several progressive roles in safety, security and facilities management including the construction and commissioning of data centres and manufacturing facilities with Sanofi Pasteur, CBRE Limited and Smiths Detection. Ian holds a Master of Business Administration specializing in Health & Safety Leadership from the University of Fredericton, a Master of Science in Environmental Management from the University of London and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Payman is our Director, Acquisitions, and is responsible for the execution of all acquisition activities in the portfolio. In the ten years prior to joining Allied, he was responsible for advising on and leading the transaction and development of complex real estate assets. Payman’s responsibilities include sourcing, underwriting, and onboarding investments. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Master of Applied Science from the University of Toronto and is a licensed Professional Engineer.

Nicolyn is our Director, Portfolio Operations, Toronto. She oversees the portfolio operations team and is a dedicated leader with a passion for developing talent. Prior to joining Allied in 2016, Nicolyn previously held positions in property management at Bentall Kennedy and RioCan REIT. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto.

Simon is our Director, Portfolio Operations, responsible for overseeing the portfolio operation activities in Montreal. Prior to joining Allied, he held progressive positions in commercial real estate investment, leasing and asset management at Kevric. Simon holds a graduate degree in finance from ESG-UQAM and is a CFA charterholder.

Andrea is our Director, Portfolio Services. She is responsible for overseeing and directing the portfolio services team and is a dedicated leader supporting overall departmental efficiency. Andrea joined Allied in 2009, and prior to that held numerous positions in property management at Minto, Colliers International and ING Real Estate. Andrea holds her RPA designation and is a graduate of Humber College.

Mark is our Director, Operations for our UDC assets and leads a team of specialized operators and technical experts to ensure the facility maintains uninterrupted operations 24/7/365. A data centre professional with over 20 years of experience managing complex facilities, he has specialized education in managing an uptime environment, tiering classifications and delivering highly specialized service level commitments and requirements.

Jayson is our Director, Technical Services and is responsible for the facilities management, capital planning & building performance for Allied’s assets in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Prior to joining Allied in 2017, Jayson held roles with SNC Lavalin & BGIS overseeing large facility management portfolios. Jayson holds his FMA & RPA designations from BOMI International and is a graduate of the University of Calgary & SAIT.

Michael is our Director, Construction and is responsible for overseeing construction projects on new developments and major building upgrades in Toronto and Kitchener. Michael joined Allied in 2016 and brings over 10 years of experience in commercial design and construction. Michael is a graduate of Architectural Science from Toronto Metropolitan University and Construction Techniques from George Brown College.

Joanne is our Director, Portfolio Operations, for Toronto. She is responsible for overseeing day-to-day activities and provides leadership and support to the operational teams in meeting company objectives. Prior to Joining Allied, Joanne held progressive positions in the real estate industry including Oxford Properties. She holds her RPA designation and is a graduate of Alqonquin College.

Tristan is our Director, Portfolio Operations, and is responsible for overseeing assets and operational activities in Montréal and Ottawa. Prior to joining Allied, he held positions in asset management, transactions, valuation, construction management and operations in a variety of real estate companies, including Akelius Residential Properties. Tristan has extensive experience in repositioning assets and building high performing teams. He holds an engineering degree from Polytechnique Montréal and a graduate degree in business at HEC Montréal.

Josh is our Director, Enterprise Systems and Security and is responsible for the implementation, maintenance, support and optimization of Allied’s information technology platforms, including security. Prior to joining Allied, he held progressive information technology roles across industries including Tarion Home Warranty, Oxford Properties Group, OACCAC and Direct Energy. Josh holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Toronto Metropolitan University.

Frédéric is our Director, Technical Services and is responsible for overseeing the facilities management, capital planning and building performance for Allied’s assets in Montréal and Ottawa. Prior to joining Allied in 2021, he worked in industrial process consulting, project management, asset and corporate real estate management. Frédéric has managed large and complex portfolios of assets for both public and private organizations. Frédéric is a licensed chemical engineer in Quebec and a MBA graduate at HEC Montréal Business School.

Aaron Pratt is our Director, Portfolio Operations, Calgary and is responsible for overseeing the operational activities in Calgary. Over his extensive real estate career, Aaron worked in diverse settings and roles including Building Operations, Property Administration and Portfolio Management. He has also led teams in obtaining certifications such as BOMA BEST and various industry awards.

Andrew is our Director, Leasing and is responsible for executing and managing lease transactions within Allied’s office and retail portfolios in Ottawa and Montreal. Andrew joined Allied in 2013 and throughout his progressive leasing roles, has built exceptional relationships within the communities he works. He holds a Bachelor degree from Concordia University with a specialization in Urban Planning.

Powell is our Director, Capital Projects, providing consulting support to all cities on capital projects, building standards, sustainability, and energy management. Over the course of his career, Powell has held progressive positions in building operations and facilities management. Prior to joining Allied Properties in 2010, Powell was at Cadillac Fairview. Powell is a Mechanical Engineering graduate of Azad University in Tehran. He is a Certified Energy Manager, an active member of the Association of Energy Engineers, and holds several designations with industry associations.

Aru is our Director, Data Integrity and Lease Administration and is responsible for ensuring the accuracy, governance and accessibility of our master data and business systems. He has extensive experience with business systems and system implementation. Prior to joining Allied, Aru held various progressive roles at CBRE over his 13-year career. He holds a degree in Computer Engineering and Management from McMaster University and obtained his CPA, CMA designation in 2010.

Sydney is our Director, Leasing and is responsible for overseeing the leasing activities in Allied’s office and retail portfolio in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. Prior to joining Allied in 2017, Sydney spent several years in office leasing at Colliers International. Sydney is a graduate of the University of Victoria.

Yvette is our Director, Business Applications. She is responsible for overseeing the overall direction of all business applications at Allied. She comes with extensive experience in Real Estate and Software Implementation. Prior to joining Allied, Yvette worked at Morguard Investment Ltd. and Yardi Canada Ltd. Yvette is a graduate of York University where she studied Business Administration.

Edmund is our Director, Energy Management, and is responsible for managing the operational energy, water, carbon and waste diversion performance of Allied’s national portfolio. Prior to joining Allied in 2021, he worked as an energy and sustainability consultant in Los Angeles and in Toronto with Arup. Edmund has a track record of devising, evaluating, and implementing a diverse range of energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives, building certifications and master plans for the built environment. He is an active member of ASHRAE and holds various professional designations including Certified Energy Manager and LEED AP. Edmund is a graduate from the University of Waterloo (BASc) and Toronto Metropolitan University (MASc).

Matthew is the Chief Operating Officer of Richmond Equity Management, a Calgary-based investment management firm. Prior to that, he was the Managing Director, Public Investments at Werklund Family Office, the Chief Investment Officer at Canadian Family Futures Inc., Director, Investment Analysis at Kinnear Financial Ltd. and Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions at Ernst & Young Orenda Corporate Finance. Mr. Andrade previously served as a director and the Chair of the Governance and Compensation Committee of Stampede Drilling Inc. He also previously served as President of the CFA Society Calgary and as Chair of the CFA Institute Disciplinary Review Committee. Mr. Andrade holds a B.Comm (Honours) degree from Mount Allison University and received his Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2004.

Ms. Brekken is a Corporate Director with over 25 years of North American financial leadership experience in a broad range of industries including real estate, retail, healthcare and financial services. Until her retirement, she was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of First Capital Real Estate Investment Trust (2014 to 2021). Prior to that she was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Indigo Books & Music, Inc. Ms. Brekken serves on the boards of RATESDOTCA Group Ltd. and the Rotman School of Management CFO Leadership Program. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Tom is a corporate director and Allied’s former Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Allied, Tom was Senior Vice President, Retail at DTZ Barnicke, as well as a member of DTZ's Global Management Committee. During his 35-year career, Tom has distinguished himself in the areas of commercial leasing, operations and development. He is a Business Administration graduate of Algonquin College specializing in Real Estate.

Hazel Claxton is a corporate director. She served as Executive Vice-President and Chief Human Resources Officer with Morneau Shepell Inc. (now LifeWorks Inc.) from 2013 to 2018. Prior to that, Hazel spent 29 years at PwC Canada, where she held several leadership roles, including Canadian Leadership Group member, Human Capital leader, and Partner within the Corporate Advisory and Restructuring Group, an area she practiced in for 20 years. Hazel currently serves on the boards of TELUS Corporation, the University Pension Plan Ontario and Unity Health Toronto. Previously, she served on the boards of Queen’s University, St. Michael’s Hospital and the Shaw Festival Theatre. Hazel holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from Queen’s University and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Accountant.

Lois has been a Trustee since May 2018 and is a member of our Audit Committee and the Governance, Compensation and Nomination Committee. She is a C-Suite Executive and Corporate Director with 30 years of executive leadership, management and consulting expertise in the senior living, real estate, hospitality and health care services sectors. Lois is the CEO of Spring Living Retirement Communities and is the President of Bonterre Inc., an advisory services company in the senior living, real estate, hospitality and health care services sector. Before founding Bonterre, Ms. Cormack was the President & CEO of Sienna Senior Living (TSX: SIA) from 2013 to 2020, growing the company to become one of Canada’s largest senior living providers with over 13,000 employees, serving more than 10,000 residents. During her tenure, Sienna was named one of Canada’s fastest growing companies by Canadian Business/PROFIT 500 in 2016 and was recognized by Waterstone Human Capital as One of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures in 2017. Prior to joining Sienna, Ms. Cormack was President of Specialty Care, a high-quality senior living provider, which more than doubled in size under Lois’ leadership. Her background also includes leading a management consulting practice and senior executive roles in the health care and senior living sectors. She is a member of the advisory board of Kyto Technology & Life Sciences, Inc., and previously served on the Board of Governors of Seneca College, as a director of Medical Facilities Corporation (TSX: DR), and as Chair of the Board of the Ontario Long Term Care Association. Ms. Cormack holds a Masters of Health Administration from the University of Toronto and is a graduate of the Ivey Executive Program at the University of Western Ontario and the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program.

Michael is our Founder and Executive Chair of the Board of Trustees. Prior to entering the real estate business in 1988, he was a partner at the law firm of Aird & Berlis LLP, specializing in corporate and real estate finance. He is also a Director of EQB Inc. and Equitable Bank.

Toni is the President, Real Estate of Infrastructure Ontario where she leads the Province of Ontario Real Estate Portfolio (one of the largest in Canada) and has served as Infrastructure Ontario’s Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. Previously, she was President of its Lending Division and a key member of the Executive Team merging the Ontario Realty Corp and Infrastructure Ontario in 2012. Prior to joining Infrastructure Ontario, Ms. Rossi was with Oxford Properties and Cadillac Fairview and has more than 30 years of experience as a real estate professional. She is the Chair of REALPAC and was a long-standing director of Habitat for Humanity Canada. Ms. Rossi holds a BPHE from the University of Toronto and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Stephen Sender serves as a Trustee and as Chair of our Audit Committee. He served as an investment banker for over 30 years in Canada and abroad and was Industry Head – Real Estate in Scotiabank’s Global Banking and Markets Division, representing the bank’s capital market activities in the Canadian real estate industry. Since the early 1990’s, Mr. Sender provided investment banking advice to numerous public entities involved with raising capital and providing advice in numerous large transactions including mergers, takeovers, and related party transactions. He has been a frequent moderator/speaker at conferences in Canada and is a part-time instructor at York University, Schulich School of Business. Mr. Sender holds a B.Comm. (Honors) degree from the university of Cape Town and qualified as a C.A. (S.A) in 1984. He is a director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Sienna Senior Living Inc.

Jennifer Tory serves as Allied’s Lead Trustee and as Chair of the Governance, Compensation and Nomination Committee. She retired in December 2019 as RBC’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), reporting to the CEO, where she held responsibility for Brand, Marketing, Citizenship, Communications, Procurement and Real Estate functions globally. Additionally, she provided leadership and oversight of transformational initiatives, with a particular focus on driving cross-enterprise efficiency and effectiveness. Along with other members of Group Executive, Jennifer was responsible for setting the overall strategic direction of RBC. Prior to her CAO role, she was Group Head, Personal & Commercial Banking leading RBC’s banking businesses in Canada and the Caribbean, including personal and financial services, credit cards and payments, digital solutions, as well as RBC’s sales and branch distribution, operations and advice centres. Jennifer has extensive experience in leading large businesses and teams, driving results, leading change, and developing diverse talent. She currently sits on the boards of BCE Inc. and the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation. She recently completed 10 years on the board of the Toronto International Film Festival, the past five years as Chair. A champion of diversity, Ms. Tory is the recipient of numerous awards recognizing her work related to the advancement of women and advocacy for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. In December of 2019, Jennifer was appointed as a member of the Order of Canada. Ms. Tory completed her ICD.D designation through the Institute of Corporate Directors at the Rotman School of Management.

Cecilia joined Allied in 2015 and is our President and Chief Executive Officer. She began her career at Arthur Andersen, where she obtained her Chartered Accountant designation in 2001 while working in the assurance and valuation practices. Cecilia continued her career development through progressively more senior roles at Magna International, Canwest Broadcasting/Shaw Media and Dream Unlimited. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto.