Alumni stories
Students of the School of Accounting & Finance (SAF) share a common curriculum in the first two years of study. As an SAF student, you will be thoroughly educated in Accounting, Finance and other essential business disciplines, then choose to major in either Accounting or Finance beginning in your third year. This common curriculum will give you a solid grounding to choose which of the two degrees is right for you.
Year of Graduation: 2009
Bachelor of Commerce in Finance
Alex Lelievre is the quintessential "success story" of volunteerism at the Ted Rogers School of Management. As a proud alumnus (BComm, Finance) and a current Associate Vice President at TD Bank, Alex has translated his professional success into a profound legacy of service to his alma mater.
Alex’s contribution is distinguished by his unique perspective as both a graduate and an industry executive:
Alex’s commitment to TMU began long before he joined the Advisory Council. He was the visionary who introduced the "Battle on Bay Street" case competition. What started as his initiative has grown into one of Canada’s premier undergraduate finance competitions, providing thousands of students over the years with the opportunity to showcase their skills to top-tier firms.
In his role as industry Chair of the SAF Advisory Council, Alex provides a bridge between the classroom and the boardroom. He leverages his senior leadership experience at TD Bank to ensure that the SAF curriculum remains agile and responsive to the needs of the financial sector, emphasizing both technical excellence and the "Bay Street" mindset.
Alex serves as a powerful role model for current students. He is a frequent presence at school events, where he shares his career trajectory and provides candid advice on navigating the corporate world. His ability to mobilize his professional network for the benefit of the school has significantly enhanced the "real-world" readiness of our graduates.
Alex Lelievre does not just advise the school; he actively builds it. His work ensures that the same opportunities he had as a student are expanded and improved for the next generation of finance leaders.
Year of Graduation: 2018
Bachelor of Commerce in Finance
Kyle Yancan joined Hazelview Investments in July 2018 as an Associate, Global Securities Investments. In his current role as Partner, Kyle is responsible for researching, underwriting and valuing new investment opportunities and providing formal investment recommendations to the portfolio management team.
Prior to joining Hazelview, Kyle completed several work programs including roles as Corporate Access Associate at RBC Capital Markets, and Junior Analyst, U.S. Equities at RBC Global Asset Management where he worked alongside portfolio management to develop portfolio valuation and monitoring models. While completing his Commerce degree, Kyle was CIO of the Ryerson Investment Group student Fund.
Kyle holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from the Ted Rogers School of Management and is a CFA® charterholder, CFA Institute.
Year of Graduation: 2009
Bachelor of Commerce in Finance
Jamie joined Cidel in 2013. He works extensively with institutional investors, consultants and private clients in Cidel’s Institutional and Asset Management division.
Prior to joining Cidel, Jamie worked in Capital Markets focused on Foreign Exchange and has over 10 years of financial services experience, 7 of those years with Cidel.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Ryerson University and is a CFA® Charterholder.
Jamie has been actively involved with the CFA Institute’s exam development over the past 5 years while also being a member of the CFA Institute and Toronto CFA Society.
Year of Graduation: 2017
Bachelor of Commerce in Finance
After graduating from the Ted Rogers School of Management in 2017 with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance, I joined National Bank Capital Markets through their Capital Markets Rotation Program. This program allowed me to gain experience across a variety of departments—Equity Capital Markets, Debt Capital Markets, Equity Sales & Trading, Derivatives, and Corporate & Investment Banking—before being placed in Credit Capital Markets.
The foundation I built at TRSM was instrumental in preparing me for these early roles. The practical, hands-on courses such as Financial Modelling, Intermediate Accounting, Business Law, and the Capstone projects equipped me with both the technical skills and the critical thinking necessary to succeed as an Analyst and Associate. The professors’ real-world experience, combined with the program’s experiential learning approach, helped bridge the gap between academic theory and professional application.
Since those early years, I have continued to build on that foundation—advancing to more senior positions at BMO Capital Markets, OceanaGold, and two private equity–backed portfolio companies. Today, I lead the Academy and Investments division at Contrarian Thinking, managing a team of approximately 20 direct reports and a total of 30 professionals report to me.
Looking back, choosing to study at the Ted Rogers School of Management was an excellent decision to begin my journey into the world of finance. Its practical curriculum, engaged faculty, and proximity to Toronto’s financial district made it an ideal launchpad for success in capital markets and beyond.