Board of Directors

Drew Green is an award winning chief executive officer, entrepreneur and expert in managing fast-paced, high-growth companies. A visionary leader, Drew has created one of the world's fastest growing apparel brands. Since 2015, he has established significant strategic capital, hired a world class management team and created global alliances that has led to over +500% growth, significantly increasing profitability KPI's. Over the past five years, INDOCHINO created, launched and then expanded to 50 showrooms, employing over 800 people, with another 1700 people working daily to produce the one of a kind garments each INDOCHINO customer creates.

Previously recognized as top 40 under 40, as well as CEO of the year, Drew has been recognized for his accomplishments throughout his career. In 2017, Drew was awarded the Innovation in Retail award by the University of Alberta. In 2018 he was awarded Breakout Retailer of the Year by Chain Store Age, and in 2018, Drew was selected as The Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young. In 2019, Canadian Business announced that between 2015-2019, INDOCHINO was the #1 fastest growing Canadian retailer, with sales globally, and third fastest growing retailer in Canada amongst retailers with revenues over $100M.

Prior to INDOCHINO, Drew founded and was chief executive officer of SHOP.CA, Canada's first multimerchant marketplace, which is now owned by EMERGE. Throughout his career, Drew has played key roles at companies that have created billions in shareholder value through leadership roles at DoubleClick (acquired by Google), SHOP.COM (acquired by Market America) and Flonetwork (acquired by DoubleClick).

In addition to EMERGE, Drew is currently chairman of five publicly listed or pre public listed companies, including AIRES TECH (CSE: WIFI), LUCK BOX (reserved ticker TSXV: LUCK), BRUUSH (reserved ticker TSXV: BRSH) and APOLLO INSURANCE (reserved ticker TSXV: APLO). As a dedicated mentor to Canadian entrepreneurs, Drew is the founder, chairman, or an investor in 25 Canadian companies that drive innovation and growth within retail, direct to consumer products, insurance, artificial intelligence, technology, and real estate. A sought after expert, Drew has presented to hundreds of thousands of people, and has been quoted in more than 3,000 news articles, globally.

Mr. McKinnon has been a director of numerous public and private technology companies since 1995, including 12 years on the board of Constellation Software Inc.

(TSX: CSU) from 2006 to 2018. Among other roles, he currently serves as chairman of the board of directors of MessagePoint, a privately owned technology company, and as a director of TSX-listed, Sylogist Ltd.

(TSX: SYZ). Prior to 2007, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of TSX/Nasdaq-listed Certicom Corp (2002 to 2007) and TSX-listed Promis Systems Corporation (1995 to 2000).

From 1981 to 1995 he held various sales and senior management positions at Digital Equipment Corporation in Canada and Singapore where he served as Managing Director.

Mr. McKinnon is a graduate of McMaster University and attended the INSEAD Business School Advanced Management Program.

Mr. Kim currently sits on the board as an independent director of WELL Health Technologies Corp., a company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

John is a Toronto based businessman and award-winning Institutional investor for 20+ years with an extensive capital markets network. His investment focus has included companies from a variety of sectors, including technology, healthcare, and resources at various stages of development, ranging from early start-ups to Fortune 1000 Companies. John has both public and private company board experience.

Ghassan Halazon is a serial e-commerce entrepreneur with more than a decade of scaling some of North America's most coveted digital brands. Halazon was recently recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 honourees for 2020, a Caldwell Award, presented by BNN Bloomberg and National Post. Ghassan is the Founder and CEO of EMERGE Commerce Ltd., an acquirer and operator of niche e-commerce brands with $100M+ in gross merchandise sales across North America. EMERGE was recognized as a winner on the Startup 50, and Canada’s Top Growing Companies by the Globe and Mail in 2022 and 2020. Ghassan’s entrepreneurial journey started at the age of 25.

Formerly, Ghassan was an investment banker with Citi (New York). Ghassan holds an MBA from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University. Previously, Ghassan was a member of the Board of Directors at the Canadian Arab Institute. Ghassan is an avid technology and startup speaker, having delivered keynote speeches and fireside chats at Harvard, TEDx, TechTO and TechStars.

Kia Besharat has over 15 years of extensive private equity, investment banking, and directorship experience, including as former Managing Director at Ubequity Capital Partners, a leading global merchant and investment bank.

Kia acts exclusively as a consultant to Gravitas Securities Inc., where he helps with the advisory, restructuring, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions mandates across the firm’s platform, with a recent focus on the following industry groups: consumer/retail, natural resources, internet/new media, technology, and healthcare. While at Gravitas Securities as a Senior Managing Director of Investment Banking, Kia played a pivotal role in establishing Gravitas Securities as one of the top boutique investment banks in Canada. His transactions have totaled in excess of $1 billion at Gravitas Securities and more than $4 billion over the span of his career.

Kia’s entrepreneurial ability and relationship management skills allow him to work closely with and support earlier stage companies. As such, he has personally invested in and helped grow hundreds of public and private companies.

Throughout his career, Kia has always demonstrated strong leadership and a commitment to his community. Kia has supported numerous charitable organizations such as the Daily Bread Food Bank, Sick Kids Hospital Foundation, the Royal Columbian Hospital, and the Merry Go Round Children's Foundation.

Kia holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics with a minor in Management) from McGill University as well as a Master of Science (Finance and Investment) from the University of Edinburgh. He was also one of Canada’s top tennis players, having competed as a professional in tournaments around the world and at the NCAA Division 1 level. In 2018, Kia was recognized by the Investment Industry Association of Canada (IIAC) as a Top 40 Under 40 Award Nominee.

Jonson is the founder of GIC Merchant Bank Corp, which has diversified business interests across Canada, the United States, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Before founding GIC Merchant Bank, Jonson Co-Founded GIC, a financial holding company that oversees over a billion dollars in client assets through subsidiaries and affiliates and has raised C$200M for private companies through its institutional network. Along with EMERGE Commerce Ltd, Jonson also serves on the board of Hire technologies and Pishon Innovation Lab, the parent company of Tapplock Inc. Jonson is also active in faith-based impact investments as well as non-profit organizations. He serves on the board of Kore Alliance, a non-profit global family network, and a strategic advisor to the Thompson Family Office.

Harish is Founder & CEO of Ocgrow Group of Companies (www.ocgrowgroup.com), which is a privately held, investment group focused in venture capital & real estate development. Harish has spent his entire career as an entrepreneur, in building, operating & investing in highly successful growth oriented businesses across North America & globally now, with over 35 years of investment experience. These have been in both public & private markets, in several industry sectors ranging from technology to real estate. Ocgrow Ventures has been a leading early investor in several world class companies todate, including Amazon, Shopify, Coupang, Heliogen, Viome & many others. Harish is an innovator & creator, widely recognized for his visionary leadership and investment knowledge, always focused to build and inspire high energy teams.

Michele is Co-Founder and President at Clearbanc, an innovative lending platform that has raised over $400M to fund technology startups with non-dilutive equity. Michele is also a Dragon on CBC's popular reality TV show, Dragons' Den. She was the Co-Founder of Buytopia.ca (now an EMERGE portfolio company), and SnapSaves (acquired by Groupon). Michele currently serves as a Director of Whistler Blackcomb (Vail Resorts), Freshii, and SHAD Valley. She has been listed on WXN’s 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada and Forbes Millennial on a Mission list.

Mr. Soberano is an accomplished entrepreneur, investor and corporate executive with extensive experience in the areas of retail, manufacturing, real estate, corporate sales, and marketing. He is a past CEO of Y.M. Inc., a 650 location company that is one of North America’s leading apparel retailers carrying brands such as Urban Planet, Sirens, Bluenotes, Suzy, Stitches, West49, Amnesia, and Charlotte Russe.

Kenny Finkelstein, CA, is the Chief Executive Officer of Knight’s Bridge which he co-founded in November 2006. Mr. Finkelstein has a long and successful history of investing in, providing ongoing management, guidance and mentoring of portfolio entities, and delivering effective exit strategies.

Prior to founding Knight’s Bridge, Mr. Finkelstein co-founded and managed Gen-X Sports Inc., a diversified sporting goods company that owned multiple brands, including LAMAR, LTD Snowboards, Tommy Armour and Ram Golf, Tear Drop and Zebra Putters, Ultrawheels in-line skates, Hespeler hockey, and Volant Ski Company.

Mr. Finkelstein was also a co-founder of Lifestyle Brands Ltd., a company whose strategy was to acquire, for the purposes of creating a royalty stream, brands that needed revitalization. The brand portfolio included: AIRWALK, VISON STREET WEAR, LAMAR, LTD, RAGE, DUKES and ULTRAWHEELS. The company was successful in creating a significant royalty stream and was sold to Payless Shoes.

In the KBC Fund, Mr. Finkelstein implemented a licensing strategy while acquiring brands. He helped position these new brands as a strong and stable source of royalties, and created a successful brand portfolio with companies such as MARILYN MONROE, ELVIS PRESLEY, MUHAMMAD ALI, SPYDER, PRINCE, JUDITH LEIBER, and POLAROID. He also operated a successful internet fund, investing and advising companies such as TUBEMOGUL, BUDDY MEDIA, and LIFELOCK among others.

As CEO of Knight’s Bridge, Mr. Finkelstein, applies his extensive expertise in working closely with management of its portfolio companies, helping them formulate and meet proper targets and goals. Mr. Finkelstein has helped build a solid reputation for Knight’s Bridge, making it an organization that is known for being highly successful and proficient in identifying attractive acquisitions and investment opportunities