IMPACT INVESTMENT TEAM IN CANADA

As CEO, Upkar is responsible for setting the overall direction, strategy and vision of Rally, and nurturing the right culture, environment and values to enable our people to flourish and deliver impact in alignment with our mission.  Upkar brings sophisticated expertise in business, capital markets and finance from working with companies of all sizes, at different stages, sectors and geographies. Over the past 35 years, he has been active in investing, financing, operating and advising companies, using innovative investment structures (debt, equity and hybrid) in the public and private markets.

Upkar is an FCPA, FCA and holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Upkar serves or has served on the boards of several organizations such as Meridian Credit Union, Vancity Community Investment Bank, University of Waterloo and Metrolinx. He is a BMW Foundation Global Responsible Leader and also teaches at the University of Waterloo.

As President, Kelly runs Rally. She is responsible for Rally’s day-to-day operations and client relationships. She leads the team and manages the business to enable Rally to grow. Kelly anchors Rally’s impact thought leadership both internally and externally.

For two decades she has helped clients create impactful portfolios. She has worked with a range of asset owners to design and implement their approach to responsible and impact investing, strategically aligning their investment and portfolio strategies with positive outcomes for people and the planet. Before joining Rally in 2012, Kelly was with Mercer in the responsible investing team. Kelly is a board member of the Responsible Investment Association and an Investment Committee member for SheEO’s Venture.Fund.

“I know capital markets have the power to solve today’s toughest global challenges. We are out of time and excuses – we must do better for our planet and for ourselves.”

Marc is responsible for Rally’s investment management services. He leads Rally’s multi-asset portfolio strategies and investments and is portfolio manager of the Rally Funds. He ensures our investment process is structured to deliver strong impact and financial performance.

With two decades of experience in the financial services industry, Marc has a diverse background in managing global funds and portfolios consisting of direct and fund investments in public equities, bonds, alternative investment strategies and assets, and private equity investments. Prior to Rally, Marc was a Senior Portfolio Manager with British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, responsible for managing the firm’s $1.5 billion Global Thematic Fund.

“I’ve seen first hand the ever-increasing need to make meaningful impact on a global scale. I joined Rally to be a part of a leading, innovative and dedicated team that can effect such change.”

Karolina leads engagements with Rally’s clients, including design, implementation, measurement and management of impact investment mandates. She serves as Portfolio Manager for clients with a Custom Impact Portfolio. Karolina’s previous impact investing experience includes working on the Sustainable Investing team at Addenda Capital, a large institutional asset management firm, as well as being an investment consultant for HNW families with impact investing mandates.

Credentials: BCom Honours in Investment Management, McGill University; CFA Charterholder; CAIA Charterholder; SASB FSA credential holder

Impact Outside Work: Chapter Leader, Toronto Chapter, Women Investing for a Sustainable Economy

Karolina is on parental leave.

Chelsea leads engagements with Rally’s clients, including design, implementation, measurement and management of impact investment mandates. She serves as Portfolio Manager for clients with a Custom Impact Portfolio. Before joining Rally in 2017, Chelsea worked as a consultant to help social enterprises leverage impact investing, sold community bonds at the Centre for Social Innovation and worked in ESG investment research at Corporate Knights Capital.

Credentials: BCom, McGill University; Chartered Investment Manager (CIM); Sustainable Investment Professional Certificate (SIPC)

Impact Outside Work: Board member, Greenest City

Chelsea is on parental leave.

Ben helps to grow Rally’s business by supporting the team to develop and strengthen relationships with investors, advisors and partners from the financial services and impact investing sectors. Over the last 10 years, Ben has worked across the impact sector in social services, health and environmental organizations, with experience in fundraising, relationship management and operations. Most recently, he led the operations for Canada’s first Social Impact Bond in the healthcare sector.

Credentials: MBA, Schulich School of Business, York University and BSc Conservation Biology, University of Guelph

Impact Outside Work: Board member, Cecil Community Centre; Investment Committee member, Canadian Hadassah-WIZO.

Laurel serves as the key anchor to community for Rally Assets to build the right partnerships required for community investing and market building. She works closely with the research and portfolio management teams to support sourcing place-based investment opportunities. Formerly, as the private investment research manager here, Laurel conducted due diligence on private equity and debt investment opportunities for various impact investors. Laurel has an interdisciplinary background, with a decade spent in financial services, corporate social responsibility and community development. She has worked with governments, nonprofits and corporations in Canada, Jamaica, Ghana and Kenya. She is also a social entrepreneur.

Credentials: MSc, Applied Mathematics (Finance), University of Western Ontario; BSc, Actuarial Science, University of West Indies; Community Economic Development Certificate, Simon Fraser University

Impact Outside Work: Laurel provides pro bono strategic support to Africa Centre, a pan-African non-profit organization in western Canada.

“Life is filled with many choices; a choice that has a win-win for our planet and all inhabitants is a choice worth making. Investing with intentional impact repairs and sustains the beauty of our planet and the conditions required to support future generations.”

Ammara leads private investment research, including sourcing new opportunities and conducting due diligence. Prior to joining Rally, Ammara was an Investment Analyst with the Transition to Scale team at Grand Challenges Canada and was involved in all aspects of the investment process. Before making the switch to impact investing, Ammara spent five years working at Canadian financial institutions.

Credentials: MBA, Schulich School of Business, York University

Impact Outside Work: Board member, Access Community Capital Fund

“Traditional investing has not contributed to solutions that address pressing social and environmental issues. I joined Rally Assets to help asset owners and asset managers take a holistic approach to moving capital into investments that create a positive impact.” 

Ammara is on parental leave. 

Estelle is responsible for our public communications, working to ensure we engage key audiences with compelling communications, and therefore grow the impact investing world as well as our place in it. She has spent almost the whole of her 25-year career strengthening values-based organizations, in the environmental, international development and social services fields.

Credentials: Bachelor of Journalism, Carleton University

Impact outside Work: Chair, Withrow Park Farmers’ Market

“My Rally teammates are demonstrating how we all can invest in alignment with our values, and so create large positive impact. I love sharing their work and communicating that message.”

Serkan is a Portfolio Manager for Rally’s public investments and is responsible for investment research, strategy development, and idea generation in addition to portfolio management duties across all our public investment mandates. Serkan has 15 years of investment experience with asset management firms both overseas and in Canada, where he was an Associate Portfolio Manager at BCI. Serkan was most recently the Director of Investments for Victoria Foundation where he was responsible for managing the primary endowment portfolio and played a lead role in launching the foundation’s impact investing strategy.

Credentials: BCom Honours in Finance from Concordia University; CFA Charterholder

After having the chance to work with Rally Assets on the client side, I was impressed with the team’s investment process and commitment to furthering the impact investing ecosystem in Canada. I am excited to join a diverse group of individuals aiming to help clients use their capital to create positive social and environmental impact while generating a financial return.

Sahil undertakes policy and market research for various clients and Rally teams. He has experience in the Canadian impact space, working with various social enterprises and international development organizations such as the World University Service of Canada and Agova.

Credentials: Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management, Carleton University

Impact Outside Work: Board Member, Shukrana Foundation

Laurel supports our investment team, researching public investments, analysing financial information and identifying investment opportunities that fit into our impact themes. Laurel’s experience includes working on emerging markets and Canadian equities mandates at BCI and Fiera Capital.

Credentials: BBA in Finance from Simon Fraser University

Monika helps the Impact Portfolio Managers with client service and administration. She joined Rally in 2023, with seven years of experience working in the Canadian wealth management industry at a big bank as well as an independent asset management firm. Having had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of HNW retail and institutional clients in the public markets, she is excited to join the impact investing space and work with Rally’s clients.

Credentials: BSc. in Biotechnology, University of Toronto

“I joined Rally to do my part in helping expand the impact made with capital. There is a lot of learning and growth needed in this space and I am inspired to join that effort.”