At PearTree, Les Ross brings more than 40 years’ experience in banking and financial markets to his focus on developing deep and sustainable client relationships in the GTA and across Canada. Les works closely with current and prospective donor clients, their charitable causes and their tax, wealth and legal advisors.
With a broad professional background including relationship management roles in international banking, corporate, commercial and real estate lending, private banking and as Managing Director of a leading Canadian derivative/capital markets practice, clients value the experience and expertise Les brings. Les holds a Commerce degree from Queen’s University and an MBA from York University. As an advocate of lifelong learning, Les is an accredited Personal Financial Planner, a Chartered Investment Manager, a Fellow of both the Canadian Securities Institute and the Institute of Canadian Bankers, and has taken numerous continuing education courses through the Canadian Securities Institute, the Appraisal Institute of Canada and UBC’s Family Enterprise Advisor Program. In 2019, Les achieved the Master Financial Advisor – Philanthropy designation and is part of the faculty for the program.
Les has decades of diverse community involvement. He is a Paul Harris Award recipient from Oakville Rotary, was a longtime Rotarian, youth sports coach, committee and board member at the Oakville Community Foundation, with whom he and his wife have established the Les and Kathleen Ross Family Foundation. Les and Kathleen recently relocated to Paris, ON.