We've been managing portfolios responsibly since 1987.
Who We Are
Founded in 1987, Lester Asset Management is a Montreal-based discretionary portfolio management firm duly registered with Canadian regulatory authorities. The firm specializes in equities and fixed income securities and Global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) focused equities for a clientele of individual investors (high net worth, family offices, trusts, and estates) and institutional investors (foundations, pension funds, and non-profits).
Our size and investment strategies give us the agility to deliver exceptional returns and navigate all market conditions.
Owned and managed by seasoned financial professionals, our firm is completely independent. This boutique approach does not prevent us from having the necessary partnerships and tools to offer institutional-calibre responsible portfolio management.
Our ApproachOur Team
Over 50 years of capital markets experience and a complementary
set of skills in research, portfolio management, and client services.
J. Anthony Boeckh
Chairman of the Board
Stephen Takacsy
President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Lead Portfolio Manager, Canadian Equities
Lorie Haché
Vice President, Office Manager and Senior Manager Client Services
Olivier Tardif-Loiselle
Lead Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income
Kate Passingham
Manager of Client Services
Matthew Kaszel
Lead Portfolio Manager, Global Equities & Lynx Global Biodiversity Fund
Helen Barfurth
Compliance Consultant
Jennifer McDonald
Research Analyst Intern, Environmental Science
Alexis Tanguay
Research Analyst, Global Equities
Tharindu Mendis
Portfolio Administrator
Our Mission
We are committed to preserving and growing our clients’ financial wealth through responsible portfolio management, while providing a high level of personalized service to meet their evolving needs.
Our History
Values Rooted in the Highest Ethical Standards of our Industry
Integrity
As portfolio managers, we have a fiduciary duty to put the interests of our clients first. All of our investment decisions are consistent with our fiduciary role, our code of ethics, and our beliefs. We foster accountability and invest in our own strategies, thereby aligning our interests with those of our clients.
Transparency
We communicate openly, consistently, and honestly with our clients. We are transparent about our business practices, market outlook, and skills.
Independence
As independent portfolio managers, we always act in a completely impartial manner. The only remuneration we receive is from our management fees as we do not sell any third-party investment products for which we receive commissions. As such, our compensation is directly tied to the value and growth of our clients’ portfolios.
Expertise
We are aware of our strengths and we aim to be the best at what we do – finding the greatest investment opportunities in the equity and bond markets. We believe that it is by refining our expertise that we will deliver exceptional results.
Confidentiality
We place the highest priority on safeguarding client information. Strict cybersecurity and other measures are in place to protect our portfolio data and to ensure the utmost confidentiality.
Responsibility
We are collectively responsible for managing our clients’ portfolios with their best interests in mind and for reaching their investment objectives. For us, the value of responsibility also translates into the importance of contributing to sustainable prosperity for future generations by integrating ESG criteria including, biodiversity considerations into our investment processes.
Our Partners
These service providers allow us to focus on our strengths: portfolio management and client service. By outsourcing custodial, trading, settlement, as well as certain of our legal and administrative activities to reputable suppliers, we ensure integrity and excellence.
Lester Asset Management acknowledges that we operate on the traditional and unceded territory of the Kanien'keha:ka (Ga-niyen-ge-haa-ga) people, which has long served as a site of meeting and exchange.
Custodian
Fund Administrator
Fund Trustee
Auditors
Legal counsel
J. Anthony Boeckh
Chairman of the Board
Tony became Chairman of the firm in June 2017. In the early 1960s, he spent four years at The Bank of Canada working in monetary and economic analysis. From 1968 to 2002, Tony was Chairman, Chief Executive and Editor-in-chief of Montreal-based BCA Research (also known as The Bank Credit Analyst), which he built into a world-renowned independent publisher of global macroeconomic research and investment advice. From 1968 to 1973, he taught Economics and Finance at McGill University. From 1985 to 1999, Tony was Chairman of Greydanus, Boeckh & Associates, which managed $2 billion in fixed income assets and was sold to Toronto Dominion Bank.
Tony authored The Great Reflation, which was published in 2010 and was ranked #1 on Amazon. He also co-authored The Stock Market and Inflation, published by Dow Jones-Irwin in 1982. Together with his son Rob Boeckh, he was publisher and co-editor of the Boeckh Investment Letter from 2009 to 2013, a commentary focusing on current investment prospects. Tony is currently President of Boeckh Investments Inc., a family office, and Chair of the Graham Boeckh Foundation, a private family foundation established in honour of his son. Through the Foundation, the Boeckh family provides funding for initiatives in the area of mental health and other related disciplines. The Foundation’s work has expanded to support policy research and other initiatives designed to transform the mental health care system in Canada and improve the lives of those suffering from mental health illnesses.
Tony is also a Board member of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation in New York, and a founding trustee of the Fraser Institute in Vancouver, British Columbia, an economic “think tank” dedicated to free market principles. He is a former Chair of Brain Canada (Neuroscience Canada) and a former Director of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Tony holds a PhD in Finance and Economics from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a B. Com from the University of Toronto.
Stephen Takacsy
President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Lead Portfolio Manager, Canadian Equities
Stephen joined the firm in 2006 as Chief Investment Officer to help establish new investment strategies, and manage equity and fixed income portfolios. He became Chief Executive Officer in 2017.
Stephen's diverse career in finance spans over 30 years, including Corporate Banking at the Royal Bank of Canada, Investment Banking at Richardson Greenshields, and managing the proceeds resulting from the growth and sale of the control block of one of Canada’s leading entertainment companies where he was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. His extensive experience at analyzing and assessing the value of companies in many different industries, and sizing up management and their business plans, has added significant value to our clients' portfolio returns.
Stephen was Chairman of the Finance Committee of Loyola High School and a long-time member of the school’s Board of Governors. He is currently a member of the Board of Governors of The Marianopolis Millennium Foundation and Chairman of its Investment Committee. He is Co-Founder and Chair of Conservation Manitou, a registered charity focused on the preservation of natural areas in the Laurentians. He is also a Board Director of quick service restaurant franchisor BeaverTails Canada Inc. Stephen holds an MBA in International Finance, a B. Eng from McGill University, and the Partners, Directors and Officers certification. Stephen’s personal interests include nature, sailing, tennis, hiking, and back-country skiing.
Lorie Haché
Vice President, Office Manager and Senior Manager Client Services
Lorie joined the team in 1995 and currently holds the position of Vice President, Office Manager and Senior Manager Client Services. She has over 30 years of experience in the Financial Industry which started at BMO Nesbitt Burns. She holds a B. Com in Finance from Concordia University. In her free time, Lorie enjoys spending time outside with her family, swimming, and caring for her pets.
Olivier Tardif-Loiselle
Lead Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income
Olivier joined the firm in 2020 as Lead Portfolio Manager of Fixed Income. He is also a member of the firm’s Investment Committee. He began his financial career working for iA Financial Group (Industrial Alliance, the 4th largest life insurance company in Canada) as a credit analyst in the Fixed Income & Corporate Credit team. Olivier then spent 3 years as a trader at iA, where he traded money market securities, corporate credits, and government bonds. Finally, he spent 2 years as a senior trader and strategist at iA, where he helped develop strategies and manage portfolios as well as trade a variety of derivatives, ETFs, corporate credits, and government bonds in different currencies. While at iA, he developed an expertise in portfolio management and trading for investment funds, pension funds, and LDI (Liability Driven Investment). Olivier holds a B. Com in Finance from Laval University, as well as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Beyond his professional pursuits, Olivier enjoys practicing sports such as hockey, cross-country skiing, and hiking. He is also an avid supporter of the Montreal Canadiens.
Kate Passingham
Manager of Client Services
Kate joined our team in 2021 and currently holds the position of Manager of Client Services. She has held various roles in the financial industry over the past 6 years. Kate holds a B. Com in Finance from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University and the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation from the Canadian Securities Institute. In her free time, Kate enjoys keeping active, planning her next vacation, and testing out new recipes.
Matthew Kaszel
Lead Portfolio Manager, Global Equities & Lynx Global Biodiversity Fund
Matthew joined the firm in 2022 as a Portfolio Manager specializing in Global Equities. With a solid background in finance, he brings over nine years of experience as a research analyst and portfolio manager from an established investment management firm in Montreal. Matthew holds a B. Com in Finance from the John Molson School of Business and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Beyond his professional duties, Matthew is involved in several environmental finance and educational initiatives. He is a member of the TNFD forum (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) and a participant in Nature Action 100, a global initiative encouraging corporate action to mitigate nature and biodiversity loss. He is a Board member of the Loyola High School Foundation where he also serves on the Investment Committee.
Matthew's passion for finance extends into the digital realm, where he serves as a lead moderator for the r/CFA community on Reddit. He has successfully grown the community from 3,000 to over 130,000 subscribers, making it the largest CFA-related community in the world. The community is dedicated to fostering a supportive environment for candidates facing the grueling self-study curriculum of the CFA exams. By promoting an engaged community, Matthew has played a significant role in fostering a supportive environment that enhances mental health support and enables candidates globally to connect and collaborate in their studies.
In his personal life, Matthew is married and has two children and a dog. He regularly goes to the gym, enjoys PC gaming, and is an avid fan of the Miami Dolphins.
Helen Barfurth
Compliance Consultant
Helen joined our firm with over 30 years of experience in the investment and banking industry. Her last 25 years have been spent in senior Compliance roles for both major Canadian banks and small to medium-sized businesses. Her expertise spans from regulatory, infrastructure, marketing, client services, and operations. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Concordia University. In her free time, Helen enjoys staying active, travelling, and supporting the arts. She is a member of the Association de Protection de l'Environnement du Lac Millette, based Sainte-Adèle.
Jennifer McDonald
Research Analyst Intern, Environmental Science
Jennifer joined our team in 2024 as a Research Analyst Intern, Environmental Science. She completed an Honours Bachelor of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of McGill and was a COP15 Logistics Team Volunteer.
Alexis Tanguay
Research Analyst, Global Equities
Alexis joined our Portfolio Management team in 2025 as Research Analyst, Global Equities. Previously, he spent two years as an Investment Analyst covering a wide range of industry sectors and geographies, with a focus on environmental and sustainability-themed impact investing. Prior to that, Alexis worked at KPMG in financial risk management.
Alexis is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds a Master of Finance from HEC Montreal, where he focused his thesis on ESG data and its implications for equity portfolios. He also earned a B. Com in Finance from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University. In his free time, Alexis enjoys reading, tennis and golf, and discovering new restaurants.
Tharindu Mendis
Portfolio Administrator
Tharindu Mendis joined the Lester team in 2025 as a Portfolio Administrator. An experienced professional, he previously worked at a family office, focusing on reporting and was a part the private equity/investment team. Tharindu holds a B. Com in Finance from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University. Outside of work, he enjoys gaming and taking on DIY renovation projects in his 1940s home.