
Leadership Team
J. Sebastian van Berkom
B.Comm., LL.D.
Founder and Partner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Sebastian is Founder and Partner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, where he is responsible for ensuring that the investment philosophy, process and disciplines at VB and VBGD are properly implemented, resourced and incented. J. Sebastian is a member of the Executive Management Committee and a significant shareholder of Van Berkom.
Prior to founding Van Berkom and Associates Inc. in 1991, J. Sebastian started his investment career at the Bell Canada Pension Fund (1971-1979). He became a Partner of LRM Investment Management (1979-1984). He co-founded Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. (1984-1991).
Sebastian holds a B.Comm. from Concordia University (1970) and received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree (honoris causa) from Concordia University (2017).
For more information about our Founder
Mathieu Sirois
M.Sc., CFA
Partner, President and Senior Portfolio Manager
U.S. Small Cap EquitiesMathieu is Partner, President and Senior Portfolio Manager, U.S. Small Cap Equities, where he is responsible for all the investment decisions related to this product and for the management of the U.S. Equity Team, and for conducting research on a broad spectrum of the U.S. small-cap equity market. Mathieu is a member of the Executive Management Committee, a member of the Board of Directors and a significant shareholder of Van Berkom.
He became President of Van Berkom and Associates Inc. in 2021. In 2007, he was promoted to the position of Senior Portfolio Manager for Van Berkom U.S. Small-Cap Equities, and prior to that, he was part of the U.S. Small-Cap Equity Team since joining the company in 2000.
Mathieu is a CFA Charterholder (2003) and holds a M.Sc., Finance from HEC Montreal (2001).
Patrick Lamontagne
M.Sc., CFA
Partner and Chief Operating Officer
Patrick is Partner and Chief Operating officer. He is responsible for overseeing most operational departments of our firm, making sure that each department is managed according to best practices and is scalable to successfully handle future growth. He also significatively contributes to the elaboration and execution of our growth strategy. He is a member of the Executive Management Committee.
Prior to joining VBA, Patrick was Executive Vice President at Optimum Holdings (2009-2021), a division of the Optimum Group that owns four companies, including Optimum Asset Management. Previously, he was Vice-President, Eastern Canada at Standard Life Investments (2000-2009).
Patrick is a CFA Charterholder (2007) and holds a M.Sc. Economics (Finance) from the University of Montreal (1996).
Simon Lussier
MBA
Partner, Vice-President and Senior Advisor
Simon is Partner, Vice-President and Senior Advisor. He joined Van Berkom in March 2012 as Vice-President, Business Development, Compliance and Operations, when he also became a member of the Executive Management Committee. Since March 2013, Simon is a shareholder of VB and of Van Berkom Golden Dragon Limited (“VBGD”) in Hong Kong since 2016. Between 2015-2021, he was Chief Compliance Officer.
Prior to joining Van Berkom, Simon served as Senior Vice-President, Head of Institutional Equity for Laurentian Bank Securities (2006-2012) and as Vice-President and Director of Sprott Securities Inc. in Montreal (1994-2006).
Simon earned his B.Comm. from McGill University (1986) and his MBA from HEC Montreal (1995).
Owen Gibbons
M.Phil
Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager
U.S. Small-Mid Cap Equities
Owen is Partner, Senior Portfolio Manager for the U.S. Small-Mid Cap Strategy at Van Berkom. He is responsible for all investment decisions related to this product, the management of the U.S. Small-Mid Cap Strategy Team, and for the research on a broad spectrum of the U.S. small-cap and mid-cap equity markets. Owen is a member of the Executive Management Committee.
Before that role, Owen was a Portfolio Manager for our U.S. Small Cap Equities. Prior to joining Van Berkom in 2009, Owen worked as a buy-side and sell-side Investment Analyst for Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Asset Management and, most recently, as Vice-President, Global Equities at Natcan Investment Management Inc.
Owen holds a MPhil, International Relations from the University of Oxford (1997).
Gabriel Bouchard-Phillips
CPA, CA, CFA
Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager
Canadian Small Cap EquitiesGabriel is Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager, leading the Canadian small-cap equity team since January 1st 2021, with responsibility for all the investment decisions related to this product and its team and conducting fundamental research on a broad spectrum of the Canadian small-cap market. Gabriel is a member of the Executive Management Committee.
Previously, he was respectively Partner, Portfolio Manager for the Canadian Small Cap Equities at Van Berkom and Partner and Senior Analyst for the Canadian Small Cap Equities. Prior to joining Van Berkom in 2011, Gabriel was an Analyst, Canadian Equities at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (“CMHC”) Investments and Pension Fund Division (2008-2011). Before that role, he was a Senior Associate at Deloitte’s Assurance & Advisory Practice in Ottawa (2005-2008).
Gabriel holds a Bachelor of Commerce (summa cum laude) from the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa (2005). He is a Chartered Accountant (2008) and CFA Charterholder (2009). Gabriel also currently serves on the Board of the Cercle de finance et placement du Québec, having previously served as its President. Between 2014 and 2021, he was the recipient of the Brendan Wood International Top Gun award (Platinum Class).

