Ravi Bhat
Strategy Lead, Structured Products Arbitrage, Polar Asset Management Partners
Ravi is Structured Products Arbitrage Strategy Lead for the Multi-Strategy team. In this role, he has been able to grow Polar’s expertise in structured products especially in US SPACs and closed-end funds holding physical metals. He started at Polar Asset Management Partners in 2009 as a Risk Manager, and in 2010 joined the portfolio management team analyzing closed-end funds and structured products arbitrage. Prior to joining Polar, he worked at Columbia University as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist with the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics. Ravi holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry and Physics from Queen's University (1996) and a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from the University of Toronto (2005).
Caryn Maxwell-Smith
Director, Business Development & Investor Relations, Polar Asset Management Partners
Caryn is Director, Business Development and Investor Relations - Wealth Distribution, at Polar Asset Management Partners, having joined the firm in April 2017. Prior to joining Polar, Caryn was VP, Business Development at Dynamic Funds where she spent 12 years working with financial advisors in the Greater Toronto Area. Caryn began her career in 2000 at CI Funds in service and support roles and in 2004, she joined the sales team at Clarington Funds. Caryn graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 2000 with a B.A. in Economics and earned her MBA from the Ivey School of Business in 2017.
Bill Peckford
Strategy Lead, US Equity Long/Short, Polar Asset Management Partners
Bill is Strategy Lead for the US Equity Long/Short team. After joining Polar Asset Management Partners in 1995 as an equity analyst, Bill developed the US equity long/short strategy with Paul Sabourin in 1997. He started his career at SEI Financial Services in 1991 as a performance measurement analyst before moving, in 1993, to Marquest Investment Counsel as an equity research analyst and trader. Bill graduated from Saint Mary's University in Halifax in 1990 with a Bachelor of Commerce. Bill earned the CFA designation in 1995.
Tom Sabourin
Founding Partner, Polar Asset Management Partners
Tom became President and CEO of Polar Asset Management Partners in 2006, after joining the firm as Chief Financial Officer in 1994. From 1996 to 2005, Tom also acted as a Vice-President of Polar Equity Partners, an affiliated private equity manager, where he assumed a leadership role in many of the firm's investments. Tom began his career with Ernst & Young in 1986 after earning a B.Eng from the University of Western Ontario. He gained his Chartered Accountant designation in 1988. Tom leads Polar’s charitable efforts through The Polar Foundation, which has contributed $3 million to “Help Communities Thrive” since its inception.
Tim Trapp
Strategy Lead, Convertible Arbitrage & Risk Arbitrage, Polar Asset Management Partners
Tim joined Polar Asset Management Partners in 2009 to direct our convertible arbitrage and risk arbitrage strategies. Prior to joining Polar, Tim was a portfolio manager at Stark Investments, trading various arbitrage strategies, including convertible arbitrage, volatility, risk arbitrage, event driven equity long/short and private placements. Tim began his career as a partner and co-founder of Mondiale Asset Management, a Vancouver based hedge fund manager. He later spent three years with Merrill Lynch as an Associate in investment banking. Tim graduated from Harvard University in 2002 with an MBA and Simon Fraser University in 1996 with a double major in Business Administration and Economics.
Julia Whitfield
Head of Talent, Polar Asset Management Partners
Julia is the Director, Talent at Polar Asset Management Partners, having joined the firm in May 2018. She previously worked for over a decade in executive search in London, New York, and Hong Kong, specializing in global alternative and investment management. She began her career in London working for Merrill Lynch and Maple Securities Hedge Fund. Julia is a graduate in Applied Economics from Queen's University, Canada and in Financial Math from the University of London, UK. She also consulted for the Equality & Human Rights Commission in London on the Financial Services Inquiry and the UN convention monitoring reviews. Julia is fluent in French.
