About Us

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Our Business Philosophy

GFI's business philosophy is to partner with customers and suppliers to create sustainable trade flows that benefit everyone throughout the pulses and specialty crops supply chain.  We work with reliable suppliers to provide a consistent outlet for their products and we partner with our customers to provide a steady source of competitive product that meets any quality requirements needed.  

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Our headquarters and operations

GFI is Canadian owned and managed, with headquarters in Toronto and operations in Saskatchewan.  We have a highly experienced team that understands the products, the logistics and the financial aspects of trade and is committed to building a leading organization that does business differently.  GFI has ambitious goals and our team is the key to our success.  We are just getting started and have big growth plans.  If you're interested in joining us, please contact us - we are always looking to add top talent to our group.  

Our Team

The People Behind the Company

 
 
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President & CEO

David Hanna

  • Over 20 years of experience in corporate finance and corporate development, including 14 years at commodity companies.

  • Previously Executive VP and CFO of a major mid-sized Canadian grain trading company for 9 years, where he played a central role in establishing the company’s pulses and specialty crops division.

  • Past roles include Vice President, Corporate Finance at a large diversified commodity and consumer products company, and Vice President, Investment Banking at a national Schedule 1 Canadian chartered bank.

  • Has also acted as strategic and financial advisor to several leading pulse and specialty crops exporters.

  • MBA from Schulich School of Business (York University), Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University, Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

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Chief Financial Officer

Bill Murray

  • Over 20 years of experience in investment banking and private equity, including primary responsibility for the agriculture and food sectors. 

  • Recent experience includes Vice President, Private Equity at a large Canadian family office and Director, Private Equity at a Canadian mid-market  private equity firm with International operations where he led investment teams in Canada and the US.

  • Past roles also include being a Head of Investment Banking and shareholder at an employee owned investment bank for over 7 years where he was instrumental in growing the firm’s operations and capital base over ten fold.

  • Has served on the Board of Directors of several private and public companies in Canada and on the Advisory Board of an emerging private equity group.

  • MBA from McGill University, Bachelor of Science (Business Administration) from the University of Nebraska, Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

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Vice President Operations

Jason Phillips

  • Over 20 years of experience in general management, operations, and corporate development, including over 12 years in leadership roles at commodity companies.

  • Previously Vice President, Strategic Business Development at BroadGrain Commodities Inc., where he was involved in the construction and roll-out of numerous grain and pulses projects in Canada (Saskatchewan, Ontario) and in emerging markets (Nigeria, Algeria, Argentina). 

  • Past roles include COO at Retail Ready Foods Inc., a mid-sized Canadian meat trading company.  In addition, Jason began his career as a Project Manager with the Canadian International Development Agency, a federal government agency, and was involved in numerous projects in developing countries.

  • MBA (Dean’s List) from Ivey School of Business (University of Western Ontario), BA (Honours) from Simon Fraser University.

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Vice President

Jaime Rueda

  • Over 30 years of experience in agribusiness trading and operations, including special crops and food ingredients.

  • Previously Vice President of a major US-based international agricultural commodities company, where he managed the global pulses and specialty crops division, and Vice President, Food Division at a major mid-sized Canadian grain company where he played a central role in strategic growth, innovation and product development.

  • Past roles include CEO at a mid-sized agribusiness trading company, and Marketing Manager at a Fortune 100 Agribusiness Company.

  • Has also acted as board member of several leading agribusiness companies worldwide.

  • Doctorate Degree in Veterinary Medicine and Bachelor of Science, Universidad De La Salle (Bogota, Columbia).