John Paniccia, CPA, CA, CBV, FEA
Vice President, National Director of Business Advisory & Succession Planning
John is an experienced business advisor and brings a broad base of technical and business planning experience to BMO Wealth Management. John offers individuals and business owners expertise in business succession, transition, sale, M&A, insurance and valuations for the purposes of wealth planning and transfer.
John has over 15 years of experience primarily in the Big 4 professional services firms, as well as experience in a family owned private business. Within professional practice, John has lead a significant number of complex business valuations and business advisory engagements for private and public companies involved in a variety of industries in connection with M&A, corporate reorganizations & income tax planning, shareholder disputes, corporate finance activities, as well as succession, tax & estate planning for private business owners.
Karen Sparks, MBA, CFP, TEP
Senior Wealth Management Consultant
Karen advises high net worth families and business owners on comprehensive wealth planning solutions, as part of an integrated team of Wealth Consultants and in-house technical specialists. Drawing on extensive financial product expertise and planning acumen, Karen helps clients articulate and understand their unique objectives for accumulated wealth. A skilled listener, she acts as a value-add resource for wealth management professionals and their clients, ultimately providing a blueprint from which to execute a customized – and optimized – wealth plan.
Karen joined BMO Wealth Management in 2011, following progressively senior roles in the financial services industry, specializing in wealth planning, marketing and communications, and business development. In her previous role, she worked as a Vice President for a private investment counsel firm where she provided high net worth clients with comprehensive wealth planning and investment counselling services.
John Kimpton, CFP, TEP
Estate and Insurance Advisor, Vice-President
We believe that wealth should remain in the control of those who created it. As the team of choice for successful Canadians, John's team brings to each engagement over 50 years of experience and the all resources of BMO Financial Group. The Kimpton Team is fortunate to work with a select group of affluent families, professionals, entrepreneurs and business owners to promote wealth and protect what is most valuable in life:
Goal identification and finding a unique tax-based solution to your objectives
Tax-efficient accumulation and income strategies
Intergenerational wealth transition planning for tax mitigation, legacy maximization and philanthropy
Corporate and personal risk management
Since joining the firm, John has drawn upon his years of experience working with BMO Partners and third-party client advisors to customize insurance-based solutions. Collaborating with a group of experts results in unique solutions for unique families. The Kimpton Team has the knowledge, expertise and the toolbox to help you achieve your financial objectives.
In addition to his multiple industry designations, in 2015 John was nominated as a member of the Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting (CALU), a national advocacy group working on advanced planning issues in cooperation with the three levels of government. John has a special interest in corporate and personal tax, focusing on ways to reduce or eliminate it from the client’s plan. Away from work, John enjoys golfing and spending time with his wife and two boys.
Linda Leung, CPA, TEP
Director, U.S. Tax Planning
Linda advises high net worth business owners and professionals on how to efficiently structure their U.S. and Canadian assets, providing specialized tax solutions as part of an integrated wealth planning team. Drawing on 25 years of leadership within the cross-border field, Linda’s clients benefit from in-depth technical expertise, facilitating high-level planning discussions, while addressing a wide range of situations across U.S. income and estate tax, and Canadian income tax considerations.
Linda joined BMO Wealth Management in 2010, following 10 years of leading a global tax team at a large consulting firm, where she specialized in individual tax considerations with regards to employees relocating permanently or temporarily from/to U.S. and Canada. Previously, she was a Tax Manager in the Small Business and International Assignment Services groups at PricewaterhouseCoopers, a large international accounting firm.
Noel Perera
Director, Tax Planning
With almost 25 years of experience, Noel understands the broad issues that wealthy families face. By taking the time to understand each client’s specific goals and objectives, he brings his extensive subject matter expertise to help guide families through the unique opportunities and challenges that they may be facing in the areas of tax and estate planning, corporate structuring, business succession planning, trust planning and family governance.
Noel can skillfully take complex tax and estate planning issues and considerations, and speak to clients in a way that they can easily understand these issues.
Noel joined BMO Wealth Management in 2017. In addition to his tax/accounting background of almost 18 years at Deloitte & Touche LLP, he has extensive experience in the investment industry as well, including working at a large fund management company. Most recently, Noel worked as a Tax Planning & Consulting Specialist where he focused on tax planning and wealth transfer strategies for high net worth clients and business owners.
John Waters, CA, CFP, TEP
Head of Tax
John's area of expertise includes personal tax and corporate tax for private corporations as well as financial and estate planning for high net worth individuals, executives and entrepreneurs. John is a Chartered Accountant (CA), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP®) and member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (TEP). He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B. Comm) From Queen's University.
Before joining BMO Nesbitt Burns, John was employed by a large, international accounting firm as a senior member of the Toronto High Net Worth tax practice. John has also assisted in the design and execution of executive compensation plans and has expert ice in a wide range of planning scenarios involving the taxation of individuals, corporations, trusts, and partnerships.
Dominic DiVirgilio, B.Comm., PFP
Senior Private Banker
Dominic has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. During this time, he has managed small to large client service teams where he has acquired substantial experience with everyday banking, investments and complex lending requirements. Dominic’s clients range from entrepreneurs, business owners, medical professionals and business professionals looking for highly personalized service and expert advice.
Dominic’s objective is to work with successful families and help them simplify their most complex banking requirements. He has a passion for working with people to provide professional support, services and exemplar client experiences by providing customized banking and lending solutions to clients.