Wealth Planning Consulting

At BMO Nesbitt Burns, we are committed to ensuring that clients with comprehensive wealth management needs work with acknowledged experts in investing, planning and wealth solutions. Wealth Planning is a national group of highly accredited professionals, lawyers, accountants, and certified financial planners providing optimized wealth planning (retirement, financial, tax, estate, cross-border, philanthropic and business succession planning) support to BMO Nesbitt Burns advisors, in addressing your financial situation.


Our Philosophy

The BMO Nesbitt Burns Wealth Planning Group partners with BMO Nesbitt Burns Investment Advisors and follows a multi-disciplinary optimized wealth planning process to address all aspects of your wealth. We begin with an in-depth discovery conversation that aligns your current wealth, your goals and your obligations.

 

Wealth Management Consultants, Tax & Estate, Trust & Estate, and Business Succession Planning

BMO Nesbitt Burns has assembled a highly-skilled team of industry experts and designated specialists that your BMO Nesbitt Burns Investment Advisor is able to partner with to manage your wealth needs.

The Wealth Planner will work with your Investment Advisor to help bring together and manage an extended team of in-house experts on your behalf, which could include accountants, lawyers, business succession, cross-border, insurance, tax and estate professionals to gain a total perspective on your wealth management needs. Backed by the group’s knowledge and expertise, your Investment Advisor will work closely with you to tailor a comprehensive plan that incorporates your wealth and life management needs, interests and aspirations.

As your needs evolve or changes in your situation occur, your Investment Advisor will identify opportunities and recommend solutions so you remain on track to achieve your goals.

Our Wealth Partners

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Piero Mazza, CFP, CFA, CIM, TEP

Director, Wealth Planning

​As a member of the Wealth Management Consulting team, Piero brings together the knowledge and experience of our in-house tax and estate professionals and works with Investment Advisors and their clients to develop sound wealth management plans.

He provides support and direction about complex issues such as retirement and distribution planning, tax planning, cash management, estate and gift planning, transition planning and charitable giving.

Piero has 15 years of experience in the financial services industry having worked for a large, Canadian brokerage firm and Insurance company as a financial planner providing comprehensive planning for their high net worth clients in the area of tax, estate, insurance and retirement planning. Piero has a Business Degree, is a member of the Financial Planning Standards Council, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and the CFA Society of Toronto.

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Chris Markou, LL.B, BA (Hons)

Director, Estate Planning

Chris advises high net worth individuals and families on specialized Estate & Trust solutions as part of an integrated wealth planning team.

Chris draws on his prior experience as an estates lawyer in private practice to assist BMO clients with complex estate and trust planning solutions in a variety of contexts. He provides support and direction on matters related to estate, gift and tax planning, succession planning for business owners, charitable giving and planning for family members with special needs.

Prior to joining BMO Wealth Management, Chris operated his own law firm, worked as in-house counsel with an insurance company, and worked in the estates and real estate groups in one of the largest and oldest law firms in Brampton, Ontario. Chris has been actively involved in the community as a member of numerous boards and committees, and has chaired and presented at several programs for the Ontario Bar Association.

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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.

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David Tremblett

Trust and Estate Planner

David brings over 20 years of experience as a Trust and Estate Planner. He is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

David has worked extensively with our clients in the area of Estate, Will and Trust Planning, and is committed to providing his expertise by ensuring our clients have a capable executor that can fulfill their duties. When considering who to appoint as executor, he suggests looking for the following qualities: Knowledge, Accessibility, Fairness, Integrity, and Emotional stability.

 

If you have been appointed as executor or trustee and find the responsibility too onerous or time consuming, we can simplify your life by helping you fulfill your duties, and act as your Agent.

If you are considering a corporate executor, you can choose to appoint BMO Trust Company to help you with estate planning and administration.

Neol Perera

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.

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Michelle Maandag, CFP®

Wealth Planning Consultant

Michelle has an extensive career within the Financial Services industry. She has 15 years of experience working with high net worth individuals, gaining a deep understanding of their financial needs and identifies solutions to help them achieve their goals. Michelle is committed to providing a holistic approach to her clients, including estate planning, tax management, business succession planning, investment management, and banking and credit management to develop wealth management strategies to simplify complicated financial affairs.

 

Michelle has lived and worked in the GTA for several years and when not working will often be found enjoying outdoor activities with her family. She has a diverse range of interests and enjoys contributing to others’ success.

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James Keene, CFP, TEP

Wealth Planning Consultant

As a member of the BMO High Net Worth Wealth Planning team, James brings together the knowledge and experience of our in-house tax and estate professionals and works with BMO financial professionals and their clients to develop sound wealth management plans. He provides support and direction about complex issues such as retirement and income planning, tax planning, cash management, business succession, transition planning, estate and gift planning, and charitable giving.

James joined BMO in 2007, beginning his career at BMO Nesbitt Burns as an Investment Representative (IR) with a Wealth Advisory Team serving clients in the Toronto area. Most recently James served as a Financial Planner specializing in Investment and Retirement planning at the retail branch. Before joining BMO, James spent two years with a large bank-owned brokerage firm. Drawing on his experience as a Certified Financial Planner®, his clients benefit from a depth of knowledge and an ability to simplify financial plans aimed at maximizing wealth.

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Conor Pang

Estate and Insurance Advisor

Conor believes that legacy is everything. As an Estate Insurance Advisor at BMO Private Wealth, he works with select individuals and business owners to help them optimize their financial plan. This includes estate planning as well as tax planning strategies involving insurance. Each client has their own unique set of goals and objectives, and Conor specializes in building custom solutions to meet their needs and to help these client integrate the solutions into their overall financial plan.

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Jeffrey Justin, CFP

Associate Private Banker

Jeffrey provides high net worth individuals and families advice on all aspects of banking and borrowing as part of your BMO Nesbitt Burns wealth planning team. 
 
Jeffrey has over 26 years of experience with BMO as a Sr. Financial Services Manager, Financial Planner and Private Banker. This has enabled him with the skills and knowledge needed to provide personalized solutions for your banking and borrowing needs. 
 
Jeffrey holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Brock University, and the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation.
 
He is married, is an automobile enthusiast and lives in Burlington with his teenage son and daughter and his golden retriever, Poppy.