David Kassie is a legend on Bay Street. From building CIBC World Markets into a dominant force, to founding Genuity and transforming it into Canaccord Genuity, his fingerprints are on some of the most influential deals and institutions in Canadian finance. But in this episode of In the Money with Amber Kanwar, Kassie goes beyond the deals to talk candidly about the state of Canada’s capital markets and what needs to change.
This wide-ranging conversation covers everything from the art of the deal and what really drives great negotiation, to why Canada’s funding system is failing entrepreneurs and independent companies. Kassie shares stories from the early days of Genuity, including a billion-dollar build from zero and tells an insider story about how he knew Lehman Brothers was heading for collapse. He also explains why he believes the rise of private credit could be the next financial accident waiting to happen.
We dive into why Canada’s banking consolidation is choking liquidity, why independent dealers are disappearing, and how regulatory inaction has hurt innovation. He’s breaking new ground with his latest venture, Outcome Metric Asset Management, where the firm’s Canadian Equity Income Fund has earned the #1 Morningstar ranking in its category—out of several hundred funds—on a year-to-date basis over the past 12 months.
Kassie pulls from decades of experience in investment banking, merchant banking, and startup investing to share hard-earned lessons on culture, strategy, and the difference between winning fast and winning smart.
If you care about Bay Street, capital markets, private credit, or the future of innovation in Canada, this is a must-watch conversation with one of the most seasoned voices in Canadian finance.
