Christopher Yeretsian, Toronto | Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

About Christopher

Chris advises clients on a wide variety of capital markets transactions, including public offerings and private placements of securities, financings, and mergers and acquisitions. He has significant experience with public and private investment products, and regularly advises Canadian and international asset managers on strategically building out their investment platforms.

He regularly provides advice to leading fund managers and investment dealers on the formation, structuring, development and offering of investment products, including alternative, open-end, closed-end, exchange-traded and private equity funds, and other pooled investments. Chris also advises clients on registration and regulatory compliance, corporate governance and other securities regulatory matters.

Chris has spent time on secondment at some of Canada's largest and most innovative investment firms.

Expand all

Select Experience

Recent representative experience includes acting as counsel to:

Investment Products & Asset Management

Asset managers, including 1832 Asset Management LP, AGF Investments Inc., CIBC Asset Management Inc., CI Investments Inc., Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc., Evermore Capital Inc., Evolve Funds Group Inc., First Asset Investment Management Inc., Guardian Capital Group Limited, Hamilton Capital Partners Inc., Harvest Portfolios Group Inc., Horizons ETF Management (Canada) Inc., Manulife Investment Management Limited, Purpose Investments Inc., Questrade Wealth Management Inc., Starlight Investments Capital GP Inc. and Tangerine Investment Management Inc.

Closed-end and open-end investment funds in connection with their continuous offerings

Lead underwriters and agents in connection with several investment fund initial public offerings and re-openings

Capital Markets

CI Financial Corp. on the establishment and renewals of its base shelf prospectus and public offerings of notes aggregating over C$2-billion, and the establishment of its US$2-billion cross-border base shelf prospectus and public offerings of notes aggregating US$1.86-billion
Intact Financial Corporation on its private placement offering of US$500-million aggregate principal amount of 5.459% senior unsecured notes

M&A

Royal Bank of Canada on its proposed C$13.5-billion acquisition of HSBC Bank Canada
Cboe Global Markets, Inc. on its acquisition of Aequitas Innovations, Inc. (more commonly known as NEO)

Mackenzie Financial Corporation in connection with its joint venture with Great-West Lifeco Inc. and their acquisition of a 49.9% non-controlling interest and 70% economic interest in Northleaf Capital Partners Ltd.

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. on its acquisition of MATCHNow, a Canadian alternative trading system
Starlight Fund 5 in connection with its US$1.4-billion acquisition by Tricon Capital Group
LOGiQ Asset Management Inc. on its sale to Purpose Investments Inc.
Evolve Funds Group Inc. on the acquisition of fund assets managed by Sphere Investment Management Inc.
Questrade Wealth Management Inc. on the sale of its fund assets to WisdomTree Canada
Scalar Decisions Inc. on its sale to CDW Canada

Professional Activities

Chris has presented and appeared as a panelist on the topic of regulatory changes and developments in the investment management industry. He is also a member of the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) and the Regulatory Burden Sub-Group of The Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC).

Chris is the former chair of the board of directors of the Bayview Glen Alumni Association. He is also a current member of the Governance Committee of the Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club.

Chris is a member of the Armenian Bar Association.