2002 British Columbia and Territories

   B u s i n e s s  F a m i l y  C e n t r e

Malcolm Ross, B.Comm, CFP, CLU, TEP, CAFA
President

2002 Advisors' Edge Advisor of the Year, Malcolm Ross is the Founder and President of the Investaflex Financial Group. Malcolm's keen understanding of the Canadian Tax System, as well as his specialized knowledge of insurance and financial products, has made him one of the most respected Financial Advisors in Canada.

After graduating in South Africa with a Bachelor of Commerce, he returned to his native Zimbabwe where he entered articles in Accounting.  By the age of 24 he was Financial Director of a 240 person engineering and fabrication firm; this was followed as Financial and Administration Manager for the agricultural operations of one of Zimbabwe's largest public companies.

From there he became an independent consultant working with ICL Computers as a Systems Consultant and Project Manager, teaching systems analysis and logical design and developing a strong reputation for his management and consulting abilities concurrently implementing major systems projects for four national companies. In 1986 he conducted a feasibility study for Hewlett Packard for the establishment of a regional distributorship for Central Africa, which he subsequently helped establish and successfully run before moving in 1988 to South Africa with Canadian Mining software specialist, Lynx Geosystems where he spearheaded the introduction of their spatial modeling systems. Based upon his success for Lynx in Zimbabwe and South Africa, He moved to Canada in 1990 to head up international operations.

In 1992, following the collapse of the mining and resource industries, he moved into the financial services industry where he works closely with business owners and their families, specializing in corporate tax structuring, family business succession and wealth management. Malcolm founded Investaflex in 1995, and has been instrumental in the development of the firm's proprietary financial modeling software tools and integrated approach to tax structured wealth management. Together with Victor Whang, Malcolm has developed the PRISM Valued Investor Portfolio Program, which is the first Private Wealth program of its kind in Canada to assess and develop tax structured private family portfolios that reflect the client family appetite, ability and need to take investment risk.

Malcolm has made a strong commitment to personal, client and advisor education.  A Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter, Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner, and a Registered Agricultural Farm Advisor and Family Firm Institute Certificate Holder in Family Business Advising, Malcolm believes in the importance of continuing professional and personal development.

He is the founder of the Financial Advisor Network FAN Program, which provides professional development, education and consulting services to accountants and their clients.  Over 520 accountants around the province have been through the FAN Program, many of whom refer their clients  to Malcolm and the Investaflex Team for Integrated Tax Planning, Private Wealth Management, and Family Business Advising.  The FAN Learning Centre provides clients and advisors access to online professional development and learning tools.

In 2004 Malcolm again brought his systems background to the fore when he designed and implemented Canada's first Virtual Multi-Family Office, using a state of the art secure web-portal, with dedicated confidential virtual offices for each client family.  This technology together with the award winning advice, which integrates tax structuring, private wealth management, and family business and wealth advising have resulted in inclusion on the Professional Advisory Committee for the Sauder School of Business UBC Business Family Centre.

Malcolm is also a strong family man who contributes to his community as President of the Rotary Club of Vancouver Arbutus, and as Evening Service Warden at St. John's Anglican Church, Shaughnessy, Vancouver.

To speak to Malcolm call 604-331-2520

or E-Mail: malcolm@investaflex.com

Professional Designations and Memberships

• B. Comm., University of Natal, 1980
• CFP, Financial Planners Standards Council,
• Former Advocacy Chair, Advocis Greater Vancouver
• Associate Member, Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFE)
• Member, Professional Advisory Committee to the UBC Sauder School of Business, Business Families Centre
• Advisor of the Year for the BC/Territories Region, 2002 (Granted by Advisor's Edge Magazine)
• Chartered Life Underwriter, CLU Institute,
• Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) and Member, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
• Registered Farm Advisor, Canadian Association of Farm Advisors (CAFA)
• Family Firm Institute Certificate Holder in Family Business Advising