ONTARIO GRAPHITE - Key Persons


Derek Hirsch

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Advisory Board
Since 2001, Derek has been President and Portfolio Manager of Hirsch Capital Investments Ltd. and President and Startup Finance Director of Les Gestions AKD. Prior, he was Director of Pan Asia China Commerce Corp., Managing Director of Madison Williams Holdings and held limited term appointment positions and part-time professional adjunct at Concordia University. Derek holds an M.Sc.A in Finance from Concordia University and a B.Comm in Finance and Accounting from McGill University.

Ellerton Castor - CEO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Executive Officer
Ellerton brings over 30 years of M&A, corporate finance, principal investing, general management and governance experience to Ontario Graphite. His global experience includes diverse advisory and management roles throughout the Americas, Canada, Europe, and Asia, including the last 5 years in various senior management positions at Ontario Graphite. Prior to joining Ontario Graphite, his past experience includes: Managing Director, SphereInvest Special Situations Fund; Managing Director & Group Head, Latin America Mergers & Acquisitions at Banc of America Securities; Executive Director, Global Mergers & Acquisitions Group at CIBC Oppenheimer in New York; Senior Associate, Corporate Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions at Morgan Stanley; and Founder and Managing Director of Panterra Partners, LLC, a real estate restructuring advisory and capital raising firm focused on distressed opportunities in the Southeastern US and Caribbean. Ellerton holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics and History, Summa Cum Laude, from Franklin Pierce University.

Joseph Strubel

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Advisory Board
Joseph has 25 years of experience in portfolio management, trading and research expertise in high yield, distressed and special situation investments. Currently a Senior Advisor of the SphereInvest Group, Joseph has worked for a number of world class financial institutions, including Renaissance Capital Asset Management, SBC Warburg Inc., the HSBC Group and Merrill Lynch & Co. He has the distinguished honour of being a three-time Euro Hedge Fund Manager of the Year, in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Also in 2008, Joseph was named one of Barclays Top Hedge Fund Managers in the World. Joseph has a MBA and BA in Economics from University of Rochester.

Keith Day

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Advisory Board
Actively involved in asset management and trading for large investment banks and trading organizations, Keith has more than 30 years of experience in trading financial instruments and investing in hedge funds and commodity trading advisors. Currently an Investment Committee Member and Chairman of the Advisory Board of SphereInvest Group, Keith is actively involved in asset management and trading for large investment banks and trading organizations. He has extensive experience in the alternative investment arena and most recently worked for a large sovereign wealth fund as a Senior Investment Manager. Keith was a Senior Portfolio Manager of Alternative Investments with the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and a member of the ADIA Guidelines Committee to establish investment guidelines for ADIA's investment departments. Keith has a B.Sc. in Metallurgy from the University of Aston, in Birmingham.

Mario Scarpetta Gnecco

For 22 years, Mario managed Grupo Amalfi, investing in basic industry sectors such as cement, energy, natural gas, food products and financial services. He also oversaw business units that included sugar cane crops, real estate transactions and investments outside of Colombia principally through Managed Funds, CDs, debt instruments and equities. Upon delegating the management of Amalfi, Mario founded Azurita, a private investment fund, which boasts impressive growth in assets under management since its inception. His ethical and professional trajectory has allowed him to join the member roster of The Business Council of Latin America (CEAL). CEAL fosters regional integration and international interactions through the active role of entrepreneurs from sectors such as mining, agribusiness, manufacturing industry, banking and services. Mario holds a M.Sc. in Professional Management from University of Miami, a M.Sc. degree in Management from Arthur D. Little Management Education Institute and a BA in Economics from Universidad San Buenaventura in Cali, Colombia.