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Brent J. Ludwig
CEO and Founder
Brent J. Ludwig founded Ludwig Financial in December 2007. He has over 7 years of recruiting and over 12 years of corporate finance, M&A and legal negotiating experience, having made the switch from corporate law to found and run a national capital markets-focused recruiting business in 2005.
Brent has placed candidates with virtually every major bank-owned, independent and boutique firm in Canada. He has also placed candidates with multiple international and bulge-bracket firms. Brent brings expert-level negotiating, compensation and strategic experience to the table. Lawyers don’t conduct their own files – nor should you be conducting your own personal M&A transaction. Brent is highly adept at drilling down to match candidates’ wishes with employers’ needs. Integrity, professionalism and excellent service are his personal values.
Brent was born in Saskatoon Saskatchewan and has lived in virtually every corner of Canada, from the tip of Vancouver Island, to Vancouver, the BC interior, the Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, northern Ontario, southern Ontario and New Brunswick. Brent obtained a B.A. in History from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B. and headed for his first dose of big city life in Toronto where he obtained his MBA/LLB from Schulich School of Business/Osgoode Hall Law School in 1991. He practised corporate finance/securities law with Stikeman Elliott in Toronto, Ladner Downs (now Borden Ladner Gervais) in Vancouver and Bennett Jones in Calgary.
Brent’s active lifestyle includes hobbies such as skiing, snowboarding, curling, running and working out. He considers giving back to his community to be very important as a fiercely proud Calgarian, Albertan and Canadian, and as such served as the volunteer Chairman of Calgary’s Relay For Life, the Canadian Cancer Society’s annual community-based fundraising walkathon, leading it for five years until it became the top fundraising Relay in Canada (2006, 2007). He also serves on the executive of his local community association. He remains a devoted Saskatchewan Roughriders fan to this day.
Peter Wessel
President
Peter is responsible for leading the firm's expansion into the United States. He brings an in-depth understanding of the capital markets acquired through 15 years of corporate finance, sell-side equity research, private equity and corporate development experience. Peter has also advised on a number of cross border M&A assignments and will lead Ludwig FInancial's inter dealer M&A advisory practice.
Peter also has considerable International and Latin American experience. He worked as an equity analyst with Merrill Lynch in Sao Paulo, Brazil and was also the founder and president of a multi-national agribusiness with operations in the United States, Canada and Brazil.
James E. Lorimer
Managing Director and Principal, Capital Markets, Toronto
James E. Lorimer joined Ludwig Financial in December 2009 to lead Ludwig Financials expansion into the Toronto market. He brings a deep understanding of the capital markets recruiting business, from 15 years of investment banking experience at firms including Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. (and predecessor Midland Walwyn Capital Inc.), Crosbie & Company Inc., Clarus Securities Inc. and Blackmont Capital Inc. During this period, James had significant experience hiring for critical capital markets roles and as a result knows key professionals at virtually every major bank-owned, independent and boutique firm in the country. James also brings a wealth of M&A transaction experience to Ludwig Financials dealer-focused M&A advisory practice.
James appreciates the difficulty associated with finding a recruiter to truly work for the candidates best interest and provide meaningful guidance in determining your next big move. Above all, candidates need a professional, discreet advisor. He prides himself on providing superior service, honest advice and finding the right candidate for every mandate.
Kevin D. Smith
Managing Director and Recruiter, Capital Markets, Calgary
Kevin D. Smith joined Ludwig Financial in August, 2010. Kevin brings a diverse financial background through his 12 years of investment banking, private equity and corporate banking. He brings significant experience in building and expanding investment dealer teams giving him a solid understanding of what is required from staffing perspective, recognizing that a firm needs top candidates who are also able to work within a coordinated team in order to be most effective.
Recognizing the natural fit of seasoned capital markets professionals with public corporations in corporate development, benchmarking and financial officer roles, one of Kevin’s focuses will be to broaden Ludwig Financial Recruitment’s placing of finance professionals with issuers.
Amanda Custodio
Director and Recruiter, Capital Markets, Toronto
Amanda Custodio joined Ludwig Financial in January 2012 to expand the firm’s platform in Toronto. Amanda has had a diverse career in capital markets, having spent 10 years in institutional equity sales, corporate and investment banking roles at various firms on Bay Street.
Amanda began her career at CIBC World Markets where she held positions in corporate and investment banking. Most recently she was on the equity sales desk at National Bank Financial, working closely with the equity research, trading and investment banking teams.
Amanda is passionate about people and about helping candidates find the roles that are best suited for them. She is results oriented and has structured and syndicated many successful transactions over her career. Amanda’s dedication, professionalism and attention to detail will continue to help her serve the industry she has been privileged to be part of for the past decade.
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