Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit passed down from generation to generation, the Walter Group has flourished for nearly 70 years. Beginning as an industrial company that grew into a leader of its industry, we are now a multifaceted investment firm. Backed by family values, we are striving to be recognized as the most respected investment firm in all our markets.
As an engaged partner, we invest in select companies and use our capital and operational expertise to create value and drive their growth. Ultimately, our mission is to build long-term prosperity while having a positive impact on society.
Our
values
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We put people first
We bring passion to everything we do, and have fun along the way
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We are builders
We add real value in all we do
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We build meaningful relationships
Because our partnerships are based on trust, integrity, respect and fairness
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We are patient
This lays at the heart of our long-term view
Our ecosystem
We leverage our entrepreneurial foundation and investment expertise to unlock new horizons for our clients
Walter Capital Management invests in both public and private equity markets. Our permanent capital base and long-term investment horizon enables us to become a true business partner for the companies in which we invests. Our teams comprise portfolio managers with hands-on experience enabling them to look beyond technical market analyses and meaningfully contribute to the success of the companies in our portfolio. Walter Capital Management knows how to build businesses and create value.
We select business leaders to invest in public markets with a long-term vision
The public markets team seeks the long-term growth of its capital by investing in the leaders of today and tomorrow while seeking the best operators and the best business models. Taking advantage of its permanent capital, they foster an investment vision of five to 10 years, in line with the development of its portfolio companies. By performing deep bottom-up analyses, they have full knowledge of their portfolio companies.
We provide capital and the support of seasoned managers to drive the growth of our portfolio companies
Walter Capital Partners’ investments go beyond providing growth capital to businesses. The team fosters long-term growth and sustainable value creation by providing its companies with timely support from vetted business leaders and seasoned investors – backed by patient capital that affords companies the time to reach their full potential. At Walter Capital Partners, the managing partners all have senior operating experience in running businesses as well as strong financial backgrounds.
We’re building a growth-oriented platform to support independent asset management firms in reaching new heights
This specialized private equity team focuses on asset management firms and partners with entrepreneurial leaders in the industry. The platform provides the best boutique asset management firms with capital and expertise. Member firms access an ecosystem that enables them to reach their goals without compromising their independence.
WE’RE A PLATFORM OF IMPACT-DRIVEN VENTURE INVESTMENTS WITH EXCEPTIONAL ENTREPRENEURS
Walter Ventures is an early-stage investment platform. Focused on B2B software centric companies and with a special interest for healthcare, Walter Ventures believes in projects that benefit the socio-economic and environmental development of communities. Building lasting partnerships is an integral part of its strategy, which leverages its ecosystem, operational know-how and network to create long-term sustainable value.
Walter Hospitality was created in 2018 to support the Group’s initiatives in the food sector including distribution, real estate and restaurants. The team has also made real estate acquisitions to support future projects. Walter Hospitality relies on the best talents and expertise in the food sector.
Our community involvement
The Somers Family Foundation was launched in 2002 by Haisook and Pierre Somers to carry on the legacy of the family’s commitment to the community. Working with a number of charitable organizations, the Foundation primarily supports promising initiatives that can generate tangible value for society.
Our long-standing commitment to education, health and environmental sustainability initiatives is driven by our goal: to have a positive and long-lasting impact on the prosperity of our society by supporting high-quality education for young people and ensuring continued and sustainable improvements in productivity.
To date, we have supported the initiatives of several organizations working toward this vision.
Our people
Our Team
Somers
Somers
Vitale
Hunt
Lavigueur
Kaneva
Our Advisory Board
Somers
Somers
Somers
Beaudoin
Brosseau
A. Davis
Goodman
Karol
Paternot
Pierre Somers is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Walter Group headquartered in Montreal, Canada. The Walter Group is mainly active in the financial sector, especially through Walter Capital Management, a major investment firm and pillar of the Group, which brings together business units specializing in public and private markets: Walter Public Investments, Walter Capital Partners and Walter Global Asset Management.
For over 30 years, Pierre helmed the Walter Group’s founding company, Walter Surface Technologies, which was founded by his father in 1952 and owned by the Group until 2018. As head of the company, he was the driver behind its expansion to international markets. Walter Surface Technologies now operates in nine countries across the Americas and Europe. He also innovated with the creation of the Bio-Circle division, which offers environmentally safe solutions for industrial cleaning applications through bioremediation. On the financial side of the Walter Group’s activities, he contributed to the establishment of Walter Capital Management, a renown investment firm in the financial sector. Over the years, he initiated the creation of Walter Capital Partners, a private equity firm dedicated to supporting the growth of SMEs, as well as Walter Global Asset Management, a North American private investment platform specializing in asset management.
Before taking the lead at Walter Group, Pierre held various positions within Walter Surface Technologies in Canada and the U.S., where he garnered in-depth knowledge of various sectors of the company, on his way to becoming Chairman & CEO. At the beginning of his career, he worked as a mechanical engineer at Metabo AG, in Germany.
Pierre holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University, in Potsdam, NY, which he obtained in 1976. In 2005, he was appointed Alumni of the YPO/MBA program at the Harvard Business School, an institution he has been active with for over 20 years. He is fluent in English, French and German.
Pierre is a strong supporter of education. He has been honorary president for numerous fundraising campaigns held by organizations such as Madeli-Aide and the ITHQ (Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec), from which he has received an honoris causa degree. Through the Walter J. Somers Foundation, he supports the HEC Montréal Walter J. Somers Foundation Centre for Productivity and Prosperity, where he sits on the steering committee. Mr. Somers is a founding member of the Business Families Foundation, and is a member of the Presidents Club of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the World Presidents Organization and the CEO Organization.
Isabelle Somers is Chair of Walter Capital Management – diversified asset manager – and she is a venture capital investor, founded Walter Ventures in Europe and North America in 2018, specializing in investments in enterprise software such as manufacturing, healthcare, legal, HR, ESG reporting, and identity management.
She began her career in industrial companies, eventually moving into leadership roles, gaining experience that informs her approach to venture capital. She is actively involved on the board of several companies, is a business angel investor and passionate philanthropist. She studied visual arts, finance and eventually completed her MBA in 2016 at IESE Business School.
Isabelle is passionate about fostering innovation and collaboration.
A favorite quote:
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Frank Vitale is the Chief Financial Officer and Secretary Treasurer for the Walter Group. In this capacity, Frank is responsible for the development, growth and strategic direction of all international finance, taxation, reporting and treasury-related matters of the Group and its businesses.
Frank launched his career in the accounting and audit field. After seven years, he transitioned to privately held companies, where he occupied progressively senior positions. He acquired a strong financial and operational background in the apparel industry, first as a corporate controller at Baltex Swimwear in Montreal in 1997, and then in the role of Vice President, Finance and Operations of the Corwik Apparel Group. He joined the Walter Group in 2009 as Vice President, Finance of Walter Surface Technologies and transitioned in 2014 to his current role as Chief Financial Officer.
Frank studied in Montreal where he completed a Finance and Accounting Bachelor’s Diploma from Concordia University and subsequently completed the intensive Chartered Accountancy Program at McGill University. He successfully completed the Canadian Institute for Chartered Accountants exam in 1989 to obtain his CA designation.
Hunt
Darlene Hunt joined the Walter Group in 2008 as an executive assistant. Due to her expertise and dedication, she was promoted to Senior Executive Assistant to Chairman & CEO Pierre Somers and his family, in 2024. In this role, she leverages her organizational, communication and IT skills to deliver exceptional administrative support. Darlene also provides support to the Walter Group Advisory Board and the Somers Family Foundation.
Before joining the Walter Group, Darlene worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 15 years, in the role of administrative assistant at McKesson Canada and Bristol-Myers Squibb, ultimately occupying the role of Senior Operations Manager, Bristol-Myers Squibb Consumer Products Group. Earlier in her career, she served as an assistant investment advisor at Nesbitt Thomson.
Darlene holds a Diploma of College Studies (DEC) in business management from Dawson College and a Certificate in purchasing and inventory management from Concordia University. Most recently she has earned her APC designation (Administrative Professional Certification) from the College of Administrative Professionals. She has also completed several training programs throughout her career to perfect her skills in management, communications and HR.
Sabina Lavigueur joined the Walter Group in 2024 as Accounting Manager. In this role, she is responsible for preparing, consolidating, and analyzing financial statements. She oversees audits, participates in the preparation of budgets, and manages the ongoing investment portfolio of the Family Office. Additionally, she provides valuable support to the Chief Financial Officer in matters of tax compliance and financial reporting, playing a key role in managing special and one-off projects within the organization.
Sabina has nearly four years of experience in external audits at Hétu Société de CPA Inc., where she specialized in financial compliance and certification mandates. She also has solid experience in taxation, particularly in preparing tax returns for businesses and individuals. During her studies, she worked as an accounting technician at another accounting firm, where she advanced to the position of file manager. Concurrently, she served as the accounting manager at Auberge du Vieux-Moulin for nearly five years.
Sabina graduated from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières with a bachelor’s degree in accounting science and a graduate diploma in financial accounting. She also holds the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA auditor) designation.
Kaneva
Katerina Kaneva joined the Walter Group as an Accounting Technician in 2023. In this role, she oversees all aspects of Accounts Payable, bank reconciliations, GST-QST declarations, daily verifications, and reconciliations of public equity portfolio investments. She also provides support for monthly brokerage account reconciliations and actively participates in the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
With over two decades of accounting experience, Katerina has a proven track record in budget preparation, tax return filing, and financial statement compilation for a diverse range of entities, including companies, non-profit organizations, and trusts. Prior to joining Walter Group, she held positions at Patrimonica Multifamily Office, Ville de Ste-Catherine, and Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal.
Katerina holds a master’s degree in finance from D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics in Bulgaria, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Administration from Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov University, also in Bulgaria. Additionally, she obtained a DEP in Accounting from Collège d’informatique et d’administration Verdun-LaSalle in Montreal.
Pierre Somers is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Walter Group headquartered in Montreal, Canada. The Walter Group is mainly active in the financial sector, especially through Walter Capital Management, a major investment firm and pillar of the Group, which brings together business units specializing in public and private markets: Walter Public Investments, Walter Capital Partners and Walter Global Asset Management.
For over 30 years, Pierre helmed the Walter Group’s founding company, Walter Surface Technologies, which was founded by his father in 1952 and owned by the Group until 2018. As head of the company, he was the driver behind its expansion to international markets. Walter Surface Technologies now operates in nine countries across the Americas and Europe. He also innovated with the creation of the Bio-Circle division, which offers environmentally safe solutions for industrial cleaning applications through bioremediation. On the financial side of the Walter Group’s activities, he contributed to the establishment of Walter Capital Management, a renown investment firm in the financial sector. Over the years, he initiated the creation of Walter Capital Partners, a private equity firm dedicated to supporting the growth of SMEs, as well as Walter Global Asset Management, a North American private investment platform specializing in asset management.
Before taking the lead at Walter Group, Pierre held various positions within Walter Surface Technologies in Canada and the U.S., where he garnered in-depth knowledge of various sectors of the company, on his way to becoming Chairman & CEO. At the beginning of his career, he worked as a mechanical engineer at Metabo AG, in Germany.
Pierre holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University, in Potsdam, NY, which he obtained in 1976. In 2005, he was appointed Alumni of the YPO/MBA program at the Harvard Business School, an institution he has been active with for over 20 years. He is fluent in English, French and German.
Pierre is a strong supporter of education. He has been honorary president for numerous fundraising campaigns held by organizations such as Madeli-Aide and the ITHQ (Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec), from which he has received an honoris causa degree. Through the Walter J. Somers Foundation, he supports the HEC Montréal Walter J. Somers Foundation Centre for Productivity and Prosperity, where he sits on the steering committee. Mr. Somers is a founding member of the Business Families Foundation, and is a member of the Presidents Club of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the World Presidents Organization and the CEO Organization.
Isabelle Somers is Chair of Walter Capital Management – diversified asset manager – and she is a venture capital investor, founded Walter Ventures in Europe and North America in 2018, specializing in investments in enterprise software such as manufacturing, healthcare, legal, HR, ESG reporting, and identity management.
She began her career in industrial companies, eventually moving into leadership roles, gaining experience that informs her approach to venture capital. She is actively involved on the board of several companies, is a business angel investor and passionate philanthropist. She studied visual arts, finance and eventually completed her MBA in 2016 at IESE Business School.
Isabelle is passionate about fostering innovation and collaboration.
A favorite quote:
“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Alexandre Somers has helped develop new restaurant projects, including real estate transactions, since 2016. For the Walter Group, Mr. Somers has drawn from 15 years of culinary experience to launch a new line of business: Walter Hospitality. During this time, he has also consulted on food production and served as a private chef.
Across two continents, Alexandre rose through the ranks in many celebrated establishments. He perfected his culinary art at, most notably, the restaurants Leméac and Maison Boulud in Montréal and at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in Paris and L’Oustau de Baumanière in Provence – two Michelin star-rated restaurants in France.
Alexandre holds a diploma of vocational studies in culinary arts from the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ). He also completed the restaurateur program at the École supérieure de cuisine française Grégoire-Ferrandi in Paris. Before he donned his chef’s whites, he studied architecture at Carleton University and commerce at HEC Montréal.
Alexandre is actively involved in the community and local charitable endeavours, including the first editions of Les Grands Chefs Relais & Châteaux, a benefit dinner for the Fondation ITHQ.
François Beaudoin is a member of corporate boards and provides advisory services to national and international organizations in strategic planning, merger and acquisitions, and financial planning.
Mr. Beaudoin is a career banker who was President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Development Bank of Canada where he worked from 1990 to 1999. Prior to that, over a 16-year period, Mr. Beaudoin held several executive positions in Quebec and Ontario at Bank of Montreal, including the position of Vice-President in the Quebec Region. From 1999 to 2012, Mr. Beaudoin acted as Senior Advisor with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Montreal.
Mr. Beaudoin is a member of the following boards: Walter Financial (Chairman), Peak Financial Group, and Britton Electric.
Mr. Beaudoin is past Chairman of the Quebec Chapter of the World Presidents Organization. Mr. Beaudoin holds an MBA from Columbia University in New York and a BBA from the HEC in Montreal.
Mr. Boucher is recognized as a leader in sophisticated securities, mergers & acquisitions and corporate law matters, as a partner in the Business Law Group in Montréal and co-head of the law firm McCarthy Tétrault National Capital Markets Practice.
Known for his business acumen and ability to provide practical solutions to complex issues, Mr. Boucher’s practice is primarily focused in the areas of securities, capital markets, public and private mergers & acquisitions and corporate law, with a concentration on private equity, pension funds and financial institutions.
Mr. Boucher has acted as counsel to issuers and underwriters in various public offerings (including initial public offerings) and private placements of publicly listed issuers. He has also participated in numerous take-over bids and going-private transactions of publicly listed issuers, and has acted as counsel to independent committees in connection with various transactions.
He regularly participates in mentorship opportunities and is a frequent contributor to industry publications. He is also the founder and a director of the Patrick Boucher Family Foundation whose purpose include the relief of poverty, the promotion of health, the advancement of education, addressing and preventing specific problems faced by children and youth and the protection of environment.
Mr. Boucher obtained his BBA (Finance) from the École des hautes études commerciales of Montréal in 1991. He successfully completed the Canadian Securities Course of the Canadian Securities Institute in 1992. He obtained his LLB from the Université de Montréal in 1994 and was called to the Québec bar in 1996.
Sylvain Brosseau has served as Chief Executive Officer and Founding Partner of Walter Global Asset Management since the company was founded in 2018. His proven expertise in generating growth allows him to support independent asset management firms in reaching new heights.
Mr. Brosseau has over 25 years of experience in the investment management industry, including his tenure as Global President and Chief Operating Officer of Fiera Capital from 2003 to 2017. Under his leadership, the company grew its assets under management from $5 billion to $120 billion and its market capitalization from $20 million to over $1 billion. He also spearheaded the firm’s international expansion, overseeing more than 15 acquisitions across Canada, the United States and Europe and the opening of new offices throughout North America and Europe.
Before joining Fiera Capital, Mr. Brosseau served as Executive Vice-President, Institutional Markets at TAL Global Asset Management Inc. and as Executive Vice-President at TAL International, where he oversaw worldwide distribution and operations. His experience also includes terms as Vice-President of Marketing and Vice-President of Technology and Operations at Talvest Mutual Funds.
Mr. Brosseau is a current member of the board of directors for several organizations, including Equisoft and many of WGAM’s underlying portfolio partners. He has also sat on the board for numerous other organizations in the past, such as Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Fiera Capital Corporation, Centria Commerce, Fiera Properties, Bel Air Investment Advisors, Charlemagne Capital, Fiera-Axium Infrastructure and Fundserv.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Vermont and a Master of Science from McGill University. A member of YPO, he also regularly participates in numerous fundraising campaigns in support of Montréal charities.
A. Davis
Until recently Stephen A. Davis held the position of President and Chief Operation Officer of American Saw & Mfg. Company in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. American Saw is the world’s leading manufacturer of band saw blades and related products. In January 2003, American Saw was acquired by Newell Rubbermaid, a global marketer of consumer products with 2001 sales of nearly $7 billion.
During his career Mr. Davis served as a Director for numerous companies, including American Saw & Mfg. Company International, AmSaw Miranda, Mumbai, India, Dumont Company, Greenfield, Massachusetts, ALO-Teknik, Mora, Sweden, SPACE-Springfield Area Center for Excellence, and Associated Industries of Massachusetts.
Mr. Davis is a member of numerous organizations. Among them, he serves as member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, membership Chair of the Young Presidents’ Organization, and member of the Advisory Committee of Merriam-Graves Industries, Charleston, New Hampshire. He is also very active in his community either as member, trustee, committee member or chair of many civic, social and charitable organizations.
Mr. Davis graduated from Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts in 1980 with a BS Business Administration (Marketing) degree.
Goodman
Russel Goodman currently serves as a corporate director of public, private and not-for-profit companies.
Until his retirement in 2011, Russell Goodman was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. He held senior management and leading client responsibilities at Canadian, North American and Global levels. He was Managing Partner for the Americas’ Project Finance & Privatization team; and Global Head of Advisory Services to the Transport Sector, and Managing Partner for PWC Montreal Office. He later became Managing Partner of PWC Canada’s Transactions and Private Equity Advisory Services, which included M&A; corporate and project finance; restructuring and distressed strategy; valuations; and litigation advisory services.
In addition to serving on the Advisory Board of Walter Financial, Russell Goodman serves on the boards of directors of Gildan Activewear, Metro, Northland Power, Whistler Blackcomb Holdings and Forth Ports. A fellow of the Quebec Order of Chartered Professional Accountants, Mr. Goodman holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University.
He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pointe-à-Callière Foundation.
Steven Karol is Managing Partner and Founder of Watermill Group. He has over 35 years of experience leading the turnaround, strategy development and acquisition activity for portfolio and client companies. Additionally, Mr. Karol is Chairman of the Board and CEO of HMK Enterprises, Inc., a privately held investment company specializing in strategic and operational management.
Mr. Karol is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Carpenter Technology Corporation (NYSE:CRS). He has also served as Chairman of the Board at Mooney Aircraft Company (MNYG (OTC BB), Director and Chairman of the audit committee at StockerYale (NASDAQ:STKR), and as a Director for Jeepers! Inc., Intelligent Energy Limited and Inter-Tel Corp (NASDAQ:INTL).
Steven Karol is currently a member of World President’s Organization (WPO) and has served as a member of the global leadership team for the Young Presidents Organization (YPO). He is Chairman of the Board of Advisors for the School of Engineering of Tufts University and recent recipient of the 2009 Tufts Distinguished Service Award. He is also past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Vermont Academy, and a Director Emeritus at the Brain Tumor Society. In addition, he is a co-founder and President of the Herbert M. Karol Cancer Foundation. He formerly served as a member of the Board of Overseers of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and as a Trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the Boston Ballet.
Mr. Karol received his B.S. at Tufts University, and he is a graduate of the Presidents’ Program on Leadership (PPL) at Harvard Business School.
Thierry Paternot is a member of the board of directors of Oeneo (a publicly traded company specializing in value-added technological closures for the wine industry), Eckes-Granini AG (a leading provider of fruit juices to the European market) and Bio-Circle (a specialist in state-of-the-art biological cleaning solutions). He is also an operating partner of Duke Street Private Equity.
Previous directorships include Henkel, Biomnis (a medical laboratory acquired by Eurofins), QCNS Cruise (which was sold to Montefiore Investment), FullSIX (an advertising agency taken over by Havas) and Cerelia (a manufacturer of chilled pie dough, acquired by IK Investment Partners).
He spent the bulk of his management career at L’Oréal. During his 22 years with the cosmetics giant, he served as the General Manager of Germany, France and Eastern/Southern Europe. He was subsequently named President and CEO of Reemtsma, which was acquired by Imperial Tobacco in 2002, and Facom Tools, purchased by Stanley Works in 2006.
Mr. Paternot graduated from the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne with a degree in physics engineering and earned his MBA from Harvard Business School.
He currently resides in Paris. He belongs to the CEO global network of chief executives (formerly YPO) and volunteers his time with SOS Amitiés, a hotline for people living with depression.