Our board
of directors
Our board
of directors
The Management Team has decades of experience in development, acquisition, ownership, and management of quality assets in Canada and internationally. The Management Team is fully committed, owning an important position in Emergia’s Capital.
FARAJ NAKHLEH
FARAJ NAKHLEH
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Mr. Nakhleh, BS in Electrical Engineering (Robert College), 3 GCE-A Level Subjects (University of London), completed the courses for a Master’s of Engineering Degree at McGill University, the Strategic Marketing Executive Program at Harvard Business School, and the Directors Education Program (ICD.D) at McGill University. Mr. Nakhleh has also been a partner at RCGT for 9 years, where he acted as President of RCGT Corporate Finance. Mr. Nakhleh finally, has a vast experience in equity and debt financing, subordinated debt and M&A. Since 2008, he owns and operates a technology company operating in Canada and in the US.
HENRI PETIT
HENRI PETIT
PRESIDENT & CEO
Mr. Petit is the current President and Chief Executive Officer of Emergia. He is a lawyer (Business Law) and member of the Barreau du Québec since 1991. He acted as Policy Analyst and Adviser – International Maritime Transport Policy at Transport Canada from 1985 to 1990, being responsible of the analysis and advising on the impact of the European and American maritime legislation and policies on Canada. He started practicing law in 1991 with the law firm Guy & Gilbert in Montreal, before starting his own law office. As President and Chief Executive Officer of GHP Real Estate Corporation from 1996 to the date where the assets of the GHP Group were transferred to Emergia, he has been acting as developer and managing partner in various commercial, industrial and multi-residential real estate developments or redevelopments. Mr. Petit has also acted on executive committees and as business consultant for various private companies in the 1990s and early 2000s. Mr. Petit has extensive experience in real estate acquisitions, negotiations, leasing, financing and management in Canada, USA and Europe. Mr. Petit holds a B.A. from Université Laval and a LL.L. from the University of Ottawa. Mr. Petit has also collaborated with some charity organizations in fund raising, including the Ste-Justine’s Hospital Foundation.
HASAN AL-SHAWA
HASAN AL-SHAWA
Independent
Director
Mr. Al-Shawa possesses over 38 years of extensive experience in real estate development and investment, particularly in the US market since 1986. His leadership roles in numerous publicly listed and private real estate firms underscore his profound influence in the industry. Noteworthy accolades include the Real Estate Businessman of the Year (2005) and the Maple Leaf Award for Best Project (2007), highlighting his outstanding contributions. Additionally, his nomination for the Ordre National du Québec Award (2008) reflects his significant impact on the real estate landscape. Mr. Al-Shawa’s strategic acumen has been instrumental in steering complex real estate ventures to success, earning him widespread recognition. Beyond his professional achievements, he remains committed to mentoring aspiring professionals and actively engages in educational initiatives. Lastly, Mr. Al-Shawa is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Dubai based Shawwa Education Fund & Shawwa Emergency Fund.
Panagiotis Mitropoulos
PANAGIOTIS MITROPOULOS
Independent
Director
Mr. Mitropoulos has completed his bachelor degree in Economics and in Foreign Languages and in Marketing, both at McGill University. He has a long experience of 21 years in building construction as a general manager in the family company “Xenios Zeus SA” and 10 years in facility management as a regional manager of “Globe Williams International”. Since the last few years, he is also the general manager of “AZIMUTHIO Company” that he founded, offering consolidated solutions in the following sectors: property management, total facility services, real estate and construction. Mr. Mitropoulos is a member of the Association of Constructors in Western Greece and serves in their Board of Directors as of 2009.
STEPHEN REISLER
STEPHEN REISLER
Independent
Director
Mr. Reisler is a Principal at ROCG, specializing in transition strategy, performance improvement, M&A services, and business transition planning for private enterprises. With over 15 years of experience, he excels at adding hidden value to companies. As a Certified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA), Mr. Reisler’s network is extensively with mid-market advisors, leveraging his expertise for his clients’ benefit. Prior to becoming a business consultant in 1995, Mr. Reisler worked as an entrepreneur specializing in brand management and in the consumer product distribution and retail industries. He considers himself to be a globalization pioneer having traveled internationally to learn and adopt best practices for SME businesses while serving on the internal board of a privately held European multi-national company for more than 5years. Before all these work-related experiences, Mr. Reisler holds a bachelor’s in Administration from McGil University and a Master’s degree in the Science of Administration and Communication from Syracuse University.
YANNICK RICHARD
YANNICK RICHARD
Independent Director
After university degrees in administration, international business, marketing and communications, economics and real estate, Mr. Richard has specialized for over 30 years in helping promoters turn a project into a successful business. Through TMR Communications, of which he was founding president, his management company Cerberus Management and now through Perseus Services-Conseils and Kraken Management, he has worked on over 320 business start-ups. Over the past 24 months, Mr. Richard has focused on building Kraken Holding, which holds interests in real estate, advanced air mobility, telecommunications, and hotels. Through his experience with Immeubles Quatro and Kraken Resort, among others, Mr. Richard has extensive real estate and hospitality experience, including ownership, development, redevelopment, and value-added repositioning, as well as management.
WHO are we?
To have more information about Emergia’s investment and development strategy visit our About Us section.