Alex is a Director, Inspections at the Canadian Public Accountability Board (CPAB), Canada’s independent, public company audit regulator. He has more than 15 years of experience in various roles in assurance, valuations and financial reporting. His current role is focused on conducting CPAB inspections and supporting CPAB’s inspection teams on forward-looking estimates.
Before joining CPAB, Alex held key positions including Valuations Principal at a public accounting firm and served as the Corporate Controller and Chief Financial Officer of a publicly listed company.
Alex is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Chartered Accountant (CA) and Chartered Business Valuator (CBV). He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of British Columbia.
We asked Alex about his journey as a CBV, including his takeaways from the CBV Program of Studies.
Here are some highlights from our conversation:
How has the CBV designation supported your career development?
I find the program incredibly helpful and highly respected as a designation. Beyond the technical skills it imparts, the program significantly helped to refine my analytical and communication abilities. Many of the CBVs I encounter are outstanding communicators, which is just as crucial as technical expertise. Their ability to effectively articulate complex ideas is a testament to the program’s indirect emphasis on enhancing communication skills. This combination of technical knowledge and strong communication capabilities makes the designation highly valuable.
Can you share a particularly challenging yet interesting valuation analysis that made you realize you had chosen the right career path?
I can’t think of any specific valuation analysis, but I have enjoyed being able to analytically analyze a problem and come to a solution. The CBV program has equipped me to gather insights from various angles and assess problems from multiple perspectives. It necessitates a comprehensive understanding of a business when performing valuations, which has proven to be highly beneficial. This approach is also applicable to my regulatory work, where it’s crucial to understand how all elements interconnect and contribute to the larger picture. The CBV Program of Studies has significantly enhanced my ability to think big-picture.
What differences do you see in your current role as compared to your previous roles?
My role now is quite different from my previous one. Before, I was a valuations principal at a public accounting firm, where I was actually preparing the valuation reports. Nowadays, I’m approaching it from a different perspective. For instance, when audit firms conduct audits with a valuation component, I evaluate whether they have done sufficient audit work to support the valuation.
This role draws on my past valuation experience but also requires me to understand the audit side. I’m happy to have a foot in both worlds. This dual perspective is interesting to me and is something I think many CBVs experience. CBVs work in litigation, business valuation, M&A, and notional valuations, often balancing multiple roles. Being in this dual world is something I find intriguing and aligns with the experiences of many in the business valuation profession.
Do you have any tips for people looking to become a CBV?
Firstly, I would encourage people to truly understand the material from the CBV program. It’s not just about memorizing facts; you need to grasp why things are done the way they are and understand the fundamental principles behind them. Even if the material doesn’t seem immediately applicable, it might become useful five, six, or seven years down the road. Putting in the effort now can pay off significantly in later years.
Secondly, finding a good employer is crucial—one that aligns with your values. CPAB, the organization I’m with now, is very supportive and has a strong culture that supports development and helping employees achieve their professional goals. Being in the right environment helps you excel.
#FunFact: I guess a fun fact about me is my involvement in education over the years as a student, instructor and content author. My grandfather was a school principal and I have vivid memories of him teaching me in my early childhood days on how to write Chinese characters.
This has definitely influenced my work as a CBV and working professional. I really value education—not just the credentials, but how it helps you grow as a person and the relationships you develop along the way