Alumni stories

Benjie Thomas (PDAcc '98), CEO of KPMG in Canada returned to the University of Waterloo's School of Accounting and Finance to chat with students and share valuable career insights with the next generation. 

Before his inspiring talk, Benjie was recognized for his longstanding generosity at a luncheon attended by University leaders, local KPMG partners and alumni, as well as student recipients of the scholarships endowed in the Thomas Family name.

Entrepreneurship is more than launching a business—it’s about solving problems, embracing risk, and building something meaningful from the ground up. This month, we’re spotlighting two inspiring alumni from the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) who have turned their passions and professional experiences into thriving ventures. 

Their journeys from corporate roles to entrepreneurial leadership highlight the resilience, adaptability and strategic thinking that Waterloo alumni bring to the business world.  

In honour of World Teachers’ Day this month, the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) is celebrating alumni who have returned to the classroom—bringing the lessons they’ve learned in industry back to where their own journeys began.  

Balancing careers in both business and academia, our alumni bridge theory and practice, offering their insights and experiences to give our students a firsthand look at how classroom concepts come to life in real-world settings. 

School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) alumni are finding success early in their careers, proving that with the right mix of curiosity, courage and foundation, great things can happen fast.

Whether they’re helping launch startups or preparing expert reports for high-stakes litigation, these young professionals are already leaving a mark on their industries.  

The 2025 SAF Alumni Excellence Gala brought together over 130 alumni, donors, students, faculty, and university leaders to celebrate excellence, innovation and the vibrant future of our community.

The evening featured the presentation of the SAF Lifetime Achievement Award, the launch of a new doctoral scholarship, and a warm welcome to the new Chair of the SAF Advisory Council.

In celebration of Earth Day on April 22, we reflect on the growing need for environmental consciousness in the finance industry, highlighting SAF alumni who have been driving sustainable change since before it was mainstream.

Meet Ivan Li and Munam Khan—trailblazers in sustainable finance who are using their accounting and finance expertise to help organizations navigate climate risk, report on ESG, and build a better future.

Celebrating the exceptional career of Dr. Efrim Boritz and the establishment of his new endowment fund. 

In honour of International Women's Day this month, we're highlighting some incredible SAF alumni who are making waves in the finance industry.

Building a strong foundation for success through SAF's co-op program, networking opportunities and development of technical business skills, our featured alumni––Renee Milligan and Lucy Qi––have shown how women can bring unique abilities to the table, reshaping the future of finance to uplift the current and future women in the industry.

February reminds us to take a moment and slow down to appreciate our loved ones. This Family Day we're celebrating SAF alumni sibling duos who are paving the way together!

Ayman and Ammar Kamran (CFM '23), twin software engineers who took their skills to different cities: Ayman at Bloomberg in NYC, the heart of finance, and Ammar at Securiti.ai at the tech hub of the world, San Jose. 

Sisters Puneet, an M&A Analyst at Banyan Software, and Mahek, a soon-to-be consultant at McKinsey, share how their journey at SAF helped them discover their true passions within the accounting and finance industry. 

January often brings about change and new beginnings, which is why the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) is highlighting alumni who have made exciting career changes, promoting growth and diversifying their expertise. In pivoting to unique and multidisciplinary fields, their stories demonstrate the flexibility possible with a foundation in accounting and finance.

Learn more about The School of Accounting and Finance's newest Advisory Council Chair, Lana Paton.

SAF Professor is being recognized for his contributions to accounting research.

Celebrating the career of Dr. Ranjini Jha and her accomplishments at the School of Accounting and Finance.

As Glenn Ives (BMath’84) steps down as Chair of the SAF Advisory Council after seven years of exemplary service, the entire SAF community expresses profound gratitude for his dedication, support and leadership.

Three SAF professors will receive the Distinguished Professor Emeriti award in 2024.

Chen is the very deserving 2024 School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) valedictorian of 2024. She is completing her degree on the Dean’s Honours List and is graduating with a Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management (AFM, with both a Professional Accountant Specialization and Financial Leadership Specialization. She is currently pursuing her Master of Accounting degree, with a convocation in 2025.

Congratulations to SAF alum Benjie Thomas (PDAcc '98) who has just been announced as the next CEO for KPMG Canada, effective October 1, 2024.

One of the top women in finance in Canada, Jeannine LiChong is a dedicated mentor and community builder.

From SAF to Dragon's Den and beyond, Ian Weng is revolutionizing the frozen food market in Canada.

The Inaugural Hub for Sustainability Integration Conference took place on March 21st at the Delta Hotel in Toronto. The day was filled with informative presentations and panel discussions from some of the country’s most knowledgeable sustainability integration and climate advocates. 

The School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) recently caught up with Grace Zhou (MAcc ‘18) to chat about her career post-graduation and to gain insight into the exciting opportunities that SAF co-op terms can provide to enrich students’ professional experiences. 

Andy Wang, an alum from the first Student Investment Fund (SIF) cohort at the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) eyes a return on investment after receiving funding from the Student Venture Fund after graduating nearly a decade ago.

Every year, the University of Waterloo’s School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding alumni for their professional achievements and community service. 

This year, Jeannine LiChong (MAcc '92) has been awarded the Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award and Ian Weng (MAcc '13) has been awarded the Leader to Watch Award. 

Professor Cody Buchenauer (CPA, CA, MAcc ’14) is a School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) alum with a remarkable career journey. From a student navigating through co-op terms to an industry professional holding a role as senior manager at EY, Buchenauer is now a full-time faculty member as well as a member of SAF’s co-op and experiential learning team. Bridging academia and industry to guide current students’ career paths as a passionate educator, his journey is a testament to the impact of the co-op experience offered at SAF.

Recipients of the 2022 Outstanding Performance Award have been named and include three School of Accounting and Finance faculty members: David Ha, Deborah Kraft and Daniel Rogozynski.

The School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) caught up with Laura Fong (MAcc '20) to chat about her career since graduation and her path to pursuing a career in tax. Fong, a Master of Accounting (MAcc) graduate, worked with Deloitte for all her co-op terms as a student. With the support and encouragement of her colleagues, she has happily stayed at Deloitte post-graduation. She continues to thrive in this positive environment as she grows her skills to become a great tax practitioner.

The School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) caught up with Alba Navarro (MAcc '21) to discuss her career since graduation and the gap in support for 2SLGBTQIA+ students that she experienced in university.

Alba, a Master of Accounting graduate, is energized by the work that she does as a Consultant in Deloitte Canada’s Finance and Performance team. Alba helps companies bridge technology-enabled transformation with leading practice business processes for their finance functions.

This Valentine’s Day, we are sharing the story of Candy and Francis Lanois (MAcc '12), two graduates of the Master of Accounting program who may not agree on the story of their first date but agree that they saw something special in one another from the start. After fatefully meeting in their fourth year of studies, their love was sparked with romantic star gazing dates in St. Jacobs, and many bubble tea and ice cream outings. Now happily married, their advice is to never stop dating.

Sisters Stephanie Nguyen and Jessica Nguyen celebrate graduating from the Master of Accounting (MAcc) program and passing the CPA Common Final Examination (CFE) together. During their time at the University of Waterloo they had in each other a built-in best friend, study partner and cheerleader.

Susan Uthayakumar is the chief energy and sustainability officer at Prologis. She is responsible for evaluating and scaling both existing and emerging energy solutions across the Prologis platform and for ensuring that Prologis continues to be the leader in sustainability in the logistic real estate industry.

Matthew Roman is a partner at KPMG LPP, serving as a trusted business advisor to privately owned businesses in the Region of Waterloo. Within KPMG, Matthew is the National Tax Learning & Development Leader. He and his team contribute to the creation and delivery of internal resources to improve the technical and professional skills of KPMG tax professionals. He is a recipient of the CPA Canada Gold Medal for achieving the highest standing in Ontario on the Common Final Examination (CFE) of the CPA Profession.

Philip Mayers (MAcc '86) brings over 25 years of finance and general management experience in financial services businesses to his role as senior vice president and chief financial officer at Sagen - Canada's largest private default mortgage insurance provider.  The School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) caught up with Mayers to discuss his career, the importance of building confidence and competence to make financial decisions for a healthy financial future and why it’s important to him to give back to Waterloo and SAF.

Jacqueline Sue and fellow 2019 Master of Accounting (MAcc) graduate, Jasper Lam are both working in social-focused organizations. In building their careers, both attribute the co- and extra-curricular opportunities they’ve had in leading them into careers with an objective to solve social problems and provide social benefits. The School of Accounting and Finance caught up with Jacqueline and Jasper to learn more about their experiences and their motivations to do good for their community, Canada, and potentially the world.

Young alum Annu Puri (MAcc ’19), attributes his current success to Waterloo’s entrepreneurial spirit and the experiences and mentors he’s had throughout his academic career. Calling Waterloo Region home, Puri returned to the University to see how it has changed across campus, chat about his career path, and highlight his passion project, &Vision, with the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF).