Conversations With Changemakers: Frank Giustra

Oct 21, 2019

Frank Giustra is the President and CEO of the Fiore Group and has an established track record of building natural resource companies through access to capital and creative deal-making. Mr. Giustra’s entrepreneurial successes include founding Lionsgate Entertainment.

Date : Monday, October 21, 2019
Time: 12:00 noon
Location: Epiphany at UBC, 6030 Chancellor Boulevard
Cost: Free

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The Conversations with Changemakers series brings students together with inspirational leaders who share their experience, passion, and vision. The series build on our mission to educate lifelong learners who are prepared to take on the intellectual, professional, and social challenges of our times. 

Frank Giustra

Frank Giustra is President and CEO of the Fiore Group, a private firm managing a broad portfolio of private equity investments and companies, specializing in food and lifestyle, art and entertainment, and natural resources.

Mr. Giustra has an established track record of building natural resource companies through access to capital and creative deal-making. As President and later Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yorkton Securities in the 1990s, he grew the firm into a leading natural resource investment bank. As Chairman of Endeavour Financial from 2001 to 2007, his vision and leadership led to the successful launch of numerous resource companies, including Wheaton River Minerals Ltd. (acquired by Goldcorp Inc.), and Silver Wheaton Corporation.

Mr. Giustra’s entrepreneurial success includes founding Lionsgate Entertainment, now one of the world’s largest independent film companies. Mr. Giustra is a major shareholder of Thunderbird Entertainment Group, a company focused on content and distribution in the television and film sector. In 2014, he founded Fiore Music and Westsonic Music Inc., and actively composes lyrics for songs in all genres.

Mr. Giustra is a strong believer in philanthropy, and devotes much of his time to a variety of causes both locally and globally. Mr. Giustra brings an entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy to catalyze new ideas and innovations that can be scaled and shared. Most recently, the Giustra Foundation has become actively involved in the global refugee crisis by providing humanitarian aid in Greece and Turkey, along with being the founding partner in both The Ascend Collaborative and the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative.

In 2007, Mr. Giustra and former President Bill Clinton launched the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership, recently renamed as Elevate Social Businesses (Elevate). Elevate is a social business builder that brings entrepreneurial solutions to global poverty and operates enterprises in Colombia, El Salvador, Haiti, and Indonesia.

Since 2005, Mr. Giustra has been an active Board Trustee with the International Crisis Group, a widely recognized independent, non-partisan source of analysis and advice to policymakers on the prevention and resolution of deadly conflict.

Mr. Giustra sits on a variety of non-profit, private and public boards. Mr. Giustra is Chairman of Leagold Mining Corporation, and a board member of Thunderbird Entertainment Group. In addition, he sits on the boards of Elevate Social Businesses, Clinton Foundation and International Crisis Group.

Awards

2019 Order of Canada, C.M.
2018 Inducted into the BC Laureates Hall of Fame
2018 International Crisis Group In Pursuit of Peace Award
2017 Elton John AIDS Foundation Enduring Vision Award
2016 Order of British Columbia, O.B.C.
2015 Vancouver International Film Festival Screen Industry Builder Award 2014 Dalai Lama Humanitarian Award
2013 Douglas College Distinguished Alumni Award