Alumni Notes

Rebecca Porter (BCom) is working as a market researcher for AT Kearney in India. She’s a cyclist at heart, but since biking isn’t advisable in Delhi due to the traffic, she’s taken up running as an alternative. She recently ran the Delhi Half Marathon, her first, and is now committed to doing a full marathon this winter.

Thomas Rethazi, Donald Burns and Cameron Roblin (BCom) became fast friends while at QSB. All three went on exchange in their third year—Thomas and Don to Uppsala University in Sweden, Cameron to Manchester Business School in the U.K. Now the trio is about to graduate from INSEAD, one of the world’s leading and largest graduate business schools. “We decided as a group to apply to INSEAD’s MBA program,” Donald says. “We were particularly attracted to its unique three-campus format that enabled us to study in Singapore, Fontainebleau and Abu Dhabi.” During the 12-month program, they made the most of travel opportunities and visited major cities in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It wasn’t all work and no play, says Donald. “The highlight was a road trip through Switzerland with stops in Interlaken to go night tobogganing and in Verbier to ski the Swiss Alps.” The three are looking forward to completing their studies in July, and to a graduation trip to Greece. They plan to return to Toronto after their graduation, “equipped with a more global network and a great experience at INSEAD,” says Donald.

Momin Saeed (AMBA) was blessed to be joined by family and friends from around the world when he wed Nosheen Sheikh in July 2011 in Virginia. The couple has relocated to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, so that Momin can pursue the Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP) designation while working with the Roche Consulting Group. He reports that the Islamic Finance world is growing, with $1-trillion currently in liquid cash. Within ten years, he expects to see a strong break-through in the Canadian and US markets, citing Goldman Sachs’ recent issuance of a $2-billion Islamic Bond. He welcomes those interested in this topic to contact him at momin@rocheconsultinggroup.com

Bob H. Sprague (EMBA) reports, “My MBA gave me my greatest insight, that the timing was right to sell my company. And it was—thank you, Queen’s!” He has since embarked on a new career as the Hearing Chairman for the Appeals Commission for Alberta Workers’ Compensation. He chairs workplace injury cases on behalf of the provincial government. Bob says it’s a great fit given his previous experience in business, medicine (he’s also a pharmacist), and administrative law. Email: spraguedrug@telus.net

Madeline Wong, MBA, and her husband, Matthew, have welcomed a new family member. Beatrice Leia Wong was born June 19, 2019, much to the delight of her big sister, Amelia, who loves to teach the little one everything she knows.