Connie obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1994.
Prior to joining RBC in 2012, Connie practised law for 18 years. As a partner in a mid-sized full-service law firm, her practice was varied and covered the areas of corporate/commercial law, real estate, and Wills, trusts and estates law. In that role, Connie advised her owner-manager clients on a broad range of business and personal needs, from purchases and sales of businesses, to shareholder agreements and corporate reorganizations, to Will and estate planning.
For many years Connie taught the Business Law section of the Bar Admissions Course and was involved with preparing the licensing exams for Ontario lawyers. Throughout her career, Connie has been involved in her broader community, serving on many non-profit boards as well as providing pro bono legal services.
Andrew loves the insurance business. It’s not the products, it’s the opportunity to learn about you, your family and your life as a whole and how insurance may help you to reach your most cherished goals. That accounts for Andrew’s core purpose: to focus on people and provide the optimal solution for their unique circumstances.
Fundamentally, Andrew is an educator. He says, “If I hadn’t chosen the insurance business I would probably be a teacher. As an Estate Planning Specialist, my role is to educate clients on which situations these products are for, and how you make them work.” It is not about the sale. It’s about helping people discover an insurance solution that works for them, if any. It’s always about people, not product.
Andrew has been an Estate Planning Specialist since 1993. He lives in Toronto with his wife, daughter and their dog. An amateur boxer until 1992, he was the Ontario middleweight champion. Now he’s an avid squash player and fisherman.
Prashant Patel, CFP, TEP
Vice-President, High Net Worth Planning Services, RBC Family Office Services
Prashant has assisted high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families with tax, estate and retirement issues since 1992.
His guidance supports clients in their relationships with their external professional advisors, with whom he frequently interacts.
His expertise includes tax and estate planning for executives, business owners, retirees, sports professionals and individuals with U.S. issues. He also assists individuals facing significant financial events (sale of business, financial windfall, retirement, job loss, moving to Canada, leaving Canada, etc.)
Prior to joining RBC in 1999, Prashant honed his expertise by working as a Canadian and U.S. tax specialist for two of the big four accounting firms in downtown Toronto.
Prashant is a Certified Financial Planner, Associate of the Society of Actuaries and member of both the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and Canadian Tax Foundation.
Abby Kassar, CPA, CA, CFP, TEP, FEA
Vice President, Business Owner Specialist, RBC Family Office Services
As a Business Owner Specialist, High Net Worth Planning Services, Abby, together with your primary RBC advisor, helps you explore succession, tax, retirement and estate planning issues you face as a business owner.
Her guidance supports clients in their relationships with their external professional advisors, with whom she frequently interacts.
Prior to joining High Net Worth Planning Services, Abby provided tax, retirement, estate and financial planning advice to RBC advisors and their clients. She has written articles on various topics including charitable donations, executive compensation, tax planning and retirement planning.
Prior to joining RBC, Abby worked in a medium sized accounting firm assisting business executives and high net worth clients with their tax planning and estate planning. She worked closely with owner-manager shareholders to assess and recommend the best tax planning strategies, the best corporate structure and the most suitable succession plan.
Abby is a Chartered Accountant and has a Bachelor in Economics and Commerce from the University of Toronto. She completed the In-Depth tax courses I and II and the In- Depth Tax Issues for the Owner-Managed Business as well as the Canadian Securities Course. She is also a Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has obtained the STEP Advanced Certificate in Family Business Advising. Abby is also a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation. Lastly, Abby is a certified Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA), which allows her to address the complex needs of family enterprise clients.
Marlena is a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) graduate from Concordia University, and a Certified Financial Planner® professional. She also holds a Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) in Canada and is fluently trilingual (English, French and Polish).
Marlena has over 20 years of extensive wealth management experience ranging from being a key note conference speaker, to also being a national TV, print and radio media spokesperson, and managing an RBC branch. She also spent many years in financial advisory roles where she provided technical research, support and wrote articles on complex tax, trusts, estates and retirement matters. Most recently, Marlena has been providing holistic comprehensive wealth planning services to high net and ultra-high net worth business owners, professionals, physicians, and retirees.
Marlena’s role is to work with and support your advisor in preparing and presenting your Compass Financial Plan and to identify and assess any related financial planning concerns you may have.
As a Senior Trust Advisor, Manish Gosrani is responsible for managing a complex book of accounts. He works with individuals, families and businesses throughout Toronto and the GTA to provide customized estate, trust and incapacity solutions.
Whether it is helping someone to settle an estate, establishing a trust to ensure the successful transfer of family assets, or arranging to assist with the administration and responsibilities for a Power of Attorney, Manish can help.
Manish has more than 25 years of wealth management experience in Canada and the UK. He holds a Bachelor of Law degree (LL.B), is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and is working towards his Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation to further strengthen his industry knowledge and expertise.
Manish has a deep understanding of priorities and needs of wealth advisors and delivers well balanced advice by staying abreast of product, industry, investment, tax and legislative developments. With a career focused on building client relationships, he brings to each client the necessary skill set to provide both the technical expertise as well as the genuine understanding of the emotional complexities that underlie these issues. He is dedicated to providing assistance in the preservation, management and transfer of wealth between generations by providing solutions to implement clients’ estate, trust and philanthropic plans
Shirin is a Risk Assessment Insurance Specialist. Through a personalized risk assessment approach, she provides High Net Worth Home, Auto and Liability Insurance solutions to protect your wealth, possessions and lifestyle.
Shirin has over 20 years of experience in the insurance and the financial services industry, holding various roles in real estate and banking. Prior to joining RBC, she has spent the last 10 years in the High Net Worth Insurance space, most recently as a Vice President of Portfolio Management at Hub International, working with affluent families globally.
Throughout her career, she has won numerous awards as a top performer in delivering exceptional client experience. Shirin is proud to represent RBC Private Insurance. She will work with you to customize your High Net Worth coverage to your unique needs and protect you as your lifestyle and exposure change.
In her downtime, Shirin is a proud mom to a teenage boy and enjoys yoga, travelling, theatre, and wineries.