A series of interviews with our council members,the engines of our organization

RYAN GIBBONS is a Partner at Davis Martindale and is actively involved in the Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute as Chair of the London Chapter and as a member of the Ontario Council.  Ryan is also Chair of the Boys and Girls Club of London Foundation board.

CPBI Ontario Council Members and volunteers of the London Chapter appreciate working with Ryan. When our last in-person conference was cancelled because of covid, Ryan had already spent a good deal of time and energy on it: Ryan is always an enthusiast when it comes to bringing fellow professionals together, whether is an informal get-together like a game of the London Knights or one of the most regarded regional conferences in the industry. It has been a pleasure to work with him in the past 6 years!

Ryan holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Windsor and received his Chartered Accountant professional designation in 2006.  Ryan spent the first 10 years of his career with Ernst & Young focusing on the delivery of assurance services to manufacturing and pension plan clients in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario. Ryan joined Davis Martindale in 2014 and was invited into the Partnership in 2015.  Ryan leads the Firm’s pension plan practice.

Interviewer:  Ryan, can you tell us about yourself and your role at Davis Martindale ?

Ryan:  I am a Partner at Davis Martindale focussing on the delivery of assurance services to Pension Plans as well as owner-managed businesses.  Having joined the firm over 8 years ago, Davis Martindale has now grown to over 100 staff with offices in London and Toronto.

Interviewer:  How and why did you get started in this industry Ryan? 

Ryan:  I got started in this industry 15 years ago and have always had a passion for numbers and business. The accounting industry has allowed me to combine these two passions together.

Interviewer:  We would love to know how long have you been involved with CPBI and what do you enjoy most about your involvement with CPBI?

Ryan:  I began attending CPBI social and educational sessions hosted by the London Chapter and have now been involved with CPBI for 6 years. I am currently Chair of the London Chapter and sit on the Ontario Counsel.  CPBI has provided great networking opportunities in the pension and benefits space.
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Interviewer:  What is one of the most exciting things that you see going on in the pension plan space right now?

Ryan:  It’s nice to see that Defined Contribution pension plans no longer require the administrative burden of being subject to an annual external audit.
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Interviewer:  Can you tell us more of your thoughts and insight on the industry Ryan?

Ryan:  Like a lot of other industries, the accounting industry is experiencing a war for talent.  The best and the brightest are in high demand.  It’s forcing firms to challenge how they work, what benefits they offer to employees (both monetary and non-monetary) and where people work.  The constraints of working in the city that you live in no longer apply.