To ensure disciplined capital deployment and operational excellence, we are supported by an Investment Advisory Committee composed of seasoned industry leaders. The Committee provides critical investment oversight while serving as a strategic catalyst to accelerate growth across our portfolio.
Samim Aminzadah serves as the Chairman and CEO of Grafton Street Capital, where he oversees the firm’s investment strategy, capital allocation, and investor relations.
An entrepreneur at heart, Samim has established himself as a formidable operator known for identifying market inefficiencies and scaling high-growth companies. He has spent over a decade successfully building ventures across the hospitality, light manufacturing, and food and beverage sectors. Most notably, he is the Co-Founder and CEO of Blowers & Grafton, where he transformed a niche culinary concept into one of Western Canada’s fastest-growing restaurant chains. Beyond this success, Samim holds leadership roles in several other high-growth ventures he helped found, including The Baron, The Bell in Scona, and Eurostyle Millworks. Within GS Capital, Samim approaches each investment through the lens of an operator rather than a distant investor, allowing him to identify opportunities to optimize performance and drive value where others may only see risk.
A long-time Calgary resident, Samim is deeply committed to community stewardship. He is the founder of the Pier 21 Foundation, a philanthropic organization honoring his mother’s legacy that provides critical support to refugees settling in Canada. This integration of social responsibility is central to his leadership style, ensuring that the companies he leads not only generate significant returns but also foster a culture of integrity, collaboration, and social impact.
Ramin Aminzadah brings over 14 years of expertise in energy trade, risk management, and financial strategy. Before co-founding Grafton Street Capital, he spent more than a decade at Capital Power, where he specialized in energy trading and risk management across North American electricity and gas markets. His experience navigating complex market structures and assessing strategic risk has shaped his disciplined, data-driven approach to investment and financial leadership.
As Chief Financial Officer of Grafton Street Capital, Ramin oversees the financial strategy and capital structuring behind the firm’s control investments in distressed businesses and real estate. His analytical rigor and cross-sector background enable him to identify value where others see volatility — ensuring every investment is grounded in sound fundamentals and clear upside potential.
Blake Jackman is Vice President, Acquisitions at Grafton Street Capital, where he supports investment thesis development, origination, and deal execution. Previously, Blake worked for 7 years in professional services as a management consultant, corporate governance advisor, and valuation analyst, helping numerous SMEs grow, expand margins, systemize operations, and strengthen governance. Blake brings an operator-minded approach to Grafton Street, pairing rigorous financial analysis with practical strategy design and execution to unlock value across the portfolio.
Jarett brings over 15 years of experience in real estate development, acquisitions, and asset management. As Chief Operating Officer at Cameron Corporation, he oversees all divisions, ensuring strategic alignment across development, construction, and leasing operations.
Prior to Cameron, Jarett spent 14 years with a publicly traded real estate firm, leading projects through every stage of the development cycle — from acquisition and land use planning to financing, joint ventures, and dispositions. His breadth of experience across commercial and mixed-use assets provides Grafton Street Capital with invaluable insight into evaluating, repositioning, and unlocking value in real estate investments.
A graduate of the University of Alberta, Jarett is an avid hockey player, golfer, and outdoor enthusiast.
Burt brings over 40 years of leadership in pipeline development, operations, and maintenance across major LVP and HVP systems. He has overseen assets such as the Hardisty LPG Underground Storage Facility and more than 2,000 miles of Federated Pipe Lines, earning a reputation for operational excellence and technical expertise.
As founder of OPX Consulting Inc. and D3 Vision Inc., Burt has advised industry leaders including Enbridge, TransCanada, Plains Marketing, and Access Pipeline on audits, integrity assessments, and project design. He has also served on advisory boards for Innovative Pipeline Crossings and Energreen Fuels Corp.
Now a Principal at Emerge Engagement Corp, Burt focuses on building collaborative partnerships between Indigenous Nations and industry. His guiding philosophy — creating opportunities to excel — reflects his lifelong commitment to responsible development and shared success.
With over 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, Jason is a founding partner of Tetra Realty Advisors Inc. His career spans development site acquisitions, leasing, and brokerage, with a focus on retail and mixed-use assets across Western Canada and British Columbia.
Jason has advised leading national and international retailers on site selection, market strategy, leasing, and expansion planning. His hands-on approach and deep industry insight make him a trusted partner in identifying value and driving successful outcomes.
At Grafton Street Capital, Jason provides strategic guidance on acquisition opportunities, market positioning, and asset optimization, drawing on his proven track record of disciplined execution and client-focused results.
Mike Smith is a seasoned finance executive, entrepreneur, and strategic advisor with over fifteen years of experience spanning corporate finance, M&A, and operational leadership. As a Chartered Professional Accountant and former Group CFO, Mike has built and scaled businesses across Canada and the United States, leading financial strategy, growth initiatives, and complex transactions.
He currently serves as a Fractional CFO and Partner at FourX Partners, advising business owners and investors on financial modelling, capital structure optimization, and performance improvement. Mike previously served as CFO for a national hospitality group, overseeing expansion from a single franchise to more than 70 locations, and spent seven years with MNP LLP, where he advised clients across multiple industries on financial strategy, valuation, and operational excellence.
At GS Capital, Mike contributes his expertise in financial analysis, value creation planning, and risk assessment to support the evaluation of investment opportunities and the ongoing growth of portfolio companies. His combination of technical acumen and entrepreneurial insight provides a pragmatic perspective on how to unlock sustainable enterprise value.
