Rob is a co-founder and the CEO of Sapling. After indulging his penchant for learning about anything and everything in his earlier university days, he “wisened up” and found a job in investment management. While at Artemis Investment Management, a $2 billion Bay Street investment firm, Rob developed deep financial modelling skills through researching over 100 publicly-traded companies. He also oversaw more than $150 million of client money. His successes saw him promoted twice, ending as Associate Portfolio Manager.
After three years at Artemis, Rob joined KPMG LLP as a Senior Consultant in their Strategy & Operations group, with the hopes of being closer to actual business decisions. There, he applied his modelling skills to a high profile engagement while deepening his expertise in database analytics. When he got tired of seeing the inside of a plane every Monday and Friday, Rob joined Bell Canada Finance, supporting the Wholesale business unit, where he and a colleague built most of the financial models setting Wholesale’s pricing on big deals with telecom resellers.
“Modelling brings together the financial and operational, so it is like a ‘control center’ for the entire business. The best thing about being a financial modelling consultant is that you get to learn about so many different types of businesses. We have built a model for a non-alcoholic brewer, a health & fitness club, a leather jacket maker, a builder of touchscreen kiosks, a social media ‘market’, and a sports drink company. Needless to say, it’s always interesting!”
Rob’s university education began with a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto. This was followed by a Master of Theological Studies, where he became adept at arguing the finer points of ecclesiology and soteriology. Rob went on to attain the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, and completed his Master of Finance from Queen’s School of Business. His education continues, whether it’s database query optimization, cost accounting or Civil War history. If he’s not staring at a computer screen, you can probably find him on the squash court, running on one of the few remaining new routes from his North Toronto home, or worrying about the world’s declining biodiversity.
Rob Hong and the Sapling team regularly speak at conferences and events across North America as well as virtual webinars and workshops. This includes organizations such as the Association For Corporate Growth, Financial Executives International, Smart Energy, and many more.
- Emerging Opportunities in Virtual Care, ACG (Jan 27, 2021)
- Excel-based Reporting Pack Webinar, FEI (Jan 26, 2021)
- Clean Energy Economics and Modelling, Smart Energy Kingston (Jan 26, 2021)
- Financial Modelling for Independent Power Producers, Smart Energy (Nov 20, 2020)
- Financials as a Start-Up, StartGBC (Aug 17, 2020)
- Going to Market & Valuations in the “New Normal”, ACG Boston (Jul 29, 2020)
- M&A Stress Testing Through the Current Market Climate (June 25, 2020)
- Post-Coronavirus Retooling (June 9, 2020)
- Cash Flow Modelling During Covid-19 (April 30, 2020)
- Stress Testing Modelling, Mining Association of Canada (April 30, 2020)
- Cash Flow Modelling During Covid-19, GTAAN/GTAAFN (April 16, 2020)
