Our team brings years of experience, work ethic and passion to help each of our companies create lasting value.
INVESTMENT TEAM
John Risley
Co-Founder, Chairman
Andrew Lapham
Co-Founder, CEO
Michael Fizzell
Managing Director
Chris Saunders
Business Development
John Risley
Co-Founder, Chairman
John Risley co-founded NPC with Andrew Lapham in 2018 and is the firm’s Chairman. One of Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs, John has founded and built multiple world-leading businesses including Clearwater Seafood, Ocean Nutrition and Columbus Communications. John is currently Chairman and CEO of CFFI Ventures Inc., a diversified holding company operating internationally. Mr. Risley is very active in community affairs, sitting on the Board of a number of charitable organizations. He is Chair of Futurpreneur Canada and the Ocean Supercluster. He regularly engages in public policy debate, is Chairman of the Atlantic Institute of Market Studies and is a member of the World President’s Organization, The Chief Executives Organization, the Business Council of Canada and the Trilateral Commission. John was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1997.
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Andrew Lapham
Co-Founder, CEO
Andrew Lapham co-founded NPC with John Risley in 2018 and is the firm’s CEO. Prior to founding NPC, Mr. Lapham worked for The Blackstone Group as Chairman, Blackstone Canada where he led the firm’s efforts to identify and make investments across Canada. Prior to Blackstone, Andrew spent eight years in the private equity group at Onex Corporation, making control investments in a wide range of industries. Andrew began his career at Morgan Stanley and is a graduate of Princeton University. Andrew is currently a board member of the Shoebox Project and is a past board member and current committee member of Covenant House Toronto.
Michael Fizzell
Managing Director
Mike joined NPC in 2019 and has played a key role in NPC’s investments in MDA and Rockport Networks, where he continues to be actively involved in value-creation initiatives. Mike has over 13 years of experience investing in and working with a wide range of private and public companies, including nine years in the private equity group at Onex Corporation. Mike is a graduate of the Ivey Business School at Western University and began his career in the financial restructuring group at Houlihan Lokey. Mike lives in Toronto with his wife and two young children.
Chris Saunders
Business Development
Chris joined NPC at its inception in 2018 and has played a key role in all of the firm’s investments made to date. Chris is actively involved with each of NPC’s portfolio companies, working closely with each business on various value-creation initiatives. Prior to joining NPC, Chris was on the investment team at Providence Equity Partners focusing on growth investments in the technology sector. Chris also previously worked in technology M&A and leveraged finance at RBC Capital Markets in New York and Toronto and is a graduate of Ivey Business School at Western University.
FINANCE / OPERATIONS TEAM
James Albrecht
Chief Operating Officer
Rosa Pugliese
Office Manager
James Albrecht
Chief Operating Officer
James Albrecht joined NPC in 2020 as COO, leading all aspects of NPC’s operations, finance, governance, and investor relations. Prior to joining NPC, James held a leading role for a Toronto-based family office and has formerly been CFO of businesses in the natural resources and healthcare technology industries. James is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University and holds his CPA, CA designation. James lives in Oakville with his wife and young son.