Our Team
The J Newman Corp. comprises of an eclectic team of professionals who come from varied backgrounds and bring invaluable skill-sets to the table. With many years of rich experience in investment banking, strategy, accountancy, consulting and industry analysis, they are the tour-de-force of this firm.
Our Team is committed to be as involved in our client's business as we would like in ours
The Investment team includes of highly qualified and experienced professionals, who have been assigned responsibilities that complement their forte.
Founders
Jack Newman - CFO
Jack Newman is a seasoned international business expert with 30 years of experience. His specialty lies in complex financial arrangements, including debentures, joint ventures, the development of sophisticated financial structures, and tax optimization.
His track record is distinguished by the strategic importation of cutting-edge European technologies to Canada, demonstrating his ability to identify and leverage cross-border innovation. Currently, in response to environmental imperatives to reduce carbon footprints, he is leading collaborations with European deeptech companies specializing in two critical sectors of the energy transition: hydrogen technologies and industrial waste heat recovery systems.
Academically, he holds a Master's degree in Business Law and a Master's degree in Economics and Finance, a dual qualification that gives him both a legal and economic perspective on business issues.
His triple nationality is a considerable asset in his international career, allowing him to navigate with ease between different legal and economic systems, while understanding the cultural subtleties inherent in cross-border transactions.
Jonathan Fournier - CEO
A strategic leader at the intersection of technology and human dynamics, Jonathan transforms innovation into concrete, impactful solutions. With over 15 years of experience, he bridges the gap between technological advances and real-world needs, ensuring optimal alignment with market developments and human behaviors.
​
A seasoned entrepreneur, he has founded, developed, and supported several startups and companies internationally, from the ideation phase to expansion into new markets. His expertise in business strategy, combined with a deep understanding of emerging technologies and anthropology, allows him to anticipate transformations and identify value-creating opportunities.
​
His international career and multicultural experience, fueled by his French, Canadian, and Israeli nationalities, give him a unique global perspective, essential for navigating ever-changing environments. Passionate about innovation, he always places people at the heart of the solutions he develops, ensuring sustainable adoption and impact.
David Simakov received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology working on the design of catalytic membrane reformers for integrated fuel cell systems.
​
Prior to joining the University of Waterloo as an Assistant Professor, Dr. Simakov conducted his postdoctoral training in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he worked on thermo-catalysis and reactor design for solar thermal reforming.
His main research expertise is heterogeneous catalysis and reactor design applied to thermocatalytic conversions.
Currently, Dr. Simakov works on thermocatalytic conversion of CO2 into renewable synthetic fuels.
David Simakov
Professor Stukalov helps match the interests of companies and researchers in the areas of energy, oil and gas, biotech, nanotech, cleantech, quantum, as well as other areas of physical and life sciences.
He received his PhD degree in Engineering Physics, and worked for a number of years conducting research in the areas of organic electronics, biophysics and microbiology. He founded three startup businesses, one being a university spin-off based on his own research in the area of industrial biotechnology (successfully exited).
Oleg joined the Corporate Research Partnerships Group in May 2023, after working for a number of years at the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) and prior to that at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Professor Oleg is also an experienced educator and taught a variety of topics covering deeptech startup creation, IP management, product development, and design thinking.
Oleg Stukalov
Associate Professors