RYAN DUNFIELD

CEO & Managing Principal SAF GROUP

BIO: Ryan Dunfield has never let his age stand in the way of opportunity. The CEO and managing principal of SAF Group in Calgary was only 29 when he started spending his evenings devising the plan for the company which he co-founded in 2013. Since then, the investment management firm has deployed just under $4 billion in financings and employs over 40 staff. Today, SAF is a leading alternative capital provider, boasting a solid track record of investing in and partnering with world-class businesses to support their capital structure needs and growth initiatives. During his first year of his Economics degree at the University of Calgary, he worked evenings at ATB Financial in a customer support role. There he was attracted to capital markets, and after successive roles made his way to working in their energy banking group Ryan reached a turning point at 25 when he joined Sam Belzberg’s Second City Capital Partners private equity group. In a bold move on Belzberg’s part, he was given autonomy for his decisions despite his youth — a lesson that helped catapult his career moving forward. He later joined a hedge fund before founding SAF. For Ryan, success is about seizing the opportunity of the moment, regardless of your experience or age, and having the confidence to change course when needed.

When the energy market struggled, SAF shifted their investment focus to other sectors; and when banks and other financial firms were shrinking, he went out of his way to acquire the best talent in the industry. In keeping with his passion for supporting local economies, he has also served on the boards of several public and private entities.

BEST CAREER ADVICE: I’ve been blessed to work with serial entrepreneurs and their attitude of ‘why not?’ has stuck with me. No matter how challenging or off-the-wall a venture may appear, a ‘why not’ mindset ensures no big ideas slip through the cracks.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A TOP 40 HONOUREE?

No substitute for hard work. Risk-taking is a must.

IF I HAD CHOSEN A DIFFERENT CAREER PATH:

Easy chef…. or trainspotter…perhaps more of a hobby, but I’d like to think I could find a way to get paid.