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Established in 2013, The Blended Capital Group offers a range of strategic consulting and advisory services. Our primary purpose is to serve our Indigenous clients in support of their Nation building initiatives, especially in the realm of economic development projects and investment strategies. We are inspired to support our clients connect the dots between their vision and aspirations, and the actions required to achieve them.
Neil is the Principal and Founder of The Blended Capital Group. Prior to his current role, he was an owner, director, and President of Castlemain (2017 – 2021), a leading advisory firm serving Indigenous nations, communities and peoples with expertise in governance, negotiation, economic development, lands, infrastructure and strategic engagement and communications. He also led the Economic Development, Lands, and Infrastructure practice area for much of his tenure at Castlemain.
Prior to joining Castlemain, Neil co-founded Grand Basin Group, an investment and advisory firm, which was acquired by Castlemain in February 2017. During this period, Neil also served as the Lead of the Business Development Team (BDT), serving 25 First Nations Commercial Fishing Enterprises on the west coast of Canada, operating under DFO’s PICFI program. The BDT (comprised of five team members) was absorbed into Castlemain as part of Grand Basin Group in 2017.
From 2008 to 2012, Neil was the Director of Economic Development Projects at Coast Opportunity Funds, a First Nations economic development and conservation organization with $116 million under management. At Coast Funds he worked on financing approximately 100 projects with 20+ First Nations in British Columbia, spanning a broad range of sectors, activities and objectives. Neil has an accomplished background in international finance and investment banking, primarily with Standard Chartered Bank and American Express Bank in Singapore.
Neil recently completed the Directors Education Program (Rotman School of Management/Beedie Business School) and received his ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors in September 2022. He completed a Master of Resource Management (MRM) at Simon Fraser University in 2006, with a focus on environment, development, and non-market valuation. He also received a Graduate Certificate in Development Studies from Simon Fraser University in 2006. Neil received his undergraduate degree in Economics and Economic History at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
We believe in a Values-Driven Investment Approach[1] that goes beyond the traditional scope of financial returns. Specifically, we work with our clients to understand and define the values and benefits that matter most to them, before focusing on how to achieve them.
The advantage of our Values-Driven Investment Approach is the focus we place on recognizing and increasing value across all asset types and capital formations, which ultimately generates a greater flow of values or benefits from each one. The range of asset types and capital formations is broad, and together represents a holistic approach to economic development and Nation-building initiatives.
[1] Adapted from the seminal Asset Building Framework developed by the First Nations Development Institute.
Our office is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Skwxwú7mesh speaking peoples. We are grateful for the opportunity to live and work on their territory.
