Yann Robard

Yann Robard founded Dawson Partners in 2015 and has over 19 years of private equity and investment banking experience.

Prior to Dawson, Yann spent a cumulative 13 years at CPPIB, most recently as Managing Director, Head of Secondaries and Co-Investments. In this capacity, Yann was responsible for a team of 15 professionals investing in private equity secondaries and co-investments on a global basis. During his 13 years at CPPIB, Yann held several roles and positions, all focused on private equity, namely in its private equity funds, secondaries and co-investments activities, including roles on several investment committees of the firm. Yann joined CPPIB during the inception of its private equity investment program. In 2007, Yann was mandated to establish a principal secondary program within CPPIB, which was later expanded to include co-investments. Under Yann’s leadership, the Secondaries and Co-Investments program invested over C$7.5 billion in 49 transactions, generated 21.6% gross IRR and 1.7x gross MoC and recruited a team of 15 professionals in Toronto and London. At the time of Yann’s departure in 2015, CPPIB had become a globally recognized market leader in the private equity secondary market. While at CPPIB, Yann was a member of a number of investment committees which, at that time, oversaw all investments in private equity funds, secondaries and co-investments globally. Yann first joined CPPIB in 2001 at which time CPPIB was still in its formative years. During this time, the institution grew from 24 employees to over 1,200; from C$7 billion under management to over C$260 billion and from a single office in Toronto to six offices globally.

Prior to joining CPPIB, Yann spent time with Paul Capital as a Principal in its secondary fund, at JP Morgan in its credit operations and had an entrepreneurial experience building a retail store.

Yann holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Dalhousie University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”) Charterholder.