After almost two decades in the financial sector working with Canadians across the country, Chris Karram founded SafeBridge Private Wealth as a haven for individuals looking for strategies that are outside the traditional wealth management box. As a tax and insurance expert, a real estate and private equity investor, and a professional and social entrepreneur, he understands the needs of emerging affluent Canadian families and their desire to build family wealth.

Chris began his career as a Financial Advisor and, over time, developed a unique ability to think creatively when it came to using insurance and tax planning strategies to meet individual client needs. In 2006, he cofounded SafeBridge Financial Group and pioneered a holistic approach to mortgage advice called Mortgage Centered Financial Planning^™. SafeBridge Financial Group is now one of the largest and most trusted mortgage and insurance brokers in the country.

A recognized industry leader and financial specialist, Chris has had the privilege of speaking as an expert in his field at numerous events on both provincial and national platforms. He is also frequently featured in media publications including the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, Investment Executive and Canadian Mortgage Professional, to name a few.

One of Chris’ passions is helping others. For this reason, he founded Homes4Hope Canada with his wife Arlene in 2014 to help raise funds to build homes for families living with disabilities in the poorest countries in the world. As a result of their partnerships with Habitat for Humanity Canada and Hope and Healing International, each dollar raised receives a 3-to-1 match. This has led to the construction of over 143 homes in Ethiopia and Malawi, which has provided much needed medical and sustainable support for each family. Thanks to their incredible donors, as of 2019 Homes4Hope Canada has raised $681,000 and received an additional $1.1M in matches from their NGO partners.

Elisseos Iriotakis leads SafeBridge Private Wealth alongside Chris Karram. His rare depth and breadth of expertise, combined with his ability to develop creative investment solutions, is at the heart of the firm’s vision for bespoke investment advice.

Prior to SafeBridge, he held a variety of positions with CIBC World Markets, The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and The Mortgage Centre. During this time he developed specialized expertise in tax and accounting, real estate investing and market analysis. Alongside Chris Karram, he Co-Founded SafeBridge Financial Group in 2006 with a focus on mortgage lending and insurance strategy. During his tenure there, Elisseos came to be considered by many of his peers as one of the top mortgage professionals in the country.

Now an avid real estate investor himself, Elisseos combines this expertise with his knowledge of financial and tax planning to design creative and bespoke investment strategies for his clients. Elisseos is periodically asked to guest lecture at the University of Toronto and Seneca College. He is frequently quoted in industry publications including the Toronto Star, Canadian Real Estate and The Canadian Mortgage Professional.

Mark has a deep-rooted passion and respect for the mortgage brokerage industry in Canada. Since 2009, he has worked as President & CEO of TMG The Mortgage Group Canada, one of the largest full-service brokerages in Canada. Prior to that, he worked on 'Top Teams’ at CIBC Mortgages, FirstLine Mortgages and Paradigm Quest in executive leadership roles in Sales, Marketing, Corporate Development and Operations.

From 2014-18, Mark has served as a Director of the Board at Mortgage Professionals Canada (formerly CAAMP). In his first year he was elected Treasurer. In 2015, he was elected Vice-Chair and then in 2016, Mark assumed the position of Chair of the Association.

Having been an executive in both the lending and brokering communities, Mark offers a unique 360-degree view on the Canadian finance landscape and focuses on people, branding, positioning and operational excellence.

Mark maintains that in an ever-changing economic environment, brokers have the knowledge, expertise and resources to be the consumer’s trusted and valuable advisor – now more than ever before.

Before starting his finance career in 2000 with CIBC Mortgages as Director of Corporate Development, Mark was trained as a high school teacher and worked in real estate and marketing for a number of years. He later joined FirstLine Mortgages as Vice President, Sales and Marketing. In 2006, he joined Paradigm Quest Inc. as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and then as Executive Vice President, Operations. In 2009, Mark joined TMG The Mortgage Group Canada Inc. as President.

Mark holds an MBA from the Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto), a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts (honours) from the University of Western Ontario.

After almost two decades in the financial sector working with Canadians across the country, Chris Karram founded SafeBridge Private Wealth as a haven for individuals looking for strategies that are outside the traditional wealth management box. As a tax and insurance expert, a real estate and private equity investor, and a professional and social entrepreneur, he understands the needs of emerging affluent Canadian families and their desire to build family wealth.

Chris began his career as a Financial Advisor and, over time, developed a unique ability to think creatively when it came to using insurance and tax planning strategies to meet individual client needs. In 2006, he cofounded SafeBridge Financial Group and pioneered a holistic approach to mortgage advice called Mortgage Centered Financial Planning^™. SafeBridge Financial Group is now one of the largest and most trusted mortgage and insurance brokers in the country.

A recognized industry leader and financial specialist, Chris has had the privilege of speaking as an expert in his field at numerous events on both provincial and national platforms. He is also frequently featured in media publications including the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, Investment Executive and Canadian Mortgage Professional, to name a few.

One of Chris’ passions is helping others. For this reason, he founded Homes4Hope Canada with his wife Arlene in 2014 to help raise funds to build homes for families living with disabilities in the poorest countries in the world. As a result of their partnerships with Habitat for Humanity Canada and Hope and Healing International, each dollar raised receives a 3-to-1 match. This has led to the construction of over 143 homes in Ethiopia and Malawi, which has provided much needed medical and sustainable support for each family. Thanks to their incredible donors, as of 2019 Homes4Hope Canada has raised $681,000 and received an additional $1.1M in matches from their NGO partners.

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Elisseos Iriotakis leads SafeBridge Private Wealth alongside Chris Karram. His rare depth and breadth of expertise, combined with his ability to develop creative investment solutions, is at the heart of the firm’s vision for bespoke investment advice.

Prior to SafeBridge, he held a variety of positions with CIBC World Markets, The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and The Mortgage Centre. During this time he developed specialized expertise in tax and accounting, real estate investing and market analysis. Alongside Chris Karram, he Co-Founded SafeBridge Financial Group in 2006 with a focus on mortgage lending and insurance strategy. During his tenure there, Elisseos came to be considered by many of his peers as one of the top mortgage professionals in the country.

Now an avid real estate investor himself, Elisseos combines this expertise with his knowledge of financial and tax planning to design creative and bespoke investment strategies for his clients. Elisseos is periodically asked to guest lecture at the University of Toronto and Seneca College. He is frequently quoted in industry publications including the Toronto Star, Canadian Real Estate and The Canadian Mortgage Professional.

Paula joined SafeBridge Financial Group in 2010 with over 17 years of experience in the financial services industry. She started her career with CIBC as an Imperial Service Advisor before joining Mortgage Alliance of Canada. As a Consulting Support Manager, Paula helped build a team of over 400 Mortgage Agents across Canada by providing unparalleled training, tools and coaching to help each individual enhance and grow their own mortgage practice.

Paula then set her sights on joining SafeBridge as the Director of Compliance and Contracting, and has also helped mould and define the entire “onboarding” experience for new team members. In addition, Paula was the driving force behind the implementation and development of the “SafeBridge Underwriting Network” (SUN), launched in late 2012, which provides a truly value-added service for all internal members of the SafeBridge team. She regularly hosts weekly and monthly training and is committed to the success of each team member.

With over 23 years of experience in the financial services industry, John joined SafeBridge Private Wealth as their Vice President, Strategic Partnerships in February 2024.

As a seasoned entrepreneur and financial professional who has successfully navigated diverse roles, John has built and sold two thriving financial planning firms, directed sales, and recruiting operations for a prominent Insurance Company and at MGA, was a Managing Partner in a brokerage focused on capital raises for Exempt Market Projects while also running a Consulting firm for independent professionals focused on creating profitable partnerships.

John’s core mission with SafeBridge Private Wealth is clear- leverage his extensive background to develop and nurture strategic partnerships that drive growth, enhance market presence, and deliver unparalleled value to our agents, clients, and stakeholders.

Cara Bowman-DaSilva is a highly organized and results-driven Executive Assistant with over a decade of experience supporting senior executives and managing complex administrative operations. With a background in wealth management, insurance, and corporate services, she has developed expertise in executive support, relationship management, and organizational logistics. Cara is known for her ability to streamline workflows, coordinate high-level projects, and act as a trusted liaison between executives, clients, and stakeholders. She brings professionalism, discretion, and a strong commitment to excellence in every role.

Favorite Food
Anything Spicy

Favorite Sports team
Playoff and Championship game watcher

Favorite Hobby
Travel

Samantha has a wealth of experience in client service. Her seven years as an Event Manager at Bassett Events Inc. allowed her to build experience in meeting the multiple needs and expectations of clients. Samantha’s attention to detail and organized nature translated well into the role of Senior Executive Assistant at Gluskin Sheff for the CIO and Chief Risk Officer. Her role at Safebridge Private Wealth is to support Chris Karram as Senior Executive Assistant to ensure a seamless client experience.

With a background in financial services, Amanda is an experienced customer service professional with a strong track record of delivering exceptional service and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. Over the years she has developed a deep understanding of client needs using her strengths of active listening, empathy, and effective problem-solving techniques.

Amanda is skilled in managing diverse customer interactions, adapting communication styles to ensure clarity and understanding while maintaining a positive and professional demeanor. Dedicated to continuous improvement, Amanda consistently strives to exceed expectation and foster long-term client loyalty.

Why I joined SafeBridge I am excited for the opportunity to work with the team at SafeBridge, a dynamic group that embraces innovation, motivation and collaboration. The opportunity to grow with a company that values integrity and customer-focused service aligned perfectly with my career goals and my passion for helping others.

After spending the first part of his career owning multiple coffee franchises across Toronto, Winnipeg and Victoria, Michael brought his entrepreneurial background to the Insurance industry in 2014.

Knowing first hand the importance of protecting both personal and business interests, Michael is passionate when working with his clients on achieving their financial goals. He started his career with Sunlife Financial prior to joining SafeBridge Financial in 2018, and hasn’t looked back. His focus has always been to help his clients make sound financial decisions in order to use insurance to protect their family and their business, but also to protect them from paying too much tax. His guidance and understanding of corporately owned life insurance is one of Mike’s greatest areas of expertise and has been a tremendous asset with working many mortgage professionals in protecting their clients most important needs.

After his first two years with SafeBridge Financial, Mike is now an insurance focused Advisor with SafeBridge Private Wealth and works specifically with emerging affluent families and business owners.

Magid is a Certified Financial Planner® with SafeBridge Financial Group Life bombards us with so many different choices and options. Making the right financial decisions can be difficult and at times complicated. By filtering out the noise and distractions, Magid helps his clients make the right decisions. As a relationship builder, Magid knows and understands his clients and their unique financial picture. His understanding allows him to collaborate with professionals to customize and implement tax-preferred estate and financial planning strategies for individuals, families and small business owners.

Why choose Magid as your Financial Planner? He is a relationship builder. He believes in what he does and enjoys doing it. With over 30 professional years of experience, Magid brings four special tools; integrity, focus, commitment and adaptability. Prior to joining SafeBridge Financial Group, Magid spent over 20 years in financial services with RBC and Sun Life. He also brings a decade of business management and a solid understanding of pension and benefits planning. He specializes in serving the Baby Boomers and Gen “X” Professionals where he creates investment and insurance strategies that maximize their cash flow and tax savings.

Magid is a seasoned corporate speaker having spoken at over one hundred corporate and private events. He loves educating people about financial planning, managing cash flow, investing and managing their risk. Magid simplifies concepts and encourages his audience to set goals and achieve financial success. You can follow Magid on twitter @magstergee and on his Blog “It’s Only Money”.

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Annie is a seasoned insurance professional with 5 years of experience specializing in life insurance, disability insurance and critical illness insurance. With a proven track record of delivering exceptional client service, she provides tailored insurance solutions that meet the unique needs of each client. Annie believes in building long-lasting relationships based on trust, integrity, and transparency, guiding clients through the decision-making process with clarity and empathy. Holding a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Saint Mary’s University and as a Registered Insurance Agent, she remains committed to staying informed about industry trends and regulations to provide clients with the most up-to-date advice and solutions.

Nick is passionate about helping emerging affluent entrepreneurs, executives and business owners preserve their wealth and multiply it using unique “hand-stitched wealth strategies”. Serving roughly 1000 households throughout his early career, Nick has partnered with SafeBridge Private Wealth to continue their journey of serving Canadians Coast to Coast.

Prior to joining SafeBridge Private Wealth, Nick was an international recording artist signed to labels in both Japan and Canada. You can also find his bands songs being covered by various artists throughout Europe. After leaving the music industry and shortly after Nick’s first son was born, he became passionate about helping Canadians with their wealth and finances. Nick spent his first 7 years in the financial industry with Desjardins Financial Security Independent Network where he was a Sales Manager, a Top Insurance Producer and among the Top in Overall Production within the Network.

Throughout 2019 and 2021, Nicks professional career began to take shape as he completed the Certified Financial Planner®?, Chartered Life Underwriter®? and Certified Health Insurance Specialist®? designations through FP Canada and Advocis, The Financial Advisors Association of Canada. Nick was also invited to join as a Board Member with Advocis as a Membership Chair and GAMA Representative. Nick has been featured multiple times as a Keynote Speaker for National Events where common topics discussed include Financial Planning Innovations, Customer Experience, and How to better serve Canadians in this ever-evolving financial landscape.

Lloyd Mitchell began his career in 2006, and has obtained his Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter, and Certified Health Insurance Specialist designations.

Lloyd’s focus is on business development and working closely with clients on strategies to preserve their wealth. Lloyd specializes in complex corporate tax and estate planning solutions for HNW business owners, their families and professional corporations.

Lloyd sat in a volunteer position with Advocis Calgary (The Financial Advisors Association) for 5 years, and most recently joined the Estate Planning Council of Calgary (EPCC), in which like- minded professionals from various disciplines meet monthly to discuss various estate planning related issues.

Lloyd is originally from Red Deer, Alberta. He enjoys golf, laying guitar and snowboarding in the winter.

With 15 years of experience as a financial advisor, Addy focuses on creating custom solutions for his clients catering to both immediate goals and long-term aspirations. He specializes in tax and estate planning, while thoughtfully working with multiple generations of families, small business owners, professionals and entrepreneurs.

Born and raised in Osoyoos, British Columbia, and now based in the Lower Mainland, Addy is deeply committed to cultivating relationships with his clients and building a network of trusted professionals to meet the unique needs of each client. Addy enjoys educating his clients throughout the planning process, ensuring they are empowered to make informed financial decisions.

In addition to his work, Addy is a business owner and angel investor with a passion for supporting local entrepreneurship. He is actively involved with charities and non-profits in his community, further reinforcing his commitment to giving back. Outside of work, Addy enjoys spending time with his family and is an avid sports enthusiast, having played hockey, golf, and more recently, pickleball.