“I can’t emphasize how important Concordia has been in my career. The John Molson School of Business has an unbelievable finance faculty.”
Music aficionado Ian J. Wooden, managing director and CEO of IJW & Co., a boutique investment bank headquartered in Montreal with offices all over the world, launched a music business in high school that expanded in university, and found his calling.
He was studying classical music when demand for lessons at his private academy grew exponentially. Wooden calculated that a degree in classical music wouldn’t be the best training to bolster his commercial ventures, and switched to studying finance.
It was a non-linear trajectory, says Wooden, whose finance boutique provides mergers and acquisitions (M & A), corporate finance, and business-valuation advisory services to mid-market companies. “In this business, you’re only as good as your last deal.”
Proudest moment
“Winning the 40 Under 40 M & A Advisor Recognition Awards in the Dealmaker category, a black-tie event at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan. One of the greatest experiences of my professional career.”
The first deal
“A friend of mine asked for help getting financing because I was in business school. I tweaked his business plan, went to lenders who weren’t traditional financiers, and got his money. The rest is history. I still work with the same bankers, for example, Business Development Bank of Canada.”
Concordia’s set up for success
“I can’t emphasize how important Concordia has been in my career. The John Molson School of Business has an unbelievable finance faculty. I learned at the school about the opportunity to get the professional chartered business valuator designation (the "gold standard” among credentials for business valuation) and, coupled with my degree, it was the best decision ever.”
Inspiring Concordia professor
“Jay Mannadiar was an amazing finance professor. I was very lucky to meet professors I bonded with, and with whom I have maintained relationships with to this day.”
Career advice
“Success is all about longevity. Sticking to it — and not giving up.”
On giving back
“Established a fund to give back to the John Molson School.The annual Ian J. Wooden Fund provides $5,000 for Finance students with excellent grades. I was also recently a board member of the chamber music orchestra, I Musici de Montréal.”