Managing Director, Legal

Richard Clark, BA (Econ), LLB

Richard solves complex problems in critical moments, navigates varied business environments and consistently sees what others do not. His multi-sectoral experience is extensive, crossing technology, energy, power, professional services, capital markets, real estate, venture capital and philanthropy. His combination of legal and business perspective allows him to challenge conventional thinking and achieve breakthrough outcomes. Richard’s career has evolved from securities law to business creation and leadership, generally with early-stage companies. He has sat on dozens of corporate boards of exchange listed, private and philanthropic organizations.

 Richard’s expertise includes finance, governance, risk management, compliance, designing and leading complex transactions, general business operations, dispute resolution, selecting and managing professional advisors, and identifying and managing conflicts of interest. Richard is fluent with Canada/US cross-border business operations and structuring, including transfer pricing, cross-border taxation, financing and asset transactions.

Richard is particularly skilled at identifying opportunities, defining vision, designing strategic and tactical plans, innovative structuring and most aspects of emerging businesses.  Richard was named one of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People by Alberta Venture Magazine (’13) and has a strong network of business, financial and governmental leaders, influencers, writers and innovators.

Richard attended the University in Calgary (Economics ‘87 and LLB ’90) and was admitted to the Alberta Law Society in 1991.

Director, Risk & Compliance

Desiree Combs, CPA, CIA

Desiree is a highly accomplished accounting, finance, and compliance professional with over 25 years of experience across investment advisory, public accounting, and senior leadership roles in major U.S. private and publicly traded companies. Her career has been defined by her ability to lead high-performing teams, navigate complex regulatory environments, and implement enterprise-level risk and compliance frameworks.

Most recently, Desiree led SEC reporting, regulatory compliance, and global equity plan administration for a large financial services institution with international operations. She was instrumental in establishing a 60-person Global Capability Center in Bangalore, India, supporting the firm’s global finance function. Her regulatory oversight spanned multiple U.S. agencies including the Federal Reserve, FDIC, and U.S. Treasury, as well as international agencies in Canada, the U.K., Germany, and the Cayman Islands.

As Head of SEC Reporting, Desiree managed the preparation and filing of all major public disclosures, earnings releases, proxy statements, and registration documents. She was a key contributor to Audit and Disclosure Committees and collaborated closely with technical accounting teams on complex standards related to financial instruments, derivatives, lease accounting, and acquisitions.

In her role overseeing global stock plan administration, Desiree coordinated insider trading windows, managed Section 16 compliance, and ensured timely SEC filings as Attorney-In-Fact. She also led multiple system implementations including PeopleSoft GL, Wdesk, AxiomSL, and Shareworks by Morgan Stanley.

Earlier in her career, Desiree spent nine years in public accounting as a senior manager delivering assurance and consulting services, and five years in investment advisory roles with Charles Schwab and Citigroup. Her deep knowledge of financial controls, regulatory frameworks, and operational risk management make her an invaluable asset to the Beltline team.

Director, Controller

Robin Hoops, CPA, CA

Robin brings over 20 years of experience in accounting, finance, treasury, financial reporting, and senior management across both private and publicly traded companies in Canada and the U.S. Her career spans a range of sectors, with a strong emphasis on driving financial excellence, audit readiness, and corporate compliance in high-growth and transition environments.

As a seasoned finance consultant, Robin has worked closely with private equity firms and their portfolio companies to establish financial systems, implement internal controls, ensure debt covenant compliance, and support first-year audits. She has a proven ability to step into Director-level and senior roles on short notice, consistently delivering results.

Robin has led public company reporting functions, managing end-to-end processes for regulatory filings, earnings presentations, and public offerings. She has also directed technical accounting efforts for complex transactions including business combinations, equity compensation, lease accounting, and fair value assessments. Notably, she helped implement and administer the equity plan for a publicly traded company with over $3 billion in revenue post-IPO.

Robin’s collaborative leadership style and deep technical acumen make her a trusted advisor to executive teams and auditors alike. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and continues to be sought after for her expertise in financial transformation and compliance.

Advisors

Cameron Ruff, FCA, CA, B.Comm.
Cameron has over 30 years of Corporate Banking experience across North American and European markets.  He has worked in origination, structuring, portfolio management, market and credit risk management, credit underwriting as well as internal and external audit. Cameron holds a fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary. He has successfully qualified as a S.79 Investment Banker in the US and a qualified Treasurer from the Association of Corporate Treasurers in the UK. Cameron’s other professional pursuits include property and start-up/angel investing.

Kevin Reynolds, MBA

Mr. Reynolds serves on the advisory committee of Beltline Capital Partners and will aid BCP with sales support to institutional clients and credit fund syndication partners. He is a co-founder of Reynolds Gormly and has over 35 years of experience in origination of corporate debt securities and corporate recapitalizations in both domestic and emerging markets. From 2015 - 2018, he served as the head of debt capital markets origination for Cantor Fitzgerald. Before Cantor Fitzgerald, Mr. Reynolds was the global head of debt and equity capital markets for Cowen & Company. Mr. Reynolds also spent 12 years at UBS where he was the head of corporate, transportation, esoteric and distressed asset backed securities. He also acted as the global co-head of corporate recapitalizations liability management, exchange offers, tenders, consent solicitations, waivers and reorganizations for US domestic, European, and emerging market corporate bonds. Mr. Reynolds received his undergraduate degree from Boston College and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in 1984.