Bruce Flatt

Bruce Flatt
Born	1965 (age 50–51) Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Residence	Toronto and New York
Nationality	Canadian
Education	Bachelor of Commerce
Alma mater	University of Manitoba
Occupation	Brookfield Asset Management, CEO General Growth Properties, Chairman

Bruce Flatt (born 1965) is a global ‘value investor’^[1] and since 2002 has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Brookfield Asset Management,^[2] a global alternative asset manager with $240 billion in assets under management.^[3] He has been referred to as the “Warren Buffett of Canada”^[4] and has been said to share Buffet’s approach to investing by insisting on buying high-quality assets at a decent price rather than subpar assets on the cheap.^[5] Flatt and a group of Partners control Brookfield and own 20% of its capital valued at approximately $6 billion.^[6]

Early life and education

Bruce Flatt was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His father, Ian, was a senior executive at the Investors Group mutual fund empire for 43 years.^[5] While studying accounting at the University of Manitoba Flatt won “entrepreneur of the year.”^[4] In 1985 he graduated with a business degree from the University of Manitoba,^[2] and was hired at Clarkson Gordon, which was later acquired by Ernst & Young.^[7]

Career

Flatt received the second-highest scores in Manitoba on his accounting exam. In 1990^[2][8] he joined Brascan, which later was renamed Brookfield Asset Management under his leadership.^[4]

In 1993 Flatt led Brookfield in its bid to purchase prime office properties from Olympia & York Developments, which was debt-ridden and in bankruptcy court. An employee of Olympia & York at the time, Tom Falus, described Flatt as a good negotiator, able to go “head-to-head” with real estate heavyweights.^[4] At the conclusion of the purchase four years later, Flatt was promoted to Chief Executive of Brookfield Properties in 2000. He became CEO of Brookfield Asset Management in 2002.^[4]

During his tenure, Flatt simplified the complex structure of the old Brascan conglomerate, turning it into a global alternative asset manager with three permanent capital listed entities: Brookfield Property Partners, Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners all of which trade on the NYSE. “The management style changed under Bruce to looking to public markets as a partner,” says one analyst. He also established investment funds for institutional investors.^[9]

He has served as Chairman and/or Director of several corporate entities throughout the years during his career. Since November, 2010 Flatt has been the Chairman and Director of General Growth Properties Inc.^[2]

Flatt has been called the Warren Buffett of Canada. Former Premier of Ontario David Peterson called Flatt “among a handful of the smartest people in Canada.”^[4]

Recognition

Flatt ranked third out of 50 of Canada’s most powerful business people according to ‘Canadian Business.’^[10] Harvard Business Review ranked Flatt 57 out of the 100 “Best-Performing CEOs in the World.^[11]

Other directorships

Since 2010 Flatt has been the Chairman of General Growth Properties. In the past, he has been on the boards of Brookfield Property Partners, Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners, Brookfield Office Properties, Brookfield Properties Corporation, Brookfield Homes Ltd, Gentra Inc., Norbord, Fraser Papers, Noranda Inc., Falconbridge Ltd., and Carma Corp.^[12][2]

References