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About GBL

As an independent consulting firm, we offer specialized retirement planning, taxation, and actuarial knowledge and a portfolio of business financial solutions tailored to small to mid-sized corporations.

Meet GBL

As one of Canada’s leading independent experts on Individual Pension Plans (IPPs), Retirement Compensation Arrangements (RCAs) and Health Benefit Plans (HBPs), GBL brings to Canada’s financial advisor community specialized retirement planning, taxation, and actuarial knowledge coupled with a portfolio of business financial solutions tailored to small to mid-sized corporations. We also specialize in corporate Defined Benefit (DB) solutions and Fair Market Valuations (FMV) of insurance.

Our Story

Founded in 1995 by Gordon B. Lang, GBL brings unique expertise to help small business owners and incorporated professionals solve their tax and retirement planning challenges. Since inception, GBL has helped its clients across Canada establish more than 2,000 Individual Pension Plans (IPP) and more than 500 Retirement Compensation Arrangements (RCAs). GBL is also a recognized leader in Fair Market Valuations (FMV).

Our Team of Experts

  • Navaz Cassam bio picture

    Navaz Cassam

    FCIA, FSA, CERA, President


    Navaz is GBL’s President and Chief Actuary. He oversees the GBL organization, and is also responsible for the consulting and actuarial services for GBL’s products including IPPs, RCAs, DB pension plans, FMVs, and health benefit plans for both active and retiree employee groups. He has over 20 years of actuarial experience and brings a diverse range of skills to GBL including strategic planning, cost containment solutions, and tax strategies. Navaz is committed to growing the GBL brand and ensuring GBL continues to be a market leader. When he is not working, Navaz enjoys spending time with his family, and working on his slice on the golf course as he pursues his dream of joining the Senior PGA.

    LinkedIn

  • Pat Johnston bio picture

    Pat Johnston

    FCIA, FSA, Senior Vice President & Actuary


    Pat is Senior Vice President and Actuary at GBL. He joined the actuarial field after obtaining his degree in actuarial mathematics from the University of Western Ontario in 1980. He has over 40 years of actuarial experience in the insurance industry, and since 1989 in the pension field. He has worked with a wide range of clients in the private and public sector, on their pension, benefits and post-retirement benefit programs. In 2003, he founded the firm Pension Strategies Inc. and continued his pension work in the private and public sector, bringing the capabilities being offered to larger pension clients to mid-size and smaller clients. In addition, he began working with family law practitioners in the area of the division of pension on marriage breakdown. In 2023, Pension Strategies Inc. joined with GBL Inc., and Pat continues to provide services for corporate and public sector pension plans, IPPs, RCAs, family law pension-related services and other expert evidence work. When Pat is not working, he is often hiding behind a camera, trying to capture that perfect landscape photo.

    LinkedIn

  • Fraser Lang bio picture

    Fraser Lang

    CFP, CHS, Senior Vice President Sales & Business Development


    Fraser is dedicated to strengthening the brand of GBL as a market leader in IPPs, RCAs, and other strategies. Working directly with our corporate partners, Fraser is instrumental in educating their advisor networks and implementing tax saving and retirement asset building for their clients. Whether it he’s doing speaking engagements, one on one client meetings, or other ventures, Fraser prides himself on building relationships.

    LinkedIn

  • Margie Benedict bio picture

    Margie Benedict

    CEBS, Vice President, Plan Administration


    Margie oversees GBL’s IPP and RCA plan administration team, monitoring plan and trust compliance, regulatory filings, plan audits, retirement and plan windup. Margie spends her free time in the kitchen, gardening, and entertaining friends.

    LinkedIn

  • Laura Davis bio picture

    Laura Davis

    FCIA, FSA, Vice President, Actuarial


    As the manager of GBL’s actuarial department, Laura trains and supports our actuarial analysts and oversees the completion of the actuarial valuation reports. She also consults with clients on their more technical aspects of retirement planning, including IPPs, RCAs, corporate DB plans, and consults on group retirement solutions. Laura also provides actuarial consulting services to clients accross Canada. When she’s not doing complex math equations (which she enjoys!) she’s strapping up her skis and hitting the slopes, and enjoying the restaurant scene in Calgary.

    LinkedIn

  • Tatenda Mawoyo bio picture

    Tatenda Mawoyo

    Manager, Client Relations & Development


    Tatenda is GBL’s Manager of Client Relations and Development. He empowers GBL’s clientele to make retirement and tax planning decisions with regards to GBL’s suite of products and solutions. Having started his career at GBL as an actuarial analyst, Tatenda has a deep knowledge of GBL’s products which helps him deliver valuable product knowledge and education to advisors and their clients. Outside of work, Tatenda enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons.

    LinkedIn

  • Rob Easton bio picture

    Rob Easton

    Manager, Actuarial


    Rob Easton currently serves as Manager, Actuarial, working with a broad range of clients on all aspects of the valuation and administration of their retirement programs. Rob has provided clients with benefits administration, actuarial and pension administration expertise for more than 20 years. Prior to that, Rob worked as a software developer. He has been with GBL (including Pension Strategies before they joined GBL in 2023) for 17 years. Rob graduated from the University of Calgary in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics.

    LinkedIn