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 large corporations.
As one of Canada’s leading independent experts on Individual Pension Plans (IPPs), Retirement Compensation Arrangements (RCAs) and Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs), and Corporate Defined Benefit (DB) Consulting & Administration.
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 large corporations.
We also specialize in Fair Market Valuations (FMV) of insurance, Marriage Breakdown/Family Law Valuations, Health Benefit Plans (HBPs), and have acted as Expert Witness in trials involving pensions.
Founded in 1995 by Gordon B. Lang with the goal of helping small business owners and incorporated professionals solve their tax and retirement planning challenges; GBL has since grown to 20+ employees with offices across Canada.
Our story began when Gordon B. Lang purchased the Prairies consulting arm of a Big 4 Accounting Firm after seeing the power of IPPs in the 1980’s. At the same time, he witnessed the value of RCAs after witnessing the total collapse of a corporate defined benefit plan after its sponsoring company entered bankruptcy.
Since inception, GBL has helped its clients across Canada establish more than 2,000 Individual Pension Plans (IPPs) and more than 500 Retirement Compensation Arrangements (RCAs) and Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs). GBL is also the recognized leader in Fair Market Valuations of Life Insurance (FMVs).
Through organic growth, acquisition, and new product launches, GBL has since grown into a major provider of Corporate Defined Benefit (DB) Consulting & Administration, Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs), and Family Law Valuations.
FCIA, FSA, CERA, President
FCIA, FCA, Founder
FCIA, FSA, Senior Vice President & Actuary
MBA, Senior Vice President, Growth & Corporate Development
CFP, CHS, Senior Vice President Sales & Business Development
FCIA, FSA, Vice President, Actuarial
CEBS, Vice President, Plan Administration
Manager, Client Relations & Development
Manager, Actuarial
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.
FCIA, FCA, Founder
Gordon founded Gordon B. Lang and Associates Inc in 1995. Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, he worked as an actuarial student with a life insurance company in Edinburgh in 1959 as a student of Faculty of Actuaries in Scotland. After moving to Commercial Union Life Assurance Company in 1964, he joined their Montreal office. In 1967, Gordon received his Fellowship in the Fellowship of Actuaries in Scotland and in the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. In 1976, he moved to Commercial Life as Vice President and Chief Actuary. In 1978, Gordon became a full-time Consulting Actuary with TA Associates, subsequently Sedgwick James, and rose to the position of Senior Vice President & Chief Actuary. He and his family moved to Calgary in 1987 where he reopened the Calgary Pension and Benefits Consulting Practice. As a result of the purchase from Sobeco Ernst & Young of its Calgary Pension Consulting Practice in 1995, he and his wife, Louise, formed Gordon B. Lang & Associates Inc.
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.
MBA, Senior Vice President, Growth & Corporate Development
Ryan oversees GBL’s growth nationally and is responsible for the development of new revenue streams and corporate development initiatives. Ryan first joined GBL in 2015 and during this time guided business owners, incorporated professionals, and their advisors through advanced retirement and tax planning strategies such as IPPs, RCAs, FMVs, and cross-border strategies. He is now focused on growing GBL’s consulting services, including Corporate Pension Plan Consulting and Administration, Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs), and other corporate pension and executive compensation initiatives.
Ryan was born and raised in small town Ontario, before moving to Toronto for his studies at the University of Toronto and subsequently growing a career in capital markets and recruiting prior to joining GBL. He has completed his MBA at the Ivey Business School, currently sits on the Calgary Petroleum Club's Board of Governors, and has founded a startup and supported the growth of others. Ryan lives in Calgary with his wife and two sons.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
