# Adam Felesky

> Adam Felesky is the Toronto-based co-founder and CEO of Portage, a global fintech investment platform, and a managing partner at Sagard. A former founder and CEO of Horizons ETFs and founding investor in Australia’s BetaShares, he combines financial services operating experience with venture investing and support for McMaster students.

- **Role:** Co-Founder and CEO at Portage
- **Organizations:** Portage, Sagard, Horizons Exchange Traded Funds (former founder and CEO), BetaShares (former director and founding investor), JPMorgan (former derivatives group employee), CIBC World Markets (former investment banker), McMaster University (alumnus and donor)
- **Education:** Bachelor of Engineering, McMaster University, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, McMaster University, Honorary doctorate, McMaster University
- **Known for:** Founded Horizons ETFs and oversaw its expansion into more than 70 additional ETF launches over five years after the first two., Co-founded Portage in 2016; its September 2026 announcement reported US$7.0 billion in assets under management as of June 30, including Ventures IV, and more than 140 portfolio companies., McMaster reported more than $1 million in giving to MBA students and the DeGroote School of Business.

## Career timeline

- **1999** — Graduated from McMaster with engineering and political science degrees.
- **Early career** — Worked in investment banking at CIBC World Markets, followed by JPMorgan’s derivatives group in New York.
- **2005** — Founded Horizons Canada.
- **2009** — As BetaPro CEO, made a submission to the CFTC concerning commodity position limits and hedge exemptions.
- **2013** — Appointed Head of Americas for the Horizons ETF businesses.
- **2015** — Horizons announced his departure as CEO on January 20.
- **2016** — Co-founded Portage with Paul Desmarais III.
- **2019** — Appeared before the Canadian Senate banking committee on open banking on February 28.
- **2022** — Portage announced the US$655 million final close of Ventures III and launched Portage Capital Solutions.
- **2026** — Received an honorary doctorate from McMaster; Portage announced the approximately US$600 million Ventures IV final close.

## Achievements

- Founded Horizons ETFs and oversaw its expansion into more than 70 additional ETF launches over five years after the first two.
- Co-founded Portage in 2016; its September 2026 announcement reported US$7.0 billion in assets under management as of June 30, including Ventures IV, and more than 140 portfolio companies.
- McMaster reported more than $1 million in giving to MBA students and the DeGroote School of Business.
- Received an honorary doctorate from McMaster in June 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Portage announced the approximately US$600 million final close of Portage Ventures IV on September 16, marking its tenth anniversary.
- **2026-07** — DeGroote published MBA student Brandon Fausto’s account of meeting Felesky in June.
- **2026-06** — Received an honorary doctorate from McMaster University.
- **2026-11** — Scheduled to join the DeGroote Insight Lecture panel on November 2, 2026; future event as of this research.

## Links

- Website: https://portageinvest.com/team/adam-felesky
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-felesky-3212b340/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/adam-felesky
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-09