CATHERINE OUELLETTE

Supporting enterprising families that have a passion for innovation and growth - where the business serves as the engine of transgenerational wealth creation.  Catherine recognizes and respects the uniqueness of all individuals involved, and exercises an unbiased approach while working with the entire family business system: the family, ownership, and business management (‘System’):

• Works with business owners to assess and determine next steps for the company and the individual owner(s); answering the questions: i) is the business ready to sell or transition? If not, what's needed? ii) does the owner want to sell or transition; or stay and accelerate growth? iii) what's the personal and financial plan of the owner to position him/her for a meaningful and purposeful next chapter post business life?

• Governance structures and solutions to support alignment, communication and decision making. Confidential surveys to identify common and unique attributes, goals, desires, and motivations of stakeholders; followed by facilitation of workshops to develop an action plan for the System move forward on a long-term basis

As a consulting professional for family businesses, Catherine understands the dynamics and interrelationships between ownership, family members and the business. She works with clients to develop structures and solutions to achieve alignment across the System, with a goal to mitigating unproductive conflict and enabling business innovation, growth, and wealth creation for the family’s existing and future generations. During the process, Catherine advocates transparency, enriched communication and team building.  

Catherine’s role as a family business consultant is augmented by years of experience in the financial industry where she worked for a leading global bank based in Canada. She held senior client coverage roles supporting ultra-high net worth families, privately held companies, and large multinational publicly traded companies. Working with family members, business owners, and the “C” suite, Catherine led multi-disciplinary teams to deliver tailored structures and solutions across bank debt, capital markets issuance, treasury management, wealth management and family governance and exit planning.

Supporting enterprising families that have a passion for innovation and growth - where the business serves as the engine of transgenerational wealth creation.  Catherine recognizes and respects the uniqueness of all individuals involved, and exercises an unbiased approach while working with the entire family business system: the family, ownership, and business management (‘System’):

• Works with business owners to assess and determine next steps for the company and the individual owner(s); answering the questions: i) is the business ready to sell or transition? If not, what's needed? ii) does the owner want to sell or transition; or stay and accelerate growth? iii) what's the personal and financial plan of the owner to position him/her for a meaningful and purposeful next chapter post business life?

• Governance structures and solutions to support alignment, communication and decision making. Confidential surveys to identify common and unique attributes, goals, desires, and motivations of stakeholders; followed by facilitation of workshops to develop an action plan for the System move forward on a long-term basis

As a consulting professional for family businesses, Catherine understands the dynamics and interrelationships between ownership, family members and the business. She works with clients to develop structures and solutions to achieve alignment across the System, with a goal to mitigating unproductive conflict and enabling business innovation, growth, and wealth creation for the family’s existing and future generations. During the process, Catherine advocates transparency, enriched communication and team building.  

Catherine’s role as a family business consultant is augmented by years of experience in the financial industry where she worked for a leading global bank based in Canada. She held senior client coverage roles supporting ultra-high net worth families, privately held companies, and large multinational publicly traded companies. Working with family members, business owners, and the “C” suite, Catherine led multi-disciplinary teams to deliver tailored structures and solutions across bank debt, capital markets issuance, treasury management, wealth management and family governance and exit planning.

Helping Enterprising Families Build Stronger Businesses and Lasting Legacies

Catherine Ouellette, MBA, CEPA, FEA, partners with enterprising families to strengthen their businesses and increase enterprise value, align family and ownership, and create enduring multigenerational wealth.

Working across the entire family enterprise—family, ownership, and business leadership—she helps clients navigate growth, governance, succession, and business transition while preserving family relationships and preparing future generations. Whether an owner intends to grow the business for years to come or transition through a family succession or sale, Catherine helps clients:

• Accelerate business value by strengthening the drivers that increase enterprise value, resilience, and long-term attractiveness.
• Prepare the business and ownership for growth, succession, or a successful transition when the time is right.
• Align family, ownership, and management through governance, communication, and effective decision-making.
• Prepare owners for life after business, helping them achieve the financial readiness, purpose, and confidence to embrace their next chapter.

Recognizing that the best outcomes are achieved through collaboration, Catherine works closely with each client's trusted advisors—including legal counsel, tax specialists, accountants, wealth advisors, estate planning professionals, insurance advisors, lenders, and M&A advisors. Acting as a strategic advisor and coordinator, she helps align business, financial, legal, tax, estate, and family planning into a cohesive strategy focused on achieving the family's long-term objectives.

Prior to founding her advisory practice, Catherine held senior leadership and client advisory roles with one of Canada's leading global financial institutions, advising privately held companies, family enterprises, ultra-high-net-worth families, and publicly traded multinational corporations. Working closely with business owners, boards of directors, executive leadership teams, and family decision-makers, she led multidisciplinary teams that delivered integrated solutions across corporate banking, capital markets, treasury management, wealth management, governance, succession planning, and business transition.