Biography
Upkar Arora, , FCPA, FCA, ICD.D
CEO, Rally Assets Inc.; Partner & Co-Founder of Thought; Chair of the Risk Committee, Vancity Community Investment Bank
Upkar Arora is a seasoned organizational leader and board director with a proven track record of delivering results. He is dedicated to systems change to create a more just and equitable society, using financial, human and social capital.
Upkar is currently the CEO of Rally Assets, Canada’s leading impact investment management and advisory firm. Rally is a purpose-driven organization, and an award-winning B Corporation, committed to using business as a force for good.
Prior to Rally he worked in finance and leadership roles with some of Canada’s most successful organizations for more than 25 years – building, operating and advising companies of varying sizes, stages and sectors, domestically and globally, private and public.
Upkar has extensive governance experience, currently or previously serving on boards of several for profit and not-for-profit organizations including Meridian Credit Union, Vancity Community Investment Bank, Metrolinx, University of Waterloo, Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Why Not Theatre and several early-stage startups.
He holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors, has completed the Climate Competent Boards Designation and Certificate program and is actively engaged in governance best practices and emerging issues for board directors.
He is an FCPA, FCA having been awarded the accounting profession’s highest honour (the “Fellow”) in 2017. Upkar is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Waterloo where he received the Distinguished Teacher Award in 2022. He is also a BMW Foundation Global Responsible Leader. He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in accounting and economics from the University of Waterloo.
