Frank Giustra
Encyclopedia
Frank Giustra is a Canadian business executive, who has been particularly successful in the mining and filmmaking industries, and is a noted philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

.

Early life

Giustra was born in Sudbury, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 in 1957, and lived in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

 as a child.

Giustra spent his middle school years in Aldergrove, British Columbia
Aldergrove, British Columbia
Aldergrove is a small town within the jurisdiction of the The Township of Langley, a municipality within Greater Vancouver. Located at the southeastern edge of both Langley and Greater Vancouver, and nearby to the metropolitan area of Abbotsford, British Columbia just east, Aldergrove has a...

, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, and graduated high school there in 1976.

Giustra's father was a Sudbury nickel miner, who introduced his son to his broker.

He graduated in 1979 from Douglas College
Douglas College
Established in 1970, Douglas College is one of the largest public colleges in British Columbia, Canada serving 14,000 credit students, 9,000 continuing education students and 1,000 international students each year.-Programs:...

 where he spent his first year playing trumpet in the school's music program before switching over to business and finance.

Investment industry

Giustra took a securities course and began his career in the investment industry in 1978 with Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...

 as an assistant trader and then a stockbroker. In the early 1980s, Giustra left Merrill Lynch to create a resources-financing group in Europe for the new firm Yorkton Securities. He is said to have "transformed Yorkton into a major force in the world of international mining finance." In 1990, he became President of the company and, in 1995, was appointed Chairman and CEO. From 2001 to 2007, Giustra was Chair of Endeavour Financial, a merchant banking firm which financed mining companies. Mr. Giustra is now Chief Executive Officer of Fiore Financial Corporation, an exclusive advisory services provider to Endeavour Mining Corporation, a gold mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange
Toronto Stock Exchange
Toronto Stock Exchange is the largest stock exchange in Canada, the third largest in North America and the seventh largest in the world by market capitalisation. Based in Canada's largest city, Toronto, it is owned by and operated as a subsidiary of the TMX Group for the trading of senior equities...

.

Philanthropy

The Radcliffe Foundation was established in 1997 by mining financier and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...

 Frank Giustra, who currently holds the position of President. The Vancouver-based Foundation supports a wide variety of international and local charities. Focusing on issues ranging from disaster relief, economic development and homelessness to offering children around the world hope for a better future, The Radcliffe Foundation has been contributing to improving livelihoods worldwide for over a decade.

Internationally, The Radcliffe Foundation helps to fund a number of organizations with a common interest in enhancing understanding and empowering people. In June 2007, Mr. Giustra launched the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI) with President Clinton, an innovative partnership between William J. Clinton Foundation, the private sector, governments, local communities, and other NGOs to increase the scope, scale, impact, and sustainability of social and economic development efforts in areas where poverty is widespread. CGSGI aims to alleviate poverty in the developing world in partnership with the global mining community. Along with Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, these two prominent philanthropists have pledged a minimum of $100 million each toward the effort.

On June 17, 2010, Mr. Giustra teamed up again with Carlos Slim and President Clinton to create a $20 million fund that will finance small businesses in earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

The Radcliffe Foundation has contributed $30 million dollars towards the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI), which works with governments and other partners to increase access to high-quality care and treatment for HIV-positive people. Mr. Giustra is a member of the board of trustees of the William J. Clinton Foundation.

In 2005, the Radcliffe Foundation began supporting the International Crisis Group
International Crisis Group
The International Crisis Group is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts around the world through field-based analyses and high-level advocacy.-History:...

, an independent organization working to prevent and resolve deadly conflict on five continents through analysis and high-level advocacy. With the personal support of Mr. Giustra and contributions totaling $10 million, today, the International Crisis Group is now generally recognized as the world’s leading independent, non-partisan, source of analysis and advice to governments, and intergovernmental bodies like the United Nations, European Union and World Bank, on the prevention and resolution of deadly conflict. Mr. Giustra sits on the executive committee of the International Crisis Group.

The Radcliffe Foundation has been working closely with the Vancouver Foundation
Vancouver Foundation
]Vancouver Foundation helps people give back to the communities they care about, in a way that is simple, convenient and lasting.Vancouver Foundation is the largest of Canada's 174 community foundations and have been around since 1943. Their focus is on improving our communities—the places where we...

 and the City of Vancouver on a program called StreetToHome. Established in 2008, StreetToHome is the first broad community-based initiative which brings together stakeholders from various sectors - non-profits, civil society groups, business, governments and citizens – in order to effectively address homelessness in Vancouver. Mr. Giustra sits on the Board of Streettohome Foundation and chairs the capital campaign. To show his dedication, Mr. Giustra donated $5 million in 2010.

In Vancouver and surrounding communities in British Columbia, The Radcliffe Foundation maintains a strong philanthropic presence, as demonstrated by their support of a diverse base of charities and organizations. Among the long list of local charities supported by The Radcliffe Foundation are: BC Children’s Hospital, Canuck Place – Pediatric Hospice, Templeton Education Foundation, The Greater Vancouver Food Bank, as well as various art and theater programs for children.

Lions Gate Entertainment

After he left investment banking in 1996, Giustra formed Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...

 in 1997. He hoped to capitalize on the growing film industry in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

. The company bought a number of small production facilities and distributors. Its first success was American Psycho
American Psycho (film)
American Psycho is a 2000 cult thriller film directed by Mary Harron based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel of the same name. Though predominantly a psycho thriller, the film also blends elements of horror, satire, and black comedy...

, which began a trend of producing and distributing films far too controversial for the major American studios. Other successes included Affliction, Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters is a 1998 drama film that recounts the last days of the life of troubled film director James Whale, whose homosexuality is a central theme. It stars Ian McKellen as Whale, along with Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, and David Dukes...

, Dogma
Dogma (film)
Dogma is a 1999 American adventure fantasy comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, who also stars in the film along with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, Bud Cort, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, George Carlin, Janeane Garofalo,...

, and the Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...

 documentary Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11
Fahrenheit 9/11 is a 2004 documentary film by American filmmaker and political commentator Michael Moore. The film takes a critical look at the presidency of George W. Bush, the War on Terror, and its coverage in the news media...

, which turned out to be the studio's highest grossing film.

In 2000, Giustra left the firm and it was taken over by Jon Feltheimer
Jon Feltheimer
Jon Feltheimer is the Chief Executive Officer of Lions Gate Entertainment and has held that position since 2000. Feltheimer's has led Lionsgate to grow into the leading Canadian independent filmed entertainment studio. Feltheimer received a BA in economics with honors from Washington University in...

 and Michael Burns. Giustra sold most of his stake in Lions Gate in 2003. In December 2010, Giustra became a Board member of Lions Gate Entertainment.

Other work

Mr. Giustra is Chief Executive Officer of Fiore Financial Corporation, who provide exclusive advisory services to Endeavour Mining Corporation, a gold mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange
Toronto Stock Exchange
Toronto Stock Exchange is the largest stock exchange in Canada, the third largest in North America and the seventh largest in the world by market capitalisation. Based in Canada's largest city, Toronto, it is owned by and operated as a subsidiary of the TMX Group for the trading of senior equities...

.

Giustra is a co-owner of Thunderbird Films. In August 2011, it was announced , by Alcon Entertainment
Alcon Entertainment
Alcon Entertainment, LLC is an American film production company, founded in 1997 by film producers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. Since its establishment, Alcon Entertainment has developed and financed films that are ultimately distributed by Warner Bros., following a ten-year motion picture...

 that Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...

 will direct the new Blade Runner film. Frank Giustra and Tim Gamble, CEO’s of Thunderbird Films, will serve as executive producers.

Mr. Giustra became close with former US President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...

 during fundraising efforts for tsunami relief in 2004. Giustra is a member of the board of trustees of the Clinton Foundation
Clinton Foundation
The William J. Clinton Foundation is a foundation established by former President of the United States Bill Clinton with the stated mission to "strengthen the capacity of people throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence." The Foundation focuses on four critical areas:...

. Giustra provided his corporate jet for Clinton's fundraising campaign in Africa. The two play the card game Oh Hell
Oh Hell
Oh Hell is...

 during flights.

Vancouver Magazine
Vancouver Magazine
Vancouver Magazine is an English-language lifestyle magazine focused on Vancouver, British Columbia and the Lower Mainland.Vancouver Magazine describes its mission as informing, guiding and entertaining residents of a "dynamic, international city."...

ranked Giustra as number 10 in its Power 50 list of the most powerful people in Vancouver.

In September 2005, Giustra flew Clinton to Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...

 as part of a three-country philanthropic tour. Clinton praised the Kazakh autocrat for "this statement you have made about opening up the social and political life [of Kazakhstan]". Within two days of the former President's meeting with Kazakhstan’s president Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev has served as the President of Kazakhstan since the nation received its independence in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union...

, Giustra's fledgling uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...

 company signed preliminary agreements giving it the right to buy into three uranium projects controlled by the state-owned uranium agency, Kazatomprom
Kazatomprom
Kazatomprom is a state-owned nuclear holding company in Kazakhstan, which operates in the field of Uranium and nuclear fuel cycle services, production of Beryllium, Tantalum and Niobium, and power production...

. "The monster deal stunned the mining industry, turning an unknown shell company
Shell (corporation)
A shell corporation is a company which serves as a vehicle for business transactions without itself having any significant assets or operations. Shell corporations are not in themselves illegal and have legitimate business purposes. However, they are a main component of the underground economy,...

 into one of the world’s largest uranium producers."

In 2006, in the months after Mr. Clinton's visit helped secure Giustra's company the right to mine uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...

 in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...

, Mr. Giustra donated $31.3 million to the Clinton Foundation. This figure is at variance with the one released by the William J. Clinton Foundation (on the 18 December 2008), as part of an arrangement with President-elect Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

. It reports Frank Giustra as giving between US$10–25 million.

In February 2007, a company called Uranium One
Uranium One
Uranium One is a Canadian based uranium mining company with operations in Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, South Africa and the United States.-History:...

 agreed to pay US$3.1 billion to acquire UrAsia. Giustra, a director and major shareholder in UrAsia, would be paid $7.05 per share for a company that just two years earlier was trading at 10 cents per share.

In May 2007 Giustra was one of four chairs of the 2006 Global Leadership Awards dinner in New York where Clinton was honoured along with out-going UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...

.

In June 2007, Giustra joined with Clinton to launch the Clinton-Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative to address global poverty. Giustra committed $USD 100 million plus half of what he makes in the resource industry for the rest of his life. Carlos Slim Helú
Carlos Slim Helú
Carlos Slim Helú is a Mexican business magnate and philanthropist who as of 2011 is the richest person in the world, for the second year in a row...

, the Mexican businessman and richest person in the world, made a matching contribution and Giustra is expected to enlist others in the Canadian resource industry.

Giustra is frequently quoted regarding gold and currency markets in publications such as Forbes, StockHouse.com, and GoldEditor.com.

Giustra cited Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...

 as an influence in his philanthropy but credited his wife, Alison Lawton
Alison Lawton
Alison Lawton is an entrepreneur, social advocate and philanthropist. She is the producer of the documentary Uganda Rising and founder of Mindset Social Innovation Foundation.-Early years:...

, a dot-com millionaire turned human rights activist and producer of documentary films on humanitarian crises, with inspiring him about sustainable growth.

Giustra is also a director of the International Crisis Group
International Crisis Group
The International Crisis Group is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts around the world through field-based analyses and high-level advocacy.-History:...

, an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

 whose mission is to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts
Group conflict
Group conflict, or hostilities between different groups, is a pervasive feature common to all levels of social organization .. Although group conflict is one of the most complex phenomena studied by social scientists, the history of the human race evidences a series of group-level conflicts that...

 through high-level advocacy.

Personal life

In 2000, Giustra married Alison Lawton, a human rights activist and producer of documentary films on humanitarian crises. Giustra and Lawton divorced in 2007 and have two children together. They live in West Vancouver.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK