Welcome to the VP Finance & Operations portfolio
The nine divisions of the VPFO are responsible for the stewardship of UBC’s physical and financial assets, as well as safety and risk management for our university community.
We oversee a $3.98 billion budget, a $3.38 billion endowment, and all facilities on both campuses, as well as managing the university’s relationships with UBC Investment Management and UBC Properties Trust. In all the portfolio’s responsibilities, we are committed to the values of innovation, unity and accountability.

VPFO Strategic Plan 2024–2027
Having a strategic plan gives us a clear path, keeping everyone on the same page. Learn more about where we’re going next and how we plan to get there.
News from the VPFO
-
Collaboration between Building Operations and UBC’s Plant Care Services to Improve Soil Quality at UBC’s Research Fields
A collaboration between UBC’s Plant Care Services and Building Operations is improving soil quality for researchers at Plant Care Services’ Totem Field and providing an environmentally friendly outlet for compost on campus.
-
VPFO Finance Realignments Following Workday Go-Live
Many members of our VPFO team played key roles in launch of Workday at UBC, and following the success of go-live we are ready to continue modernizing our core business processes, improve how we are structured, and transform the way…
-
Consolidating capital expertise in the VPFO
We are pleased to announce the creation of a new Capital Financial Management team that will be responsible for the oversight and governance for UBC’s significant capital operations (i.e. over $1B ongoing/multi-year projects).
-
Campus Security honours victims of the Kamloops Residential School
This week, Campus Security has put on orange epaulets in shared grief and to pay our respects to the children of the Kamloops Residential School, their families and communities.
-
Changes to support VPFO Finance priorities
Over the past few weeks, Vice-President Peter Smailes and our portfolio leadership team have shared their insights into how our unit priorities align with our portfolio strategic plan. We would like to share more specific details about one of those initiatives, a change to how the VPFO’s internal finance teams are structured.
People of the VPFO
-
Pulu Rana joins Operational Excellence as Business Data Analyst
Pulu brings to UBC over 20 years of experience as a Business Systems Analyst across various industries, including eCommerce, telecom, insurance, and health care. Reporting to Jeff Lei, Business Intelligence Manager, Pulu will specialize in Planon reporting and support other…
-
Congratulations to our successful CFE writers for 2021
Please join UBC Finance in congratulating Shari Jia, Brianna Bailey, and Nancy (Xi) Yang on passing their 2021 Common Final Exam (CFE), their last exam before becoming a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).
-
Curtis Spencer is promoted to Subhead Electrical Maintenance in Building Operations
Curtis joined UBC in February 2017 working on campus street lights before moving to the electrical controls crew where he took on both the green and teal zones. Curtis has vast experience in commercial and industrial settings, and has shown…
-
Chris Bastien joins as the Finance Services Manager
As the Finance Services Manager, Chris will play a vital role in leading the Finance Services Team to support our Community in Finance Period End activities, and the improvement of Workday’s processes. Chris comes to us with 20 years of…
-
Kyle Fenton joins Infrastructure Development as Associate Project Manager
Kyle’s diverse range of professional skills within project management and project design and construction, coupled with his unique insights into different project roles will be a definite asset to the Project Services team.