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
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Upcoming Workday enhancements for June 2024
The Integrated Service Centre (ISC) continually updates Workday to align with UBC’s evolving needs, incorporating feedback and collaborating with different units, faculties and departments. See some of the planned enhancements for Workday Finance, and HR (HCM) and Payroll, that are…
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Museum of Anthropology to reopen on June 13 at 5:00 pm
The MOA at UBC will reopen its doors to the public on June 13, 2024 at 5:00 pm. The space has undergone cutting-edge seismic upgrades to the Great Hall, coupled with the revitalization and reinterpretation of displays of Northwest Coast…
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Telehealth and Data Analysis Renovation | Neville Scarfe Room 273
Construction is anticipated to begin at the start of May on the Neville Scarfe Building Telehealth and Data Analysis Renovation. Rooms 273, 273E and 273F will be reconfigured to provide a suitable space for research. The research aims to interrupt…
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Emergency Preparedness Week is May 5–11, 2024
Join us during Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week) to increase our community’s resilience by learning about emergency preparedness. EP Week is a provincial and national event supported by the BC Government and Public Safety Canada. Start by getting informed on…
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Jimmy Gau joins ISC Service Desk as ISC Service Centre Manager
Jimmy joins the ISC Service Desk team on May 1 to work alongside co-Managers, Liam Murphy and Divya Shetty, and Senior Manager, Veekay Padhi. As a former UBC student and coming from his previous role with IRP Student as a…
People of the VPFO
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Ernesto Castano joins UBC’s Financial Operations group as the Associate Director, Procurement
Ernesto will play a vital role in leading the Procurement function to support our community in meeting their needs through the procurement and competitive bidding processes, leveraging Workday and Planon.
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Joan Mar and Entela Ifti step into new positions in the Financial Planning & Analysis team
In their new roles, Joan and Entela will work with the Assistant Comptroller to lead the FP&A team and support our partners across the university. Joan Mar will be joining as Director, Financial Planning & Analysis on June 16, and…
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Susan Johnson steps into her new role as Senior Manager, Privacy and Information Security Risk
In her new role, Susan will continue to oversee the Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) process, including major projects such as the Integrated Security Program Student (IRPS) as well as the portfolio of operational PIAs and advisory services.
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Norman Kotze joins the Emergency Management team as Associate, Emergency & Continuity Planning
In his new role, Norman will help lead continuity planning for the Vancouver Point Grey campus. Working with academic units, he will assist in the roll-out of our Continuity Planning Framework and the creation of Continuity Plans for faculties using a…
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Christine Lin joins UBC as Tax Analyst
We are pleased to welcome Christine Lin as Tax Analyst, reporting to Holly Shepherd, Tax Manager effective May 16, 2022. Christine is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with extensive experience in corporate and indirect tax within the oil and gas…