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

  • Keeping our campus warm

    It’s not easy keeping a campus as large as UBC warm throughout the cooler months. Most buildings on the UBC Vancouver campus are connected to a centralized thermal energy system managed by Energy & Water Services. Kudos to our thermal…

    Read more: Keeping our campus warm
  • Finance & HR IRP Benefits Realization Management to cease monthly reporting in April 2023

    Since 2020, Integrated Renewal Program’s Benefits Realization Management (IRP BRM) has been providing visibility into UBC’s journey towards achieving the benefits of implementing Workday HR and Finance. Now in its third year and with the current fiscal year coming to…

    Read more: Finance & HR IRP Benefits Realization Management to cease monthly reporting in April 2023
  • Welcome Frank Laezza!

    Today marks the official start of Frank Laezza’s tenure with UBC as our new Vice-President Finance & Operations. As a strong believer in connected leadership, Frank is looking forward to working with the VPFO team of 1400+ people in the…

    Read more: Welcome Frank Laezza!
  • Daylight Savings time can affect workplace health & safety

    A reminder that Daylight Savings Time is taking place this weekend on Sunday, March 12th where we “spring ahead” and advance our clocks forward by one hour. This means that we will all wake up one hour earlier than normal.…

    Read more: Daylight Savings time can affect workplace health & safety
  • UBC launches new programs to help tackle cybersecurity risk

    UBC launches the Compliance Support Program and the Privacy Matters Champions Program to help mitigate information security risk. A major cybersecurity breach has the potential to seriously hamper UBC’s operations, reputation and position as a world-class institution, as well as…

    Read more: UBC launches new programs to help tackle cybersecurity risk

People of the VPFO

  • Nicholas Potovsky joins Infrastructure Development as the Accessible Buildings Planner

    Co-created with the UBC Centre for Accessibility, this newly created role will help UBC develop accessibility design guidelines for new and existing campus buildings. Nicholas is a registered architect with over 10 years of experience in the design of new…

    Read more: Nicholas Potovsky joins Infrastructure Development as the Accessible Buildings Planner
  • David Sequeira joins Custodial Services as Assistant Supervisor

    In his new role, David will oversee the dayshift Custodial Services team and will work out of the Life Building. David comes to us from the Office of the Dean at the Faculty of Education with responsibility for Faculty-wide health…

    Read more: David Sequeira joins Custodial Services as Assistant Supervisor
  • Fabiola Ruiz-Aguilar joins Safety & Risk Services as Safety Advisor, Scientific Diving

    In her new role as Dive Safety Officer, Fabiola is responsible for developing, strengthening and growing the Scientific Diving program in compliance with WorkSafe BC, Canadian Association for Underwater Science (CAUS) and CSA Ocean Sciences — after all the earth…

    Read more: Fabiola Ruiz-Aguilar joins Safety & Risk Services as Safety Advisor, Scientific Diving
  • VPFO HR team update

    Daisy Chan will be going on Maternity leave starting March 2023. During her leave, Kasia Burza will be temporarily promoted to an HR Advisor until September 2024, supporting AVPFO and Treasury. Alysa Garza will be joining as an HR Coordinator…

    Read more: VPFO HR team update
  • Silvia Magnano joins Treasury as Manager, Treasury Contracts & Real Estate

    Silvia comes to us directly from the UBC University-Industry Liaison Office (UILO) where she was a Contracts Officer. Silvia brings both business and legal background to her new role. She was trained and certified as a lawyer in Argentina, where…

    Read more: Silvia Magnano joins Treasury as Manager, Treasury Contracts & Real Estate