Partner Interview
Published March 20, 2025
Fairfax Financial: Retail Subsidiaries Perspective
inpractise.com/articles/fairfax-financial-retail-subsidiaries-perspective
Executive Bio
Former CFO at Fairfax Financial Retail Subsidiary
Interview Transcript
Disclaimer: This interview is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. In Practise is an independent publisher and all opinions expressed by guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of In Practise.
This is a snippet of the transcript.to get full access.
Great to hear. Regarding the acquisitions you were involved in as CFO, at a high level, how were the decisions made to acquire them, and how did they turn out?
I looked at one potential acquisition opportunity we had, specifically the Golf Town Sporting Life acquisition. I wasn't involved with the Fairfax head office looking at opportunities unrelated to Golf Town, Sporting Life, or Toys R Us. We only focused on our own domain. At the time, they had a standalone group that evaluated opportunities, similar to how you might always be on the lookout for new opportunities. Occasionally, I'd get a call saying, "Hey, confidentially, we're considering this potential opportunity. What are your thoughts on the risks and opportunities here?" These conversations happened occasionally, but all due diligence was conducted by their separate group. They later disbanded that group as part of a restructuring at Fairfax. This happened shortly before I left. They were handling all their M&A work internally. I'm not sure who's handling it now. They recently acquired Sleep Country, which happened after my departure, so I'm unaware of who conducted the analysis. Previously, it would have been the standalone group, but I believe those individuals have since left.
Free Sample of 50+ Interviews
Sign up to test our content quality with a free sample of 50+ interviews.
Or contact sales for full access
Related Content

Fairfax Holdings: Equity Investments Allocation Comparison
Former Senior Executive at Markel Insurance

Fairfax Financial: Brit Insurance & Lloyd's Syndication
Former Senior Executive at BRIT Insurance

Fairfax Financial: Allied World Overview
Former VP at Allied World

Markel Specialty Insurance Portfolio Mix & Positioning
Former Senior Executive at Markel Insurance
© 2024 In Practise. All rights reserved. This material is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice.