Profile
“My strongest professional quality is my ability to build trust and long-term relationships, whether with clients, colleagues, or stakeholders”
Danny Ibrahim,
KeyRate Mortgage
In 2015, Helen Hurlbut co-founded Equiton with three employees and a mission to make private equity real estate accessible to all Canadians. A decade on, the firm has grown into a national leader with more than $1.6 billion in assets under management* and over 250 team members.
Building Equiton from the ground up gave Hurlbut the chance to bring her financial expertise and operational discipline to a sector that had long been reserved for institutions and the ultra-wealthy.
She describes her career as a mix of deliberate choices and opportunity. With more than 35 years of experience in finance and real estate, she held leadership roles at several of Canada’s top investment and development firms before taking what she calls her career-defining leap.
As president and CFO, Hurlbut has overseen rapid growth while maintaining discipline in execution and upholding a strong organizational culture. She believes that strong governance and transparency serve as the cornerstones of the firm’s growth.
Equiton now serves more than 17,000 investors. Leveraging her strategic insight, Hurlbut brought property management in-house through Equiton Living, enhancing operational efficiency and boosting resident satisfaction. With the launch of Equiton Developments, the firm’s development arm, she positioned the company to meet the evolving needs of both homebuyers and renters, demonstrating a clear vision for growth and market impact.
“We’ve established a solid financial foundation that supports sustainable growth across all markets, and our expanding portfolio and investor base reflect the confidence we’ve earned from our stakeholders,” she says. “I’m particularly proud that our strategic investments and disciplined approach have positioned us for continued success while creating lasting value for investors and the communities we serve.”
Hurlbut believes her strongest quality is perseverance combined with execution. She can set robust strategies and see them through a trait that has guided Equiton during volatile markets.
Her leadership style is marked by accessibility and accountability. “I’ve always believed that leadership is about action,” she says. For her, leading by example means being available to employees, owning results, and mentoring the next generation. She is particularly focused on creating more opportunities for women than existed when she began her career.
The firm partnered with Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business, with Helen supporting the initiative to sponsor industry-first research that uncovered actionable insights for decision-makers and peers in private markets.
Her achievements have been recognized with a series of honours, including being named to BPM’s Elite Women list in 2024 and now the Hot List for 2025, along with being an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.
Hurlbut’s guiding principle has been consistent throughout her career and involves leading with integrity and building long-term value for investors, employees, and communities. She has fused entrepreneurship with discipline, creating a firm that operates with the reporting rigour of a public company while keeping its focus on access and inclusion.
Financial results matter, she adds, but so does mentorship, diversity, and building a workplace where people can thrive.
Her inclusion on the Hot List is recognition of her success and also a marker of her influence on the broader wealth industry. By marrying strategy with purpose, Hurlbut has helped shape one of Canada’s fastest-growing private equity real estate firms while opening doors for the next generation of leaders.
1111 International Blvd., Suite 500 Burlington, ON L7L 6W1
1 905 635 1381
investors@equiton.com
linkedin.com/company/equiton-partners
equiton.com
Helen Hurlbut
President, CFO, and Co-founder
Equiton
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Milestones
“I’ve always believed that if you love what you do, you’ll never settle, and that attitude has guided every decision I’ve made”
Danny Ibrahim,
KeyRate Mortgage
2015
2020
2022–2023
2024
2025
Co-founded Equiton
2015
Led the formation of Equiton’s property management company, Equiton Living
2020
2022: Honoured as one of Wealth Professional's 5-Star Leading Women in Wealth
2023: Equiton surpassed $1 billion in AUM in less than 10 years
2022- 2023
Appointed President of Equiton, and co-founded Equiton Developments
Recognized as one of BPM’s Elite Women Recognized by Women’s President Organization (WPO) as one of its Women2Watch
2024
Honoured by Enterprising Women Magazine as one of its Enterprising Women of the Year
2025
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
