Biographies

Phil

Philip Mackellar

General Manager

Phil joined the Contra team on a part-time basis in 2011 and has been investing since the early 2000s. He discovered the company through BNN and reached out to Benj after reading his books. He has been with Contra full time since 2014, first working as an analyst and writer before moving into portfolio management. He was promoted to General Manager in 2023 and now oversees all aspects of the business. Philip occasionally writes for the Globe and Mail, Seeking Alpha, Canadian Money Saver, and the Money Show.

Before joining Contra the Heard, he was a financial advisor for Freedom 55 Financial, worked as an analyst at New Energy Finance in the United Kingdom, and as an analyst at Sustainalytics, where he assessed the environmental, social, and governance dimensions for forestry, mining, steel, and utility companies.

In his free time, he blogs on a variety of personal finance topics at My Money Moves and volunteers at Homes for Living in Victoria BC.

Benj

Benj Gallander

MBA, Co-founder & President Emeritus

Benj started investing in the 1970s and managed the President's Portfolio through 2022. Back in the day, he specialized in starting businesses and corporate turnarounds. Once upon a time, he also taught at the college level.

He co-founded Contra the Heard in 1995. Over time, he has refined his approach to investing and has achieved one of the best track records in the investment industry.

Benj was a regular guest on BNN, writes the Contra Guys column for the Globe and Mail with Ben, and writes for a number of magazines.

Over the past few years, his speaking engagements have taken him across Canada, to various locales in the United States and to South Africa. He has travelled to over 30 countries, working in about half a dozen.

His best-selling books include The Uncommon Investor III: How to Earn Superior Returns in the Stock Market Despite Everything, The Contrarian Investor's 13: How to Earn Superior Returns in the Stock Market and The Canadian Small Business Survival Guide. The latter two can be ordered via this website.

He has served on the Board of Directors of a number of public corporations and is interested in joining others.

Ben

Ben Stadelmann

Co-founder & Vice-President Emeritus

Ben manages the Vice-President's Portfolio and started investing in the 1970s.

Prior to starting Contra with Benj in 1995, he was a software designer with over 25 years of experience working in industries ranging from accounting and healthcare to petroleum and transportation.

After years of successfully co-managing the President's Portfolio, he started the Vice President's Portfolio in 2010, adding diversification for Contra subscribers.

Ben writes the Contra Guys column for the Globe and Mail with Benj. In addition to stock picking, he is an avid curler.


Caellum

Caellum Gallander

Marketing, Social Media, and Administrative Manager

Caellum started investing in the late 2010s and joined Contra part-time in 2023. He helps with writing, marketing, as well as subscriber management and relations. Before joining Contra , he attended Western University majoring in business and psychology with a job background in sales.

Like his father, Caellum is also an avid traveller. He loves discovering new places. One of his favourite hobbies is playing hockey. Perhaps he is a glutton for punishment as he is a goalie. Worth noting is that he is an avid reader.