The MFRE program is driven by the expertise and diverse experiences of its faculty, who bridge academia and industry. From global trade and commodity markets to sustainable finance and survey design, they bring practical insights and real-world connections, equipping students with the tools to excel in the climate, food and environmental sectors.
Banking Meets Agribusiness: Dr. Taylor Contributes Years of Valuable Banking and Agribusiness Experience to the MFRE program
Dr. Karen Taylor brings a wealth of practical experience and industry insight gained from her work as a Director of Corporate Finance at BMO Financial Group, research during her Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics, and her agricultural background. Raised on a family farm and deeply rooted in the agri-food sector, she values the importance of agriculture, environmental stewardship, and the people who make it all happen.
In her work and teaching, Dr. Taylor focuses on financial analysis, valuation, capital sourcing, and sustainable leadership, immersing students in real-world scenarios through site visits, case studies, and industry connections.
Her approach helps MFRE students gain broad and marketable skills—policy understanding, agribusiness and finance knowledge, and data analysis competencies—making them highly sought after in government, banking, and corporate roles. Dr. Taylor’s favorite aspect of teaching is the students’ passion, diversity, and depth of questioning, which continually pushes her to deliver a richer learning experience.
Navigating International Policy: Dr. Margulis Contributes Extensive Professional and Academic Experience in International Policy Making Program
Dr. Margulis, with his background as part of Canada’s WTO negotiating team, brings rich firsthand knowledge of global trade rules and their impact on domestic food and agriculture policy. His course, Global Food and Resource Governance, aims to deepen students’ understanding of how international policies shape market environments and influence issues like food security, global crises, and resource management.
In teaching the MFRE students, he blends theoretical insight with practical case studies, emphasizing real-world controversies and current events. By helping students appreciate the complexity of global food systems, the course equips them with valuable context and analytical skills that they can carry into professional roles across the food, finance, and research sectors.
Mastering Commodity Trading: Nishant Kalia Shares Expert Insights on Derivatives and Strategies in Oil, Sugar, and Grain Markets
Nishant Kalia, an experienced derivatives trader and investment researcher, brings practical insights on trading strategies for commodities like sugar, coffee, and oil to MFRE students through his Commodity Trading Lab. By providing hands-on experience with futures, options, and other trading instruments, he aims to help students understand the factors influencing commodity prices and cultivate the analytical, technical, and decision-making skills valued by financial institutions.
Through his lab and teaching approach, Nishant hopes to broaden students’ perspectives beyond profit-making, guiding them to recognize real-world challenges such as supply chain issues and market volatility. By doing so, he encourages a new generation of professionals to not only thrive in the investment arena but also contribute positively to the broader commodity market landscape.
From Markets to Strategies: Jaqueline Wong leverages her expertise in commodities and global financial markets to deliver innovative trading and hedging strategies.
Jaqueline Wong is a skilled commodity trader based in Vancouver, Canada, where she focuses on trading cash and physical lumber across North America, with a specialization in the Midwest USA. She provides innovative hedging solutions using lumber futures and options, identifies arbitrage opportunities, and captures market inefficiencies through basis positions. Her ability to build and strengthen relationships with producers and end users adds significant value to the industry.
With a robust background in financial markets, Jaqueline previously held key roles at HSBC in Hong Kong, where she managed institutional and wealth sales in global markets. She executed FX, rates, and equity structured products with daily trading volumes exceeding USD 100 million and tailored treasury solutions for cross-border clients. Her strategic leadership increased revenue streams and enhanced client engagement through targeted solutions and training initiatives. She also has experience in corporate foreign exchange sales at Agility Forex, where she successfully onboarded clients to advanced trading platforms. Combining her expertise in commodities and global financial markets, Jaqueline brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insight to the MFRE program.
Innovating Business Insights: Dr. Tim Silk Brings his Own Brand of Business to the MFRE Survey Design Course and Graduating Project Supervision
Dr. Tim Silk is an Associate Professor in the Marketing and Behavioral Sciences Division at the UBC Sauder School of Business. Tim teaches the Survey Design & Analysis course in the MFRE program and works with organizations to identify market opportunities and bring new products to market. He is an award-winning teacher and researcher and has served as an advisor on consumer behavior, brand strategy, disruptive innovation, product development, and pricing to organizations such as Brand Finance, L’Oréal, McKesson, Miller Brewing, and Visa. Tim is a strong advocate of using consumer behavior research to inform public policy and has advised on policy formation at government organizations including the Competition Bureau of Canada, U.S. Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of Energy and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
From Forests to Markets: Dr. Kurt Niquidet Combines his Global Expertise in Commodities, Forestry, and Econometrics to Deliver Industry-connected Insights
Kurt Niquidet joined the BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) as Vice President and Chief Economist in May 2019. He also is currently an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC. Kurt was born in Williams Lake, British Columbia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry from UBC, a master’s degree in economics from the University of Victoria, and a Ph.D. from the University of Groningen.
Prior to COFI, Kurt was at the Bank of Canada in Ottawa, where he was a Director within the International Economic Analysis Department responsible for global commodities and emerging markets. Kurt also spent several years as part of the Canadian Forest Service, leading a team of research economists, and lectured in Forest Economics at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. He started his career as a forester for Makah Tribal Council in Washington state and has consulted with forestry-related private and public organizations in B.C.
Kurt has published economic papers on several topics ranging from bio-energy, forest tenure reform, timber auctions, and international trade. Kurt joined the MFRE program as an adjunct professor where he teaches Applied Econometrics with Time Series Data.
