Our team is your team. Let's grow together.

Bruce Takefman, founder and CEO of ResearchFDI, leads a seasoned and enthused team that provides economic development consulting for some of the world’s most prominent EDOs. ​

Bruce understands international markets, having worked with clients based across the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Asia. Bruce’s work amongst different continents enables him to maximize the potential for his clients to seize global opportunities. ​

Bruce earned his Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Marketing, from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University in Montréal, Québec. Bruce is a proud member of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). ​

Bruce’s experience has led him to work extensively with a wide array of clients touching upon various industries such as the biotech and agriculture, aerospace and aviation, IT, financial services, medical, advanced manufacturing, and renewable energy sectors among others. His work to date and large network has led to millions in new investment opportunities for regions around the world. Furthermore, Bruce possesses a strong knowledge of trade shows, having helped prepare clients to attend some of the world’s most prestigious shows. Bruce leads his company on the principles of diversity and inclusion, boasting a firm with over a dozen different nationalities with more than 50 years of combined experience in professional business development.

Davor Davidovic is a business strategy and market intelligence expert who has been working in the economic development industry for over a decade. In his role as COO at ResearchFDI, he leverages his extensive knowledge in corporate strategy and real estate, location intelligence, industry linkages, market intelligence, as well as an understanding of specific industry issues. ​

​Davor earned a Master of Engineering in the Faculty of civil engineering at University of Zagreb in Croatia. He also later earned a degree in Business Administration and Marketing at Herzing College in Montreal. His educational background provided him with a unique understanding of the different industrial and organizational procedures that are required in business today.​

​Davor is a valuable asset to ResearchFDI and has been responsible for the development of the company’s data product portfolio. He oversees the entire product lifecycle from planning stages to product delivery and translates market opportunities into prioritized product enhancements. As part of the management team, he is also responsible for strategic alliances, overall corporate strategy and management of intellectual property.​

Aysegul Akyuz is a PMP certified project manager and brings her extensive knowledge in client and program management, strategy, market intelligence and team management to her role as EVP of Project Management Office at ResearchFDI. Responsible for the Project Management Office she oversees the entire program lifecycle from the planning stage to program delivery.​

Her background has equipped her with the skills necessary for understanding different industries and how to best manage various programs successfully, having earned a BA from McGill University, with a double major in Economics and Political Science, as well as a graduate diploma in management. ​

Prior to joining ResearchFDI, she worked in various capacities in economic development consulting including, client services, project management, business intelligence and recruitment activities. At ResearchFDI, Aysegul is responsible for the development of the company’s client services. In her role, Aysegul has successfully managed numerous clients globally, ensuring a high level of client satisfaction. Her education combined with her past experiences working in various capacities in economic development consulting including, client services, project management, business intelligence and recruitment activities have made her a knowledgeable leader within our team.​

Jose Grimaldo is a skilled leader and communicator. His background in marketing and international business has given him the necessary skills needed for understanding the various aspects of management, collaboration, and industry development. He has brought his knowledge and experience to his role of EVP of Operations at ResearchFDI, which provides him a unique ability to communicate with C-level executives while also coordinating the best route for collaboration with EDOs. ​

Jose was born in Monterrey, Mexico, later moving to Montreal where he earned his Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business, specializing in international business and marketing. He has leveraged the skills learned in his education and applied them to his work in investment attraction and economic development. ​

​Jose is a business development and market research expert as well as a valued leader for the ResearchFDI team having worked and managed multiple international accounts. Since joining ResearchFDI, Jose has performed lead generation campaigns on behalf of multiple Economic Development Organizations across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, having organized multiple successful international trade show missions and events.​

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Amber Hunter is an experienced Economic Development Professional with nearly a decade of expertise in driving business growth and client engagement across North America. As the Executive Vice President of North America at ResearchFDI, Amber leads FDI strategy and investment attraction efforts, managing a diverse portfolio and directing a marketing team to optimize growth. She excels in building stakeholder relationships, executing strategic initiatives, and delivering in-person training seminars.

Amber also currently serves  as Deputy Director of Trade & FDI at the Arizona Commerce Authority, where she has developed cross-border trade strategies and secured FDI leads. From 2018 to 2024, she was Vice President of Business Development at ResearchFDI, playing a key role in revenue generation, client satisfaction, consulting and corporate growth. Amber’s earlier career includes roles in business development and investment research, where her strategic approach led to significant market expansion and increased revenue.

Amber holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Concordia University in Montréal, Québec, and is committed to fostering economic growth through innovative strategies and strong partnerships.

Erika is an innate leader and market strategist bringing close to 20 years of experience in economic and business development to her role of EVP of Global Sales at ResearchFDI. In her role, she is responsible for managing our portfolio of business intelligence, lead generation and data services to ResearchFDI’s international clients. ​

​Born and raised in Quebec, Erika later received a Honors Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, specializing in marketing and international business. Her prior experience working as Director, Business Development at the world’s largest language services and related technologies company allowed her to gain experience working with Fortune 500 and fast-growing companies to provide language services and solutions to support their international growth initiatives. She later started her career as an Economic Development Specialist and spent 5 years acting as an in-market representative and lead generation consultant for the East and West Midland RDAs in the U.S. and Canada. ​

​Her experience in developing advanced research protocols and surveying techniques as well as her extensive knowledge of the software solutions (SaaS) market have made her an invaluable asset for ResearchFDIs International Business Development team in promoting our portfolio of business intelligence data products. ​

Robert Creamer has helped pioneer the use of innovative market research approaches and technologies since joining ResearchFDI in 2015. He brings his extensive background in policy analysis, online marketing, and service development to his role as EVP of Strategy and Business Intelligence at ResearchFDI. He has leveraged his expertise in market research to supply our team with the most promising business prospects across a wide variety of industries. ​

​Rob was born and raised in the United Kingdom, and having lived in Gloucestershire, Buckinghamshire and Norfolk he is familiar with the attributes of the UK. He earned his BA with honors in Philosophy and politics from the University of East Anglia and his MA in Political science from McGill University. His experience living and working in Sweden, Canada and Ghana, has given him tremendous skills for adapting to new situations with ease. ​

His versatility is the foundation of his ability to master an understanding of business sectors and adapt to client expectations quickly and effectively. Rob has been a valuable asset to Research since his joining, now managing the company’s Business Intelligence product portfolio, including FDI365 – the company’s premier custom business intelligence software tool that seeks out high value target companies for its clientele. ​

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Adam Solomon brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his role of VP of Business Development at ResearchFDI. He has utilized his skills to oversee the implementation of company-wide research strategies and strict quality control measures for client deliverables.​

​Adam was born in Israel, and he later earned his degree in international business from Dawson College in Montréal, Québec and is now a proud member of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). ​

Throughout his years in economic development consulting and research, Adam has worked across a wide range of industries including aerospace, renewable energy, software, and advanced manufacturing. Adam prides himself on understanding global business climates and knowing how to work with key decision makers from international companies. ​

​Adam has consistently demonstrated his knowledge and experience while working closely with ResearchFDI clients, having helped secure significant corporate investments and mandates with Fortune 500 companies worldwide. ​

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Kimberly Calafatis serves as the Vice President of Human Resources, leveraging her extensive expertise in recruitment, administration, compensation and benefits, training and development, employee relations, and performance management to shape the organization’s culture and success. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing key HR functions and fostering an environment where employees thrive both personally and professionally.

With a commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive workplace, Kimberly focuses on empowering individuals to contribute their unique talents and skills, driving collaboration and collective achievement. Her passion for helping others reach their full potential is at the heart of her leadership style, cultivating a culture of growth and innovation.

Christopher Roche’s passionate attitude and leadership has made him a valued member of the ResearchFDI team since he started in 2019. He continues to bring these traits into his role as Vice President of Trade and Investment at ResearchFDI he is responsible for identifying growing companies that are looking to invest in our client’s locale, analysing their expansion plans and coordinating introductions for our clients.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Christopher earned a BA in Economics with First Class Honors from De Montfort University’s Leicester Castle Business School. He later worked as a consultant in the commercial banking sector for Nationwide Building Society. Christopher is deeply committed to both his professional work and giving back to the community. He has volunteered as a teaching assistant at Greenfield’s Specialist School for Communication, holds two Junior Sports Leader awards accredited by the British Sports Trust, and currently serves as the Development Officer for the Patriotes de Québec Gaelic Football Club.

At ResearchFDI, Christopher now oversees lead generation campaigns for a mix of US and Canadian clients, and provides information and support to companies through the pipeline in order to land successes in the region.