LEADERSHIP Team

Albert Soberano
Executive Chairman

Albert Soberano, Executive Chairman of Sharno Group, is an accomplished entrepreneur, investor and corporate executive with extensive experience in the areas of retail and manufacturing, real estate ownership and development, and corporate sales, marketing and promotions.

Previously, Albert was the CEO of Y.M. Inc. (previously, Young Manufacturers), one of North America’s largest privately owned apparel retailers, operating over 650 stores encompassing banners such as Stitches, Bluenotes, Suzy Shier, Urban Planet, Sirens, and Siblings. While in this role, Albert led various high-profile M&A transactions including the acquisition of West 49 from Billabong International Limited.

Earlier in Albert’s career, he founded Actionware (a division of A.R.S. Sales and Marketing Group Inc.), a sportswear manufacturer, promotional product distributor, silkscreen printer, embroiderer and importer operating in corporate, retail licensing and private label programs.

Albert’s broad experience in real estate ownership, management, and development includes his position as CEO of The Whitby Waterfront Development Corporation where he spearheaded the development of the highly successful Yacht Club Condominiums at Whitby Harbour in conjunction with his joint venture partner Canderel Limited.

Albert has extensive corporate governance experience including his previous role as a Director of Flipp Corp, a leading Canadian-based retail technology company.

Albert is also an active philanthropist, including as Founder and President of the Soberano Charitable Foundation and through his past role as President of Yaldeinu, a charity devoted to helping foreign underprivileged and victimized children.

Shael Soberano, CFA
Chief Investment Officer

Shael Soberano, CFA, Chief Investment Officer of Sharno Group, brings a rigorous discipline to the analyses he utilizes in capital allocation and investment decisions. Shael developed and refined his financial expertise as a securities analyst and principal investor across a wide array of alternative investments.

Shael is also the President & CEO, Portfolio Manager & Chief Compliance Officer of Sharno Capital Corporation, a registered Exempt Market Dealer and Portfolio Manager with the Ontario Securities Commission, and distributes securities in Ontario to eligible Accredited Investors.

Most recently, Shael Soberano was Vice President, Senior Analyst at Vision Capital Corporation, a leading Toronto-based Hedge Fund manager focused on publicly-traded real estate related securities. Shael first joined Vision Capital as an Analyst in 2009, shortly after its inception. He was promoted to Vice President, Senior Analyst in 2014, and was registered as an Advising Representative with the Ontario Securities Commission in 2017. With a wide range of roles spanning both business development and investment management initiatives, Shael’s contributions were integral in growing Vision Capital’s assets under management and contributed to its award-winning risk-adjusted performance over that period.

Shael is a CFA Charterholder and completed the Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies Honours Degree with a Specialization in Finance at the University of Western Ontario. Shael completed the Partners, Directors, and Senior Officers (PDO) Course in 2019 and the Canadian Securities Course (CSC) in 2010, provided by the Canadian Securities Institute (CSI), and attended the SNL Real Estate REIT School in Chicago, Illinois.

Ari Soberano, MBA
Managing Director, Real Estate

Ari Soberano, MBA, Managing Director, Real Estate of Sharno Group, heads the company’s real estate investment, development, and management initiatives and brings a diverse and unique depth of active real estate experience and expertise having worked across various real estate functions including acquisitions, development, investments, finance, leasing, property management, and commercial brokerage.

Most recently, Ari Soberano was Manager, Acquisitions & Development at Rice Commercial Group Limited, a vertically integrated retail, industrial, and infrastructure property developer with a portfolio in excess of 600 acres, primarily in the Greater Toronto Area, including 5 million sqft of developed space and more than 6 million sqft in the pipeline. Rice Group is the preferred developer for Costco Wholesale and has built millions of square feet of industrial space for clients including Honda Canada Inc. and Hyundai Motor Company (Mobis Parts Canada Corp).

Ari first joined Rice Group in 2014 with a focus on leasing and property management following his experience in commercial real estate brokerage at Devencore (formerly Newmark Knight Frank Devencore). After a temporary leave from Rice Group to complete his MBA in 2016-2017, Ari re-joined Rice Group with a focus on acquisitions and investments, supporting the strong growth of the firm’s property portfolio. Ari was also responsible for partnership relationships and leadership with the firm’s private investor clients and public fund & institutional partners, including TD Asset Management (formerly Greystone Managed Investments Inc.) and Choice Properties REIT (formerly Canadian Real Estate Investment Trust (CREIT) Management Ltd).

Ari holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction from the Schulich School of Business where he specialized in Real Estate & Infrastructure. Prior to this, he completed a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction at the Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University. Since 2013, Ari holds an active Ontario Real Estate License and is a registered Realtor® with the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB), Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA), and the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Matthew Yunger, CPA,CA
Senior Vice President, Finance

Matthew Yunger, CPA, CA is Senior Vice President, Finance at Sharno Group where he leads the firm’s finance and tax functions. In this role, Matthew is deeply involved in deal structuring and review, financial services initiatives, financial reporting, and tax and estate planning matters. He works closely with the investment team to support complex transactions, optimize tax outcomes, and ensure financial governance is aligned with Sharno Group’s long-term investment strategy.

Matthew is known for bringing a highly technical yet pragmatic lens to complex financial matters, helping bridge investment, tax, and operational considerations. He plays a key role in evaluating new opportunities, structuring transactions efficiently, and translating sophisticated tax and accounting concepts into clear, actionable insights for decision-makers and key stakeholders.

Prior to joining Sharno Group, Matthew spent seven years in public accounting at Crowe Soberman LLP, where he was a Manager in the Audit & Advisory group. In that role, he led and reviewed audit, review, and compilation engagements and provided personal and corporate tax planning services to a diverse client base. His primary industry experience included real estate, manufacturing, and not-for-profit organizations.

Matthew has been a Chartered Professional Accountant since 2018 and holds an Honours Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies with a Specialization in Accounting from the University of Western Ontario.

Paul Aritzakis
Director, Investments

Paul Aritzakis, Director, Investments, joined Sharno Group in 2024 with previous experience in investment banking and treasury. Paul supports the investment research and decision-making initiatives of the firm.

Previously, Paul worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at a leading Toronto-based boutique investment bank focused on fueling the growth and success of early-stage companies in North America. Paul helped with the advisory, restructuring, corporate finance, and mergers & acquisitions mandates across the firm’s global platform. Prior, he worked at Canada Goose, a performance luxury outerwear, apparel, footwear, and accessories brand, where he supported the treasury and cash management activities of the firm.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a specialization in Finance and a major in Economics from the University of Toronto.