Meet Our Executive Team

Hans Jain, President, is on a mission to illuminate urban neighbourhoods, energize historic landmark buildings and set communities aglow with sophisticated modern buildings. As the President of Atria, Hans is the driving force behind the company’s success in merging the character and elegance of the past with the sleek urban design of the present – creating communities of the future.

Hans shares his father Gyan’s passion for development. He has worked tirelessly to build Atria’s reputation by dealing with the company’s partners, purchasers and renters ethically and with integrity. As President, Hans is directly involved with an experienced team in all stages of the development life cycle: from land acquisition and assembly, planning and approvals (COA, OMB/LPAT), financing, design, engineering and construction management, sales and marketing, to occupancy and long-term leasing and property management.

Career milestones include leading the regeneration of Toronto’s burgeoning Leslieville neighbourhood with the successful launches of i-Zone and the Garment Factory Lofts; and completing Parkwood Residences, the first condominium project that downtown Oshawa had seen in nearly 20 years – all developments that saw existing buildings being converted into residential spaces. Recently Atria has completed a 239 unit modern purpose built rental and the second phase consisting of 370 units is under construction. In Peterborough, a the historic YMCA built in 1895 has seen an extensive renovation and will see 136 apartments lofts ready for rent this summer. Hans continues to lead Atria throughout the many exciting projects currently under development.
Hans graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honours B.Sc. in Quantitative Methods in Economics, and pursued Graduate Studies in Economics at the University of Toronto.

Hans’ younger brother and trusted partner. For the past three decades, he has been working closely with his brother to develop and retrofit a wide variety of projects across the Greater Toronto Area. These projects include single family homes, townhomes, multi-unit residential apartments and condominiums, and industrial buildings.

With his engineering degree, his focus and expertise resides in the technical aspects of Atria’s projects – mechanical, electrical and structural.

Atria’s in-house experience and expertise spans all stages of the development life cycle: from land acquisition and assembly, planning and approvals (COA, OMB/LPAT), financing, design, engineering and construction management, sales and marketing, to occupancy and long-term leasing and property management. Atria firmly believes in retaining the best employees and consultants in their respected fields to ensure not only top-quality expertise but also driving the development forward as planned. The other tenet of Atria’s approach is building and nurturing lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with all stakeholders.

Winners of the 2004 Ontario Economic Development Award for the 120-unit retrofit project in Oshawa, and the 2005 Marketing Excellence Award in Canada for the 8-storey Garment Factory in 2008, Hans and Vipin are complemented by a close-knit team that includes innovative, veteran leaders in their respective industries: an experienced land use planner; cost consultants, senior architect; structural engineer; development and project managers; site superintendents; marketing and sales director; and senior general counsel.

With such an experience set, his versatility and deep understanding of all levels of real estate law make him a vital part of our team.

Glen is a seasoned corporate finance professional with a proven track record established over 30 years. He has diversified exposure to syndicated debt financing, risk management, equity and joint venture partnership investments, as well as corporate treasury. A team builder with strong interpersonal, communication and leadership skills, Glen is adept at building sound long-term business relationships. Prior to joining Atria, Glen was CFO for a Canadian-based, North American and UK leader in seniors housing with $10 billion in assets under management.

Hitesh Gajiwala P. Eng., Executive Vice President of Development & Construction, has over 30 years of progressive and comprehensive experience in engineering, construction, management of new construction, the renovation of high-rise and low rise residential and commercial development, as well as key public infrastructure projects.

Hitesh holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering with First Class Honors in Elective Specialization in Advanced Structural Mechanics and Concrete Technology & Structure. He has extensive knowledge of government regulations, occupational safety (OSHA) and the Ontario Building Code. He is a proud member of Professional Engineers of Ontario.

For Atria Construction Management, Hitesh oversees all operations and sets the strategic vision of the firm. He is currently working on over 5 million sq. ft. of residential rental apartments, new and retrofit condominiums and lofts, commercial and retail – all in various stages of development.

Leonard Lee earned his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor Faculty of Law in 2003, and articled at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Toronto.

His extensive experience gained from over 16 years at corporations and law firms throughout the GTA has given him comprehensive knowledge in real estate and land development. This includes experience in the acquisition and sale of industrial properties, retail properties and vacant land, and as the acting borrower and lender counsel in major real estate lending transactions.

As the General Counsel at Atria, he utilizes his vast experience to better advise, negotiate, and provide liaison. Exemplary at complex transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions and financing, he leads the creation of agreements, including purchase and sale, joint venture, and construction and leasing.

Shane Kennedy, Senior Vice President of Development and Planning, has 15 years of industry experience covering a broad range of asset classes and locations around Ontario and Canada.

With a B. Sc. (Hons) in Construction Management, Shane initially worked for a large General Contractor in Dublin, Ireland, building rental apartments.

Shane brings extensive experience in capital and hard cost budgeting, tendering, contracting and procurement of residential condominiums, purpose built apartments and seniors housing.

Adam Sykes is a veteran of the marketing industry with more than 30 years in the business. For more than a quarter century, Adam owned and operated an ad agency in Toronto that specialized in real estate and financial services in Canada and the U.S.

Over the course of his career, Adam has helped residential and commercial developers market properties worth billions of dollars for sale and lease, including pioneering projects in purpose-built residential rental in the city core. Adopting current technologies and trends, he applies years of experience in a very wide range of market conditions to develop marketing strategies and tools that deliver results.

A graduate of the University of Toronto (Honours B.A), and former professor in digital media at Seneca College, Adam is an advocate of life-long learning.

Josip Cindric, Director of Construction, has almost 20 years of international experience in residential, commercial, institutional, and mixed-use construction for both low-rise and high-rise developments.

Prior to joining Atria, Josip most recently worked with Empire Communities for approximately 4 years as both an Assistant Project Manager and, later, Project Manager. With Empire, Josip’s responsibilities included coordinating all stages of trades work; overseeing the tendering preparation and bid process; finalizing architectural, structural and mechanical & electrical designs; and liaising with municipal stakeholders for occupancies in collaboration with lawyers, property managers, and consultants for project registration.

Josip is a graduate of the 5-year civil engineering program at the University of Zagreb in Croatia. He boasts exceptional fluency in English and Croatian, and has basic proficiency in German (both written and spoken).

Tara Connor, Director of Development, is a Registered Professional Planner and Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners with 15 years of experience in development and land use planning across the GTA and Ontario.

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography from Western University and a Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning Technology from Fanshawe College, she has previously worked in both the public and private sectors with a focus on high-rise mixed-use residential developments and low-density residential communities.

Tara currently manages all planning-related aspects of Atria’s projects, including development applications (Official Plan Amendments, Rezoning, Site Plan Approval, etc.) and liaising with municipal/agency staff, consultants, and external stakeholders. In addition, she assists the internal Design, Construction and Property Management teams post-approval, to ensure consistency.