Leadership
Bruce Takefman
Chief Executive Officer
Bruce Takefman, Founder & CEO of ResearchFDI is an award-winning, serial entrepreneur and philanthropist who began his company in 2010 while working out of his bedroom. A decade on, and ResearchFDI, a marketing firm specializing in investment attraction services for economic developers, has over 75 full-time multilingual consultants and partners in key market hubs across the globe that have helped secure over $5 billion USD in new capital investment.
In the past decade, Bruce’s team of economic development consultants have helped his clients uncover new inward investments across industry sectors. Bruce executes a hands-on leadership style, overseeing major projects and strategically advising his operation’s team throughout mandates. Recent project wins that were uncovered under Bruce’s leadership include the 2019 announcement of a major win in Northern Virginia, which has begun the construction of a Data Center over a 500,000 sq. ft. site and culminating in over 500 jobs. In 2018, Bruce’s team identified a manufacturing prospect based in Canada looking to invest in the U.S. Bruce initiated introductions to 9-county regional group in Kentucky, resulting in a project yielding over $19.6 million in new capital investments for the region and the creation of 265 jobs.
Bruce is also recognized internationally as a thought leader on foreign direct investment trends and lead generation strategies. He has published several topical thought pieces through ResearchFDI’s monthly research reports and is regularly commissioned to participate on panels at leading events such as the International Economic Development Council, SelectUSA Canada, and the Economic Developer’s Council of Ontario. Most recently, Bruce launched a podcast, Research Uncensored under the ResearchFDI umbrella, acting as co-host, Bruce interviews his extensive array of contacts, consisting of the top economic developers and site selectors in the country and uncovers their tips for success in the field. In addition, Bruce remains an active role in the follow industry associations, IEDC, SelectUSA, EDCO, Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC), Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC), Oregon Economic Development Association (OEDA), Utility Economic Development Association (UEDA), and the Washington Economic Development Association (WEDA).
In 2016, Bruce expanded his company and created a new division, ResearchB2B, an export and trade advising consultancy that helps companies navigate domestic and international markets. ResearchB2B clients consist of Trade Partnerships, Chambers of Commerce, and private enterprises. Key services and programs include the development of international business relationships, primary and secondary market research, supplier and distribution introductions and sales plan development.
In 2017, Bruce tasked his business intelligence and IT team to develop a software that would develop a customizable lead platform to revolutionize the way we collect and analyze growing-company data to ensure accuracy, quality, and reliability. The result was FDI365, a leading business intelligence platform that matches clients with companies primed for immediate expansion based on their project target criteria. Coupled with advanced, proprietary tech, the platform’s data is also human-curated, backed by the ResearchFDI business intelligence unit, who analyze key growth indicators and combine these factors with primary data collection techniques to determine which investors are viable and elite prospects to target.
Bruce’s passion for economic development is matched by his innate desire to give back to his community. That passion saw him co-found Avodah, a Montréal-based annual program that helps young adults with neurodevelopment conditions find ability-specific jobs and receive ongoing training and support through target programming and networking opportunities. In addition, Bruce supports and funds a local Montréal NGO, Demoskratos whose mission is to educate at-risk youth about civics and advocate for civic engagement. Furthermore, Bruce leads his company on the principles of diversity and inclusion. Boasting a firm with over a dozen different nationalities and supporting social causes such as the Old Brewery Mission, the Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA), and Project Rainbow Railroad.
Bruce earned his Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Marketing from the globally recognized John Molson School of Business at Concordia University. He currently resides in Montréal, Québec with his loving wife Kim and young son, Jacob.
Davor Davidovic
Chief Operating Officer
Davor Davidovic is a business strategy and market intelligence expert who has been working in the economic development industry for over a decade. He brings an extensive knowledge in corporate strategy and real estate, location intelligence, industry linkages, market intelligence, as well as an understanding of specific industry issues.He began his career as a Marketing Manager at Resitek Inc., a Montreal-based IT services firm, where he was responsible for the company’s marketing, advertising and development of annual business plans. He later worked as a Corporate Director at Virtus International, a market research firm, where he managed the Global 1000 company accounts and advising them on supply chain best practices.
Through his studies in Master of Engineering at University of Zagreb, Faculty of Civil Engineering, and Business Administration and Marketing at Herzing College in Montreal, Mr. Davidovic developed an understanding of different industrial and organizational procedures that are required in business today.
Prior to joining ResearchFDI, he worked in various capacities in economic development consulting including business intelligence, industry analysis, client services and operations, supporting global investment promotion organizations in business recruitment activities. At ResearchFDI, Mr. Davidovic is responsible for managing the company’s daily operations. 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. He is fluent in English, German and several Slavic languages.
Robert Creamer
Executive Vice President, Business Intelligence
Rob has been with ResearchFDI since 2015 and is currently Executive Director, Research & Planning. With a Political Science MA from McGill University and a background that includes policy analysis, online marketing, and service development, Rob has become a market research expert in his role and supplies our team with the most promising business prospects across a wide variety of industries. Alongside market research, Rob’s responsibilities include quality control for research processes; the creation of in-depth benchmarking, company and FDI reports for clients; internal resource allocation planning; and database development and management. During his tenure, Rob has helped pioneer the use of innovative market research approaches and technologies at the organization and has worked with a range of esteemed clients spanning North American and European economic development. These include the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Invest Liverpool, Columbus 2020, the Charleston Regional Development Alliance, and Invest Québec. His expertise covers the Life Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing, Aerospace, Automotive, IT Services and Software Development industries, among many others.
Rob is a native of the United Kingdom and has lived and worked in Sweden, Canada and Ghana.
Erika Magder
Vice President, Global Sales & Products
Ms. Magder is an innate leader and market strategist bringing fifteen years of experience in economic and business development. Ms. Magder is leading the company’s International Business Development team, promoting our portfolio of business intelligence data products.
Ms. Magder has spent the past 8 years working as Director, Business Development at the world’s largest language services and related technologies company including clinical software, document management solutions and translation management software. Throughout her time there Ms. Magder worked with Fortune 500 and fast-growing companies to provide language services and solutions to support their international growth initiatives. Additionally, she gained extensive knowledge of the software solutions (SaaS) market and is looking forward to using that knowledge to promote ResearchFDI’s FDI attraction software and strategic solutions.
Ms. Magder received an Honors Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario; specializing in marketing and international business. She began her career as Vice President of Business Development at a start-up in the technology industry where she was responsible for strategic partnerships, marketing and business development. Previously, she gained extensive experience in economic development by developing advanced research protocols and surveying techniques in addition to acting as an in-market business development representative for the UK-based East and West Midland Investment Promotion Agency; wherein Ms. Magder met with large companies throughout Canada in a variety of industries including, energy and environment, manufacturing, services and technology.
Amber Hunter
Vice President, Business Development of North America
Amber is a detail-oriented and hard-working economic development specialist with an excellent business acumen. Amber is also an ambitious and result-driven Business Developer, who is able to deliver on any project to ensure that the job gets done.Born in the UK but raised in Montreal, Amber has an extensive background in Sales, Social Media Marketing and Market Research; having worked on and managed contracts for Economic Development Organizations throughout the U.S, Canada, U.K & Asia. These include but are not limited to; the Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Economic Development of Ontario, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Toronto Global, Cyberport Hong Kong and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber
Amber has consistently delivered qualified investment project leads to clients, even facilitating a meeting that resulted in the creation of 40 jobs in 6 months from the initial introduction.
A graduate from Concordia University, majoring in Political Science, Amber is an effective communicator, with strong interpersonal skills, ensuring each client feels heard while forging strong, lasting professional relationships. In short, Amber has a passion for client satisfaction and delivering on results.
Adam Solomon
Vice President, Business Development
Adam Solomon brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to ResearchFDI. Since joining the firm in 2011, Adam has served as VP of Business Development, overseeing the implementation of company-wide research strategies and strict quality control measures for client deliverables.Simply put, Adam understands the business. He offers over five years of economic development consulting and research experience across a multitude of roles throughout his career. Adam has worked closely with ResearchFDI clients in helping secure significant corporate investments.Adam’s work also includes mandates with Fortune 500 companies worldwide.
He was born in Israel and speaks three languages (English, French & Hebrew), priding himself on understanding global business climates and knowing how to work with key decision makers from international companies.
His work across a wide range of industries includes aerospace, renewable energy, software, and advanced manufacturing.
Adam earned a degree in international business from Dawson College in Montréal, Québec. Adam is a proud member of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
Investment Attraction Team
North America
Justin Avery, MBA
Senior Project Manager
Justin is a business development, logistics, and market research professional with almost a decade of experience generating leads, managing accounts, negotiating deals, and directing operations for Montreal area 3PL logistics companies such as E-Z Access Freight Brokers and Freightopolis.Born and raised in Newfoundland & Labrador, after completing a BA in social anthropology and sociology from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Justin moved to Montreal in 2006 to pursue new work opportunities and to focus on developing his musicianship as a drummer. Entering the workforce immediately, he helped to grow a small, privately owned logistics company to generate revenues of $3M per year.
In 2014, Justin was accepted to Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business and left the workforce to pursue a full-time MBA. As Justin is approaching the completion of his MBA, he has re-entered the workforce and approached his new position of economic development consultant with enthusiasm and energy.
Leveraging his previous work experience helping to successfully grow a small start-up, as well as the leadership and business acumen learned during his time in JSMB’s MBA program, Justin has found quick success at ResearchFDI, securing important meetings for North American economic development organizations.
Anthony Mannara
In-Market Representative USA, East Coast
Anthony Mannara is an Independent Financial Advisor. In 2002, he founded FirstEurope, an international M&A and Private Equity advisory company that services the financial needs of a broad range of business sizes and industries. Mr. Mannara has served as Head of Foreign Direct Investments in New York for the Italian Trade Agency. He has had a long career in Brokerage and Banking in New York, Rome and Milan.
In 1990, Citibank transferred and assigned Mr. Mannara as Vice President and Relationship Manager for Multinational Corporations in Rome. In his more than 20-year experience in Italy, Mr. Mannara has held the following positions: Head of Equity Research for Milla & Co. SIM., Founder and Portfolio Manager of Tiberius Ltd., one of the first Euro-based currency hedge funds and Manager of his own M&A boutique, FirstEurope.
Mr. Mannara received his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School in Finance & Marketing and a B.A. in Economics from Vassar College. He holds FINRA Series 7, 63, 24, 27, and 79 licenses and is a Certified Valuation Analyst, CVA. Mr. Mannara is an Adjunct Professor of Economics at Hunter College where he teaches Securities & Investment Analysis. He is fluent in English, Italian, and Spanish.
