Our Team

Since 1995, Mr. Hromyk has been Principal of First Finance Limited and its predecessor, Century Capital Management Ltd., Private Equity firms with a proven track record of returning significant value to stakeholders by making early mover strategic investments in advance of developing markets or cycles through both private and public companies. Mr. Hromyk has supported and operated chemical and energy operations domestically in the Permian Basin, Central and South Texas, Arkansas, Alberta and internationally.

An active investor, Mr. Hromyk has been involved with companies developing a diverse range of technologies, from enhanced and conventional hydrocarbon recovery processes to wireless infrastructure and has participated in numerous industrial and commercial real estate developments. Mr. Hromyk has served as a director of several private companies that became publicly traded on NASDAQ, NYSE, TSX. Mr. Hromyk studied Economics at Chaminade University and the University of British Columbia.

Over a twenty-five year career John has been actively engaged across all aspects of the business development cycle.  As a lawyer John has advised numerous junior mining, oil & gas and technology companies throughout their business cycles.  From 1997 through 2005 John also served as counsel to Century Capital, First Finance’s predecessor company, effecting Century’s business strategy through its investment structures.

From 2005 to 2013 John worked as a senior executive developing and operating mines in Canada, the United States and Mexico, raising and deploying early-stage expansion capital and overseeing listings of group companies on the TSX and TSXV.  In 2014 John rejoined the Century/First Finance group, focussed on evaluating and maximizing investment opportunities for the private equity portfolio.

John is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University.

Arron has over 17 years business experience spanning financial services, investment banking, business leadership and operations in both developed and emerging markets.

Mr. Smyth has supported transactions, projects and operations in Europe, Middle East, Africa and North America and he has served as a board member, executive director and as an advisor to private and public organisations operating or investing within the energy, natural resources and security sectors as well as providing deal origination services to corporates, private equity/venture capital, asset managers, family offices and commodity trading houses.

Since 2018, Mr Smyth has been Managing Director Europe for the First Finance group of companies, developing and supporting the group’s private equity investments and projects.