The Bentall Story
David has that rare ability to anticipate the needs of his clients, as well as the gifted capacity to guide a family business through unsettling waters, while confronting the elephants in the room. He does all this with grace, humility and a deep sense of caring.
Founder of Next Step Advisors, David C. Bentall, is a graduate of the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Commerce and Harvard’s Business School. An experienced executive coach and exceptional speaker, he is also a gifted moderator and trained facilitator.
Having experienced the three options available to family successors – success, failure, and a sale – David’s candor and honesty is always welcome as he shares his personal and professional triumphs, challenges and disappointments. Communicating in a way that is both motivating and inspirational, David draws on his depth of experience to entertain and challenge audiences to dream bigger and achieve more.
Other members of the Next Step Advisors team reflect David’s style of candor and vulnerability, drawing on experiences from their own lives to communicate insights and expertise that both inspire and educate.
David & Next Step Advisors
Next Step Advisors is a pre-eminent professional advising firm for business-owned families. Team members support families by providing advice, education, mentoring and facilitation services. David founded the company to help family enterprises navigate the uncertainty that often accompanies intergenerational transitions. His expertise is rooted in deep empathy and understanding of family dynamics which he gained by spending more than three decades as part of one of Canada’s most prominent real estate and construction companies.
David & Dominion Construction
A graduate of UBC’s Commerce Faculty and Harvard’s Business School, David worked for 20 years in his family’s real estate and construction businesses. During his time as President and CEO of Dominion Construction, the business doubled in size to just under $300 million in sales.
Mr. Bentall also played a leading role in several landmark projects across Canada, including the widely acclaimed GM Place (now Rogers Arena) in Vancouver and Winnipeg’s TD Centre Office Complex (the tallest office building in the city). He also played a key role in the successful Vancouver/Whistler 201O Olympic bid.
Abbreviated History of Dominion Construction & Bentall Family in Vancouver
1908
- Engineer Charles Bentall arrives in Vancouver from England
- In the great depression, General Motors can’t afford to build their own building, so Dominion finances them thus launching the Bentall family into the real estate business
1911
- Tallest building in the British Empire – steel structure designed by Charles
1915
- Charles Bentall acquires Dominion Construction and becomes President
1931
- Dominion builds 26 stores for Safeway – opening one each month for 26 months
1938
- Clark joins after graduating from UBC in engineering
1949
- Clark develops strategic partnership with G.W.L. to finance Bentall Centre
1950s
- Dominion pioneers Tilt – up Construction in Western Canada BC Tel head office in Burnaby
- Dominion Construction builds virtually every BC Tel project for 50 years including their Burnaby head office
1978
- 2 million sq. feet, landmark project, completed in heart of downtown
1979
- David graduates from UBC and immediately joins company
1988
- David appointed President of Dominion Construction
1990
- T.D. Center Winnipeg is tallest building in Winnipeg
1995
- $102 million G.M. Place is completed, the largest project in company history
Education
Educational Highlights
- University of British Columbia – Bachelor of Commerce (Urban Land Economics)
- Harvard Business School – OPM Graduate
- Family Firm Institute – Fellow
- International Coaching Federation – Certified Professional
Professional Development
- Young Presidents’ Organization – Moderator Training
- Business Families Foundation – Facilitators Training
- Family Firm Institute – “The Essentials” Course
- Café – Leading Family Councils
- Coaches Training Institute – Co-Active Coaching
- Family Firm Institute – Family Business Advising Certificate
Governance Experience
Current Board Memberships
- Jervis Investments
- Lightheart Properties
Investment Committee
- Hungerford Properties
Additional Board Experience
- Saint George’s School (Chair)
- Keats Camps (Chair)
- Arrow Leadership (Chair)
- B.C. Business Council (Vice Chair)
- Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific
- Hope International
- Young Life of Canada
- Langham Trust
David Bentall
FOUNDER OF NEXT STEP ADVISORS INC, AUTHOR, ADVISOR, SPEAKER & COACH
David has been advising family enterprises for over 25 years and has worked with over 180 different families. He has also personally experienced succession in a family business three separate times:
- As a Next Gen Leader who was thwarted in his plans to lead;
- As a successor who was appointed president and guided the family firm for almost ten years;
- As an owner who sold his shares of the family business and then worked for the new owners.
Regardless of who you are or where you are at with family business succession, David understands and empathizes with your circumstances because he has experienced virtually everything you are facing! This gives him the insight and wisdom to thoughtfully and skillfully help you navigate through your own family business succession plan.
David is an experienced executive coach, exceptional speaker, gifted moderator, and trained facilitator. He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Commerce and Harvard’s Business School and, as an adjunct professorship at UBC, he has been teaching in the field of Family Enterprise for more than fifteen years.
For two decades, David worked in his family’s real estate and construction businesses and during his tenure as President & CEO of Dominion Construction, the business doubled in size to just under $300 million in sales. He also played a leading role in the development and construction of several landmark projects across Canada, including GM Place (now Rogers Arena) in Vancouver and the TD Centre Office Complex in downtown Winnipeg. He was also a key player in the successful Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Olympic bid.
The creative energy and focused determination that marked David’s career in business is now being available to individuals and families, to help them identify and resolve their issues.
View David's Books
David’s newest book: Dear Younger Me is now available on paperback, eBook, and audiobook!
Also view David’s other books: Leaving a Legacy and The Company You Keep for more great insights.