Maria Smirnova joined Sprott Asset Management in May 2005. Smirnova is a portfolio manager with more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has been part of the Sprott precious metals team since 2007 and has been a portfolio manager on the Sprott Silver Equities Class since its inception in 2012. Smirnova began her career at Excel Funds Management as operations manager, and subsequently worked in Product Development at Fidelity Investments. Smirnova graduated with distinction from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and has been a CFA charterholder since 2002. She graduated as a Bregman Scholar from the University of Toronto's MBA program in 2005.