Wealth & Finance

Advancement Summit: Wealth & Finance

Where are the top women in financial services? As professional women continue to advance to the corner office, they have yet to reach the highest level of the banking industry. At this inaugural panel featuring those who are closest, we will uncover the potential gaps, and learn how women from each of Canada’s big 5 have reached the level of success they have….

Highlights

• Forget being in control. Create the banks of the river but let the water run through
• Write your story, plot your outcome
• Ego vs heart – the biggest balancing act. You must be the change you want to see
• Manifest what you want in your life

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PANELLIST BIOGRAPHIES

Barbara Stymiest
Group Head, Strategy, Treasury & Corporate Services, RBC Royal Bank

As Group Head, Strategy, Treasury & Corporate Services of RBC, Barbara Stymiest is responsible for directing corporate functions including enterprise strategy, corporate development, corporate treasury, law, compliance, brand and communications, government relations and internal audit. Together, this team focuses on the increasingly complex, inter-related regulatory, reputational and other external stakeholder issues that affect RBC’s performance, reputation and growth opportunities. As a member of RBC’s Group Executive, Ms. Stymiest is one of nine executives responsible for setting the overall strategic direction of RBC.

Prior to joining RBC, Ms. Stymiest was Chief Executive Officer of TSX Group, where she was responsible for overseeing the operations and leading the long-term strategic development of both the senior capital market – Toronto Stock Exchange and the junior capital market – TSX Venture Exchange. Prior to joining TSX, Ms. Stymiest was Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer for Bank of Montreal’s investment banking division.

Ms. Stymiest currently serves as a director of RBC Dexia Investor Services Limited, Research in Motion Limited, Symcor Inc., Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and the Royal Ontario Museum. She has also served on a number of professional and charitable organizations including the CICA’s Accounting Oversight Committee, United Way Campaign Cabinet, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Foundation and Hincks-Dellcrest Children’s Centre.

Ms. Stymiest obtained her degree in Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.

Christina Kramer
Executive Vice President, Distribution Services, CIBC Retail Markets

CIBC Retail Markets provides a full range of financial products and services to almost 11 million personal, business and wealth clients, as well as investment management services globally to retail and institutional clients.

Ms. Kramer is the Executive Vice-President, Distribution Services, CIBC Retail Markets, responsible for ensuring an excellent client experience across the retail franchise.

Ms. Kramer oversees all aspects of CIBC’s broad distribution network which serves clients at over 1,050 branches, more than 3,700 ABMs, telephone banking, online banking and online brokerage.

Since joining CIBC in 1987, Ms. Kramer has held progressively more senior executive roles and has been key in developing CIBC’s client service strategy. Prior to this, she held various leadership roles within CIBC’s Human Resources division and was a member of the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario.

Ms. Kramer is currently the Executive Sponsor for the CIBC YMCA Access to Opportunity™ program and Chair of the CIBC Women’s Network. She is the Co-Chair of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Ontario Leaders Program, and an Advisory member and former participant of The Judy Project at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

In 2008, Ms. Kramer was named one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada”. She is a graduate of Ryerson University, and has a Certified Human Resources Professional designation.

Sandra Hanington
Executive vice-president, Technology & Operations, BMO Financial Group

Sandra Hanington was appointed to the role of Executive Vice-President, Technology and Operations, June 1, 2009. In this role, Ms. Hanington is accountable for product operations for Personal and Commercial Banking (Canada and U.S.), Private Client Group and BMO Capital Markets, business process improvement, end-to-end initiatives and operational risk.

Ms. Hanington began her career in 1985 as a consultant with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), moving on to Suncor Inc./Sunoco Group in 1987. She joined Royal Trust in 1988 and subsequently moved to North American Life/Manulife Financial.

In 1999, Ms. Hanington joined BMO Financial Group as Vice President, Insurance, Personal and Commercial Client Group. In 2001, she was appointed Vice President for Product Development in Small Business Banking and in 2002 was named Vice-President, Corporate Communications, before joining Harris in 2003 as Executive Vice-President, Marketing and Customer Strategies. Ms. Hanington joined the senior leadership team of Personal and Commercial Banking Canada in 2006 as Executive Vice-President, Customer Strategies and Marketing, where she was accountable for the development and implementation of customer strategies to achieve a differentiated position for the retail bank in the Canadian marketplace.

Ms. Hanington is a licensed professional engineer with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from the University of Toronto. Ms. Hanington also serves as a Director on the Boards of Symcor and Kids Help Phone.

Ms. Hanington is a licensed professional engineer with a bachelor of applied science degree from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from the University of Toronto.

Sylvia Chrominska
Group Head, Global Human Resources and Communications, Scotiabank

Joined Scotiabank in 1979 as a Credit Analyst in Corporate Credit; progressed through various levels to Senior Vice President, Corporate Credit responsible for Eastern Canada, Eastern United States, Europe and Japan.

Appointed Executive Vice President Human Resources in November 1995 with global responsibility for Human Resources of the Scotiabank group.

In June of 2004, mandate was expanded to include Public, Corporate and Government Affairs with responsibility for global corporate communications and public relations strategies including government relations, public policy analysis and corporate social responsibility.

• Appointed Group Head, Global Human Resources and Communications in October 2008, with expanded responsibilities.
• On the Board of Governors, The Stratford Festival of Canada
• Dean’s Advisory Board, Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario
• Advisory Council, Habitat for Humanity Toronto
• Member and Honourary Fellow, Advisory Council for Dalhousie University Corporate Residency MBA
• Co-Chair, YWCA Women of Distinction Dinner 2007, 2008
• Chair, Capital Campaign, Women’s College Hospital
• Co-Chair, International Women’s Forum (IWF), Toronto Chapter
• Recognized in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Women’s Executive Network as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada
• In November, 2007, inducted to the Hall of Fame of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women
• In May, 2005, recognized by YWCA as a Woman of Distinction for Corporate Leadership
• Previously served on the Boards of Sheena’s Place, a non-profit centre that provides support services to people affected by eating disorders and Dofasco, Inc. as Chair, Human Resources Committee, The Canadian Club of Toronto as VP, Goodwill Industries of Toronto and the Rehabilitation Institute of Toronto Foundation.
• Former Chair – Board of Governors, The Institute of Canadian Bankers
• Former Chair – Human Resource Committee, Canadian Bankers Association
• Member of the Women’s Executive Network
• Member of the International Women’s Forum
• Member, Institute of Corporate Directors
• Member, Global Human Resources Roundtable
• Member, C.D. Howe Institute

Education:
Graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1975 with an Honours Degree in Business Administration

Also attended:
Human Resources Executive Program, University of Michigan Business School 1994.
International Banking Summer School 1994.
Western Executive Program at the University of Western Ontario 1989.

Theresa Bowman
Senior Vice President, Finance Shared Services, TD Bank Financial Group

In January of 2009, Theresa assumed her current role as Senior Vice President, Finance Shared Services. In this position she is responsible for Finance Operations functions across TDBFG. More specifically, her teams focus on the optimization of the shared services vision by examining the people, processes and technology that keep Finance ticking. Theresa oversees the financial, management and regulatory reporting functions as well as having accountability for data integrity and operational risk in Finance.

As a graduate of the University of Toronto and a Chartered Accountant, Theresa joined the Audit Division of TD Bank Financial Group in 1992. Her career has included progressively senior audit, finance, operations and technology roles as well as offshore postings in Singapore, Australia and Taiwan. Prior to assuming her current role, Theresa was the Senior Vice President, Operations & Technology for the Bank’s Wholesale Banking business (TD Securities).

Theresa sits on the board of Lime Canada, a not for profit organization which focuses on the professional placement of persons with disabilities. She is co-chair of the TD’s March of Dimes BBQ and is Finance’s executive sponsor for JDRF. An enthusiastic yet novice underwater photographer, Theresa has been involved with the Friends of Fathom Five and the Ontario Marine Heritage Committee, a group dedicated to the research, interpretation and preservation of Ontario’s marine heritage.

Patricia Lovett-Reid
Senior Vice President, TD Waterhouse Canada Inc.

Patricia Lovett-Reid, Senior Vice President of TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. is one of Canada’s leading and respected authorities on personal finance. Patricia holds the designation of Certified Financial Planner and is a regular commentator for Business News Network, CTV, CP24 and the National on CBC. Patricia is the host of MoneyTalk, a national prime-time television program on personal finance, airing every Monday at 8:00 pm (ET) on Business News Network and offers daily market commentaries on AM 740.

A sought-after speaker and commentator on wealth management, Patricia has co-authored the national bestselling books, Get Real: 26 Canadian Women Share the Secret to Authentic Success, Live Well, Retire Well: Strategies for a Rich Life and a Richer Retirement and Retirement Strategies for Women. Other publications include Surprise! You’re Wealthy: A Woman’s Guide to Protecting Her Wealth, as well as Take Charge Now: A Woman’s Guide to Personal and Family Finance.

For her outstanding contribution to the profession of financial planning in Canada, The Financial Planners Standards Council (FPSC) recognized Patricia with the 2009 Donald J. Johnston Award. As well, Patricia was named to the 2007 Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100™ Award in the Trailblazers and Trendsetters category.