RBC's Gord Nixon to receive 2012 Catalyst Canada Honour for Championing Women in Business

Catalyst Canada honours Nixon for unwavering commitment to advancing women in Canadian business

TORONTO, June 18, 2012 /CNW/ - Catalyst Canada announced today that it will honour Gordon M. Nixon, RBC's president and chief executive officer in the category of Company/Firm leader, for his ongoing contributions to advancing women.

Mr. Nixon has been a steadfast and public advocate for the advancement of women in business since he first became president and chief executive officer of the Royal Bank of Canada 11 years ago. Shortly after becoming CEO, Mr. Nixon established the RBC Diversity Leadership Council (DLC) which is responsible for overseeing RBC's global diversity strategy, including goals to increase the representation of women and visible minorities at senior levels. In the time since, RBC has consistently shown leadership across all industries in the representation of women and visible minorities. Today, over 65 per cent of RBC's Canadian workforce is made up of women and 37 per cent of executive roles are held by women. More than 1,000 leaders across RBC are actively engaged in supporting Diversity Councils and related initiatives to support RBC's diversity and inclusion mandate. In addition to chairing the DLC, Mr. Nixon has personally sponsored the development of many women and visible minorities into senior roles and membership on external boards.

"I am deeply honoured to be the recipient of this recognition from Catalyst Canada and to be in such fine company," said Gordon M. Nixon, president and CEO, RBC. "I have always believed that human capital is our most important asset and talent comes in both genders. Canada cannot succeed in an increasingly global and knowledge-based economy without the full and active participation of women and visible minorities."

Mr. Nixon frequently speaks publicly on the value of diversity and inclusion within the broader business community, and has been a strong and vocal supporter of the Catalyst Accord to help increase the representation of women on FP500 boards. He also serves on the Catalyst Canada Advisory Board and chairs the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), which helps improve employment outcomes for new immigrants, including women.

Mr. Nixon will be honoured for his commitment to advancing women and diversity at The Catalyst Canada Honours dinner on November 5, 2012 at The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.

About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada (RY on TSX and NYSE) and its subsidiaries operate under the master brand name RBC. We are Canada's largest bank as measured by assets and market capitalization, and are among the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management services, insurance, corporate and investment banking and transaction processing services on a global basis. We employ approximately 74,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 15 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 51 other countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com.

ABOUT THE CATALYST CANADA HONOURS
The Catalyst Canada Honours celebrates champions of women in Canadian business. Recognizing that what's good for women is good for business, these exceptional individuals are personally and visibly committed to the advancement of women and serve as powerful role models for Canadian corporate leaders.

Georgia Maxwell, RBC Corporate Communications, [phone]
Romina Mari, RBC Corporate Communications, [phone]