VersaFi Reveals 2024 Leadership Award Winners, Spotlighting Individuals and Firms Driving Change in the Financial Sector

TORONTO, Nov. 5, 2024 /CNW/ - VersaFi is proud to announce the winners of the 2024 VersaFi Leadership Awards, recognizing exceptional individuals and organizations across six prestigious categories. The winners were announced during a Reception in Toronto this evening.

These honorees have demonstrated a measurable commitment to accelerating the progress of equity as innovators, leaders, allies and volunteers. Their contributions are driving meaningful change and setting new standards for diversity and inclusion in their workplaces and beyond; work that helps the advancement and retention of women in the Canadian financial services industry.

"This year's Leadership Award winners understand that gender inequity in the finance sector isn't just a women's issue, it is a business issue that requires all leaders, regardless of their gender, to step in and make change," notes Tanya van Biesen, president and CEO, VersaFi. "By redefining possibilities, challenging conventions, and inspiring others to champion a more equitable future, this year's recipients stand out among their peers as leaders who are taking a bold stance, holding themselves and others accountable, and making a long-lasting impact on Canada's finance industry."

2024 Leadership Award Winners

VersaFi Rising Star - Recognizes early in career, high-performing women and gender-diverse professionals who are working at a grassroots level to accelerate progress for women in finance by engaging and influencing others within their organization.

• Ashley Copeland, CIBC Capital Markets
• Maggie Fisher, TD Securities
• Elizabeth Virgo, BMO Capital Markets

VersaFi Trailblazers - Honours mid-level high-performing women and gender-diverse professionals who drive meaningful change for women in finance at both the organization and industry level.

• Genevieve Eccleston, Canaccord Genuity Group
• Anne-Sophie Thene, National Bank Financial Markets
• Lina Zhang, CPP Investments

VersaFi Transformational Leadership - Celebrates senior women and gender-diverse leaders who drive transformative change within their organizations and across the finance industry. Recognizes those who have made significant, measurable contributions to advancing gender equity.

• Mari Jensen, MUFG Bank, Ltd., Canada
• Selena Woo, Nicola Wealth
• June Zimmer, BMO Private Wealth

VersaFi Excellence in Innovation - Awarded to one person, group, department or firm that has taken bold steps to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion through a new and innovative approach.

• RWomen, RBC Capital Markets, accepted by Christina Chan, Emily Coolican and Farnaz Shahed

VersaFi Ally - Awarded to men who have taken bold steps to accelerate equity, diversity and inclusion on their teams.

• Scott McIntosh, OMERS
• Giovanni Davide Orsi, PSP Investments

Outstanding VersaFi Volunteer - Awarded to VersaFi volunteers that have demonstrated impressive leadership and initiative, setting an exceptional example to other volunteers, with an elevated commitment to improving equity in the finance industry.

• Jenica Kostynuik, RBC Capital Markets
• Hao Tian, Advisor, Blended Finance Solutions, Global Climate Finance Accelerator

Our thanks to VersaFi Platinum Partner, BMO, for hosting the Awards Reception, to Leslie J. Anderson, Global Head of One Client, BMO Wealth Management – U.S, and Nick Chan, Managing Director and Head of Financial Resource Management at BMO Capital Markets, both former VersaFi Champions of Change award winners, for participating as ceremonial EMCEEs, and to Patrick Bartlett, Regional President, GTA - BMO Private Wealth for providing the closing remarks.

About VersaFi
VersaFi is a national, not-for-profit organization focused on accelerating equity for women in the finance sector. Founded in 1995 as Women in Capital Markets (WCM), the organization rebranded in 2024 to empower and advocate for women and gender-diverse individuals across the finance sector, at all stages of their careers, nationally. It does this by fostering a pipeline of talent at all levels; being the leading voice and advocate for gender equity in the sector; and by working with finance sector leaders to implement impactful and lasting structural and cultural change. Its community has grown to more than 4,000 members across the sector, representing Canadian bank-owned dealers and wealth managers, independent and foreign-owned dealers, asset managers, insurance companies, pension plans, regulatory agencies, exchanges, and advisory firms. To learn more, or to become a member, visit www.versafi.ca.

SOURCE VersaFi

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