Latest News by Industry
2024 Program Participants Named
TORONTO, Nov. 7, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, VersaFi is pleased to announce that 61 women from 18 different Canadian firms have been selected to participate in its 2024 Emerging Leaders Program, bringing the total number of participants to 310 since its launch in 2014. This professional development program is designed for high potential women five to 10 years into their careers, who are on a path to senior leadership.
Over seven months, each participant receives a personal and professional assessment through the globally-recognized Facet5™ personality assessment, as well as group and individual coaching sessions, skill-building workshops, and networking opportunities. The Emerging Leaders Program is facilitated in partnership with global coaching expert Felix Global.
"At this stage of their career, many women face unique barriers that have the potential to hinder their advancement," notes Tanya van Biesen, president and CEO, VersaFi. "Our Emerging Leaders Program was created to help equip these talented women with the skills and strategies needed to overcome these challenges, while simultaneously preparing them for more senior leadership roles. By investing in these women, firms are not only supporting their professional growth but also benefit from higher job satisfaction, improved retention, and a stronger, more engaged workforce—ultimately preserving key talent and reducing turnover."
To be selected, these women have already demonstrated outstanding ambition and skill, as well as a commitment to fostering equitable work environments. Many have also overcome significant challenges on their path to success, including excelling in male-dominated environments, navigating the often difficult return from career breaks, and balancing work and family care responsibilities.
VersaFi congratulates its 2024 Emerging Leader participants for successfully being accepted into the Program:
Bella Ainani, CPP Investments | Kelly Alvarez, CIBC Capital | Rachel Amirault, CPP |
Abirami Ayyaluswamy, | Ragini Barrenkula, Manulife | Keren Beletsky, Ontario |
Carla Bolingbroke, Scotiabank | Tala Bushnaq, RPIA | Samantha Chan, RBC Capital |
Phoebe Cheung, PwC Canada | Tina Chou, TD Securities | Evelyn Chow, CPP Investments |
Sanam Dhaliwal, ATB Financial | Fiona Fan, Scotiabank Global | Charlène Fontaine, National |
Alicia Garbarino, Manulife | Claudia Garner, RBC Capital | Kathleen Glofcheskie, |
Ritika Goel, RBC Capital Markets | Andréanne Grégoire-Boudreau, | Shawna Griffin, RBC Capital |
Stéphanie Hamel, National Bank | Angie Han, TD Securities | Monica Heysel, CIBC Capital |
Rebecca Hoffer-Kahansky, | Jennifer Israel, CIBC Mellon | Manroop Johal, BMO Private |
Ana Juncu, CIBC Capital Markets | Kayla Keim, RBC Capital | Molly Kong, IMCO |
Jacqueline Kopemond, RPIA | Jillian Lam, ATB Financial | Eni Lamllari, CIBC Capital |
Cherry Li, BMO Capital Markets | Helen Liao, CPP Investments | Madi Lott, RBC Capital Markets |
Vivian Luu, RBC Capital Markets | Adrienne Macdonald, National | Amelia Meng, CIBC Capital |
Sydney Milgrom, CPP | Anh Nguyen, CIBC Capital | Kerry Nield, Alberta Investment |
Ebuni Vivian Okonkwo, CIBC | Cristina Oliveira, Manulife | Tuyet (Katie) Or, Scotiabank |
Joanna Pollock, RBC Capital | Easha Rai, SLC Management | Samra Ramzan, TD Securities |
Andrea Scarlato, BMO Private | Marina Su, CPP Investments | Victoria Suitor, BMO Private |
Tiffany Sun, CIBC Capital | Vanessa Taylor, RBC Capital | Claire Townsley, CIBC Capital |
Lovelyn Toyo, RBC Capital | Julia Vriend, CIBC Capital | Daphne Wallace, RBC Capital |
Mengqi (Grace) Yang, Manulife | May Yeung, Global X | Sara Zgheib, Ontario Teachers' |
Tongtong Zhou, ATB Financial |
The Emerging Leaders Program is open to VersaFi members with five to 10 years of experience from all areas of finance. Learn more: VersaFi's Emerging Leaders Program
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.
About Felix Global
Felix is a North American-based talent and organizational advisor with over 30 years of successful client engagements across numerous organizations of global reach in a variety of verticals including financial services, healthcare, industrial/manufacturing, technology, professional services and more. Felix offers a partnership with a team of thought leaders who deliver integrated solutions for achieving excellence in talent and organizational performance. We are experts in developing effective behavioral change & skill growth among executives and leaders with significant experience across multiple industries and functions.
SOURCE VersaFi