Barb Amsden, a Canadian financial and investment industry veteran, is leaving the Investment Industry Association of Canada after several years with the organization.

“We will all miss Barb’s energy, wit, intelligence and happy smile,” said Ian Russell, in an email to staff members. “She may be leaving the IIAC, but we should all keep in mind that we will hear and see a lot of Barb in another incarnation. She has too much dedication to the public interest, too much ambition, and so much knowledge and energy, to spend time in a hammock.”

Since 2011, Amsden served as managing director, responsible for a number of projects, including capital market improvements, red tape reduction, taxes, and, cross-industry efforts to implement the client relationship model (CRM), phase one and phase two. She also served as director at the IIAC between 2006 and 2008, and was one of the original staff members when the IIAC was formed after the merger of the regulatory arm of the Investment Dealers Association and Market Regulation Services.

Between 2008 and 2011, she also served as director of the Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC).

Prior to her time with the IIAC and IFIC, she served as assistant vice president of strategy, communications, and product management at the Canadian Depository for Securities Ltd.; the executive director of the Canadian Capital Markets Association; and vice president and treasurer of the Canadian Bankers Association. She also worked at Chase Manhattan Bank and the Royal Bank of Canada.

The IIAC is currently seeking candidates to fill the managing director position, and has posted a listing for the role on the industry job board page of its website.