Each week, we summarize notable moves across the financial industry.
- Steph Condra has joined TD Private Wealth as vice-president (VP), investment management, leaving Wellington-Altus Financial Inc. after nearly two years as executive vice-president (EVP) and chief experience officer. Condra brings more than two decades of investment industry experience, including five years heading up BMO Private Wealth’s National Strategy Office, and two years with Irish Life Investment Managers, where she established its Canadian business.
- Luke Gee is set to join Scotiabank as EVP and chief data and AI officer on Oct. 19, a spokesperson for the bank confirmed. Gee will step away from TD, where he’s currently a senior vice-president (SVP) and chief analytics and AI officer. He joined TD eight years ago, after spending 12 years at Royal Bank of Scotland in progressively senior analytics roles, ending as head of personal and banking analytics and decisioning. In the newly created AI leadership position at Scotiabank, Gee will work closely with the ScotiaTech and Strategy and Operating groups co-leading the bank’s AI and data transformation. The move was first reported by Bloomberg.
- Brad Lorimer has been named CEO of Aon Canada, starting Sept. 1. Lorimer has been a senior leader with Aon for close to 20 years, and is currently EVP, with responsibilities for the East and Central regions. He previously held a VP role at Chubb Insurance. He’ll take over from acting CEO Paul Croft, who’s also chief operating officer (COO), Aon Canada. Stéphane Lespérance, who previously held the role, left Aon in June after nearly 25 years with the insurer to lead Lockton’s Canadian retail business.
- Michelle Joliat has joined Northleaf Capital Partners as COO, starting Aug. 31. She brings experience as a leader in digital and operational transformation in banking and wealth management, including at BMO Financial Group and RBC. Joliat is currently SVP, product delivery, with Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. Nadim Vasanji has been named chief financial officer (CFO) and head of corporate development, as of Oct. 1. He’s served in various senior roles at the firm, including as managing director, strategic distribution and marketing, for more than a dozen years. Current CFO and COO Jeff Lucasson will move into the newly created role of vice-chair, finance and operations. He’s held his current roles since 2017 and is credited with playing a key role in the firm’s growth.
- Aravind Sithamparapillai has launched AMA Wealth Inc., leaving Ironwood Wealth Management Group, where he worked for more than six years in all, and one year as a financial planner. Sithamparapillai was an inaugural recipient of FP Canada’s emerging leader award last year.
- Mark Snyder has been named chief credit risk and data officer with goeasy Ltd. He most recently served as SVP credit risk and data analysis at President’s Choice Financial, which was recently acquired by EQ Bank. Before that, he spent more than 20 years with Capital One in various senior roles focused on credit risk and strategy, analytics and data science, ending as VP, head of decision services. He’ll start his new job on Sept. 8.
- Lisa Lansdowne-Higgins has retired from RBC after 14 years in senior roles, including as VP business deposits and treasury solutions. Earlier in her three-decade career, she also held senior roles at HSBC Canada and TD Bank.
- Colette Wagner has been named chair of the Pension Investment Association of Canada’s Communiqué Committee. Wagner is director of public investments at Saskatchewan Healthcare Employees’ Pension Plan.
If you know of other people moves in the financial industry and/or would like us to consider your announcement, email Alisha Hiyate at alisha.h@newcom.ca.