800×600-Announcement-microphones-istock-hxdbzxy alternate text for this image
iStockphoto/hxdbzxy

Each week, we summarize notable moves across the financial industry.

  • Scott Blakey, CAAT Pension Plan’s interim chief people and culture officer and executive vice-president, has resigned, weeks after being appointed, adding to the number of vacant roles at the pension plan. The resignation, first reported by The Globe and Mail, was confirmed by a CAAT spokesperson. Blakey had been a long-time board member, ending in December, including as chair or vice-chair between 2017 and the end of 2022. Earlier this month, CAAT’s CEO Derek Dobson was put on leave and board chair Don Smith was suspended after the pension plan’s chief information officer, chief financial officer and chief pension officer resigned en masse in December. According to media reports, they left CAAT after bringing their concerns to the board about its handling of a $1.6-million payout made to Dobson in lieu of vacation and a romantic, consensual relationship he had disclosed with an employee. Kevin Fahey, who had been promoted to chief investment officer in late January, is currently acting as interim CEO.
  • Micha Choi has been promoted to vice-president (VP) at Guardian Capital Advisors. She joined the firm as a client portfolio manager in 2020, moving from Burgundy Asset Management Ltd. after a decade. Her last role there was as associate investment counsellor.
  • Jimmy Chatta has joined TD as an investment advisor and associate portfolio manager. He was previously with Scotia Wealth Management for 11 years, starting as an investment associate and ending as a wealth advisor and associate portfolio manager. He also has held past roles with National Bank Financial Inc. and HSBC.
  • Ashley Hanson has joined Wealthsimple as a senior advisor, wealth management, moving from Dixon Mitchell Investment Counsel, where she spent more than 11 years, including six as an investment counsellor. She started her career at RBC Dominion Securities.
  • Alisha Watts has been named regional director for Ontario with Desjardins Securities. She was previously a managing director and branch manger with CIBC Wood Gundy for nearly seven years and before that held director and branch manager roles at Scotiabank. She’s also held legal and policy counsel roles at IA Clarington Investments and BMO Financial Group.
  • Daniel Arsenault has been promoted to VP of product strategy, research and oversight at Mackenzie Investments. He’s been with the firm for more than nine years in various product strategy roles. He started his career at RBC in 2003, later moving to a senior analyst role with RBC Global Asset Management, and then to CIBC Wood Gundy as director of investment funds.
  • Erika Laincy has been promoted to director of business transformation at CI Assante Wealth Management. She joined the firm as integration manager last August, following five years with Manulife Investment Management. Laincy has a background in marketing and was global retail sales enablement senior manager at Manulife.
  • Adam Mamdani has been named senior VP, distribution and channel management, retail advice and solutions at Sun Life, starting March 2. Mamdani is rejoining the firm after a previous nine-year stint that ended in 2017 when he was division director. He also has nearly nine years of experience at RBC Insurance in various roles, including VP and head of third-party and bank distribution.
  • Mark Salerno has joined Edward Jones as director of compliance for Canada, bringing more than 20 years of experience. He joins the firm from a chief compliance role with Ventum Advisors Corp. Before that, he was VP of compliance at Ventum Financial. Salerno also spent two years at the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (now known as the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization) as an examiner in business conduct compliance.
  • Lou Russo has been promoted to the role of executive VP, national sales and distribution at Starlight Capital. He was previously a senior VP. Russo also has previous VP-level experience with Fiera Capital, Dynamic Funds and Fidelity Investments.
  • Liam Spillane has been appointed head of emerging markets fixed income and senior portfolio manager at Manulife Investment Management. Based in London, Spillane brings more than 30 years of experience, including 12 with Aviva Investors. His most recent role there was in a similar role, as head of emerging markets debt.
  • David Colla has been promoted to senior managing director and global head of credit investments at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), effective April 1. Colla, who will join the senior management team, has been managing director and head of capital solutions at the pension plan for 15 years. He’s succeeding Andrew Edgell, who’s stepping down from the role after nearly five years in the role and more than 17 years with CPPIB. Edgell will continue as a senior advisor with the 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.