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VersaFi is growing our community of talented women and taking our advocacy efforts to a new level. Join us!
Gender equity in the finance sector.
VersaFi champions a dynamic community where women and gender diverse individuals from all backgrounds and intersecting identities thrive, succeed and belong. We accelerate gender equity through industry-leading programs, actionable research and active partnerships with the sector.
We are deeply proud of our roots in Capital Markets, but recognize that the dynamics and complexity of the finance sector have evolved since we were founded in 1995. We’ve rebranded to become VersaFi – a nod to the diversity of members we serve in finance, from the sell side, to the buy side, fintech and those interacting with these disciplines.
Look for VersaFi to play an even bigger role in leading the gender equity conversation in the finance sector.
Our community of 50 corporate partners and more than 4,000 individual professional and student members makes VersaFi the largest network of professionals in Canadian finance who have come together to advance equity for women in the finance sector. Together, we identify and address barriers to women’s advancement, share best practices and strategies for progress, and develop actionable policies and practices designed to advance gender equity.
Here’s a few ways we do this:
VersaFi champions a dynamic community where women and gender diverse individuals from all backgrounds and intersecting identities thrive, succeed and belong. We accelerate gender equity through industry-leading programs, actionable research and active partnerships with the sector.
Our 30 year history has been impactful, focused on changing the paradigm for women and gender-diverse professionals working in the finance sector.
Women in Capital Markets was founded by Roberta Ann Benson, Marianne Harris, Heather-Anne Irwin, Susanne Monteith, Constance Sugiyama and Ruth Woods.
Their goal was to change the paradigm for women by raising awareness around the inequities faced, and by demonstrating the importance of inclusion across the sector.
During the first decade of operations, WCM was a small, volunteer-run organization focused specifically on the Capital Markets sector. Presidents served mostly one-year terms, and worked with their peers and industry experts to create solutions for the acceleration of diversity through advocacy, research, programming and recruitment. The inaugural Champions of Change Gala was held in 2001.
WCM expanded and focused more on strategic outcomes through its Board and newly formed Advisory Council (2007). The team launched a Mentorship Program (1998) and launched the WCM Leadership Awards (2007). In 2010 the Return to Bay Street and Executive Leaders programs were established, followed by the Emerging Leaders Program in 2014.
WCM evolved to a large professionally-run national NFP, resulting in new programming and expansion of its partners and members. Regional Steering Committees were created, starting with Montreal in 2016, followed by Calgary, BC and Ontario. 2018 brought the Aspire and Elevate Programs and our Job Shadow Day events expanded to include Montreal (2019), Calgary and BC (2022). Our Research team developed industry-changing reports on topics like parental leave and psychological safety.
While our name has changed, our commitment to accelerating equity for women in finance is stronger than ever. Through innovative initiatives, strategic partnerships and ongoing support we will continue to empower women and drive meaningful change across the sector.
We’re deeply proud of our roots in Capital Markets, but recognize that the finance sector has evolved significantly since the organization was founded nearly 30 years ago. This new brand identity better reflects the diversity and complexity of the finance sector we serve, enabling us to grow our community and to double down on important advocacy efforts. It’s a bold step forward, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Discover who we are and what we do!