Emerging Leaders Program
Mid-level professionals: break through to the next level of your career with individual and group professional coaching sessions.
Accelerating gender diversity in finance
The Executive Leaders Program provides senior women with a unique and valuable professional development opportunity, positioning them for continued success by overcoming the barriers set to prevent access to advancement and enhancing their skills along the way. This six-month program offers women with 10+ years of experience in finance executive coaching and personal development sessions.
To date, 93 women have benefited from this hybrid program and have moved on to the highest ranks in their finance careers.
Candidates from across North America are encouraged to apply. The Welcome Reception will be held in person, in Toronto. All recipients are encouraged to attend in person. The skill-build sessions and coaching will be held virtually.
**Program cost of $8,200 CAD for VersaFi Corporate Partners and $15,000 regular rate + HST will apply to those accepted into the program.
To apply, ensure that you:
* Candidates must be available for a six-month period to work with an executive coach under a mutually agreed upon schedule. Once the program recipients are announced, a further memorandum of understanding will be provided at a special meeting. The memorandum will outline the time period and commitment expectations between the recipient and the executive coach.
Candidates will be assessed on:
1. Resume: should outline a minimum of 10 years in the finance sector (1 point)
2. Letter of Recommendation: must be from a manager or senior individual in your firm that demonstrates the endorsement by senior level executives regarding your potential for leadership and advancement. (5 points)
3. Your response to the following questions (found in application link):
– Provide measurable examples that outline your commitment to your career development (may include: professional development opportunities, further education, training or credentials, commitment to learning and development, etc.). (3 points)
– Share examples in your career of when you have assumed leaderships roles and/ or exhibited characteristics of leadership. (3 points)
– Share any examples of obstacles you have overcome in your career journey. (3 points)
– Share how you have championed equity, diversity and inclusion. (Could include ways that you have given back through volunteering with VersaFi or the greater community). (3 points)
– Briefly outline your career aspirations over the next three to five years. (Be as specific as possible). (2 points)
– Outline why coaching at this level will be beneficial to your career and what you hope to get out of it (must complete but not scored).
October 14, 2024: Applications Open
November 18, 2024: Application Deadline
Early December 2024: Successful Candidates Notified
Late January 2025: Program Kick-Off (Toronto, in person)
August 2025: Program Concludes
The concepts and insights I learned from personal coaching was very helpful. I will continue to use aspects of what I learned and apply them for the rest of my career.
I was pregnant when I applied and was very hesitant about the program. As it turns out, it was the best thing I could have done. The program helped me transition back to work more focused and aware of my goals. The coaching and the patience of my coach with my schedule, has let me “hit the ground” running on my return.
I moved from working in hedge funds (in a challenging post 2008 market) and broadened out my skill set. I found my coach, Susan Richardson, and the program to be instrumental in both of my moves that came shortly after my award. I now work a relationship manager at an asset management firm, where I bring my actuarial experience to LDI work with clients, as well as my capital markets experience. I have also given back as promised as I am active in the Women in Leadership program.
The coaching has been invaluable to actively manage my own career. It gave me confidence and strategy.
The lasting impact on my career was the coaching itself versus the recognition – it built confidence and self awareness.
Empowered my decision making process, give me confidence to speak up and ask for more advanced roles, more conviction to speak up and make changes.
It helped me get more sponsors in my organization and helped me focus on working on a few skills which were critical in me getting the promotion to the next level.
The Executive Leaders Program has advanced the careers of 93 women, with all participants moving into increasingly senior positions in their finance careers. Congratulations to the below recipients of VersaFi’s Executive Leaders Program.
Harriet Bynon-Murray, PwC Canada
Patricia Cernes-Banner, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Liza Cheong, BMO Private Wealth
Ayanna Dick, RBC Capital Markets
Liza Januzi, TD Securities
Anastassia Kobeleva, CPP Investments
Olivia Lee, HSBC Canada
Iris Liu, CPP Investments
Kelly McKenna, CPP Investments
Nicola Milne, RBC Capital Markets
Andrea Moyes, Manulife
Bernadette Murphy, CIBC Capital Markets
Cristina Popescu, National Bank Financial Markets
Saira Raheel, RBC Capital Markets
Katherine Robinson, BMO Capital Markets
Axelle Roosen, TMX Group
Ewa Wozniak, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Anne-Marie Monette, RBC Capital Markets
Archie Sachdeva, Manulife
Ashleigh Patterson, Gluskin Sheff & Associates
Bridget Higgins, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Élodie Fleury, National Bank Financial Markets
Heather Killian, CIBC Capital Markets
Holly Brooks, Manulife
Karen Couldrey, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Kiki Lin, Manulife
Kim Pham, National Bank Financial Markets
Laura Miller, RBC Capital Markets
Lisa Deakin, HSBC Bank Canada
Maria Tihotchi, BMO Capital Markets
Mehreen Siddique Manulife
Norma Valles, TD Securities
Sandra T. Giannou,National Bank Financial Markets
Valcony Sun, PwC
Yasmin Nasser, RBC Capital Markets
Patricia Corcoran, Manulife Investments
Carla Deeks, Scotiabank
Jacqueline Green, CIBC Capital Markets
Miao Hong, TD Securities
Sedef Inci Ozcelik, RBC Capital Markets
Brittany Owens, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Natalie Serebrennik, BMO Capital Markets
Gayatri Sriram, Manulife Investments
Barbara Foy-Pilchner, Manulife Investments
Roanna Kim, RBC Capital Markets
Meric Koksal, CIBC Capital Markets
Mary Ann Mendes, BMO Capital Markets
Sarah Thompson, RBC Capital Markets
Mathilda Yared, National Bank of Canada
Roberta Carano, Scotiabank, Global Banking and Markets
Joanne Hing, BMO Capital Markets
Maria Hushovd, RBC Capital Markets
Alana Johnston, Scotiabank, Global Banking and Markets
Priya Radha, CIBC Capital Markets
Louisa Spector-Noel, Scotiabank, Global Banking and Markets
Danielle Clements-Lewis, Scotiabank
Luana DiCandia, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Maria Laura Gimena, Scotiabank
Faiza Vassanji, National Bank Financial
Catherine Zhang, Scotiabank
Alicia Quinn, Scotiabank
Ekta Mendhi, CIBC
Jennifer Long, Scotiabank
Jiena Chen, TD Securities
Karin Bergeron, Scotiabank
Roseanne Palumbo, TD Securities
Andreea Amariei, TD Securities
Deanna Harada, Scotiabank
Erika Osmond, Scotiabank
Tara Kennedy, TD Securities
Stephanie Wolfe, BlackRock
Marta Cano, Scotiabank
Anastasia Kotsidis, Scotiabank
Elizabeth Daponte, Scotiabank GBM
Cheryl M. Ferguson, BMO Capital Markets
Joanne O’Hea, Director, RBC Capital Markets
Priya Radha, Scotiabank GBM
Paula Czach, Scotiabank
Mistine Lauzon, Goldman Sachs
Andrea Morwick, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Rebecca Pang, CIBC
Julie Cowan, Morgan Stanley
Kirsten Kennedy, BMO Capital Markets
Catherine Staveley,BMO Capital Markets
Beata Swist, National Bank Financial
Charlotte Daughney, TD Securities
Viktoriya Gruzytska, CIBC
Nicola Ray-Smith, Scotiabank
Wendy Smith, Scotiabank
Synthia St-Michel, Intact Investment Management
Diana Avigdor, Barometer Capital Management
Susanna Cicic, CIBC
Chint Kulkarni, CIBC
Sandra Tittlit, BMO Capital Markets
Hatice Unal, ITG Canada Corp
Julie Card, Ascent Investment Management
Patricia Graham, RBC Capital Markets
Sheryl Holmes, CIBC
Kathryn Smith, TD Securities
Camilla Sutton, Scotia Capital
Laura Isidean, Scotia Capital Ascent
Heather Kirk, National Bank Financial
Sandra Lokoff, RBC Capital Markets
Annie Ropar, RBC Capital Markets
Laurie Russell, CIBC Capital Markets
Carrie Freeborough, Citigroup Global Markets Canada Inc.
Michelle Khalili, CIBC World Markets
Deborah Lee Chang, BMO Harris Investment Management
Lisa Petrelli, UBS Securities Canada
Mary Robertson, Scotia Capital Inc.
Thank you to our coaching partner, Felix Global.
Felix is a North American leader in providing superior talent solutions to organizations that value strong leaders, strong talent and strong cultures. Felix was founded on a commitment Strength in People™. We live that commitment every day by delivering a responsive, cost-effective, customer-centric approach to talent solutions, aimed at exceeding goals and results for our valued customers and their organizations.
With over 25 years of experience, our solutions have benefited best-in-class organizations from a wide range of industries, including Financial Services, Technology, Life Sciences, Telecommunications, Energy, Retail, Manufacturing, Not-for-Profit and Government. As a provider of professional and Executive coaching services, we focus on enhancing leadership effectiveness and impact, increasing leaders’ ability to lead during times of external and internal change and incorporate the needs of each individual leader, ensuring an experience based on coach-client fit. More information available at www.felixglobal.com.
Mid-level professionals: break through to the next level of your career with individual and group professional coaching sessions.
Be paired with a mentor outside of your firm who can guide you in establishing career goals and advance your career.
