Break the glass ceiling: Enhance your executive capabilities and advance your professional trajectory.

The Executive Leaders Program offers mid-senior women a distinctive and invaluable professional development experience, strategically positioning them for sustained success in leadership. The program facilitates effective strategies and approaches to address challenges to advancement while refining capabilities along the program.


This intensive seven-month program delivers executive coaching and personal development sessions to women with more than a decade of experience in the finance sector.

Join the alumnae that have benefited from this hybrid program and have moved on to the highest ranks in their finance careers.

Program Impact 

Since 2010, our program has had a significant impact on our 130 alumnae, their firms, and the industry:

  • 95 % of participants advanced in their careers
  • 81% were retained by their organizations
  • 97% remained in the industry

The Executive Leaders Program includes:

  • Six months of executive coaching through coaching partner Felix Global;
  • Welcome reception and senior leaders panel;
  • Cohort closing dinner
  • Facet5™ professional personality assessment and debrief meeting; and
  • 360-degree evaluation and report.

Candidates from across North America are encouraged to apply. The welcome reception and closing dinner will be held in person, in Toronto. All recipients are encouraged to attend in person. The coaching will be held virtually.

**Program cost of  $8,500 CAD for VersaFi Corporate Partners and $15,000 regular rate + HST will apply to those accepted into the program.

 

Program Eligibility

To apply, ensure that you:

  • Have an active VersaFi Membership
  • Candidates must be employed at a senior-level position in their firm.
  • Have a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in finance.
  • Candidates need to apply with the support of their firm (fee of $8,500 CAD for VersaFi Corporate Partners and $15,000 regular rate for those accepted into the program)
  • Submit a complete application that includes all of the components listed below.

1. Resume: should outline a minimum of 10 years in the finance sector

2. Your response to the following questions (found in application link):

  • Briefly outline your career aspirations over the next three to five years. (Be as specific as possible). 
  • What outcomes would make this program a success for you?
  • Tell us about a significant obstacle you have faced in your personal or professional life. How did you approach it, and what did you learn about yourself as a leader through that experience?
  • What leadership challenges are you currently facing that you’d like to focus on during the coaching?

October 20, 2025: Applications Open

November 14, 2025: Application Deadline

Early December 2025: Successful Candidates Notified

January 28 2026: Program Kick-Off (Toronto, in person)

January-August 2026: Facet5 & debrief, 360-degree report & coaching sessions every two weeks May-August

September 9 2026: Program Closing Reception (Toronto, in person)

 

Testimonials

Participating in the VersaFi Executive Coaching Program was a transformative experience that sharpened my self-awareness and clarified my leadership trajectory. Through executive leadership sessions, I learned to prioritize my goals and gained a deeper understanding of both my strengths and areas for growth. The program helped me define my career aspirations with precision, and I’ve started building the leadership muscles needed to reach the next level with a clear, actionable plan. The coaching sessions were especially impactful—each meeting reignited my focus, kept me aligned with my goals, and reinforced the mindset shifts essential for lasting change. To my fellow female colleagues: If you’re serious about accelerating your growth, owning your leadership journey, and building a powerful network of support, I strongly urge you to invest in yourself by joining this program.

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.

The VersaFi Executive Leaders Program helped me to put a career plan in place and advocate better for myself. I now have a better understanding of my leadership strengths and challenges, and the confidence to enhance my “presence”

quote-icon
quote-icon

Alumnae

The Executive Leaders Program has advanced the careers of 130 women, with all participants moving into increasingly senior positions in their finance careers. Congratulations to the below recipients of VersaFi’s Executive Leaders Program.

Swati Baheti, RBC Capital Markets
Oksanna Fill, CPP Investments
Divya Goyal, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets
Hima Katari, RBC Capital Markets
Erin Lamont, TD Securities
Susan McFadden, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Kristen Meraw, RBC Capital Markets
Cheryl Quan, PwC Canada
Anissa Rabia-Zeribi, CIBC Capital Markets
Lauren Reid, National Bank Financial Markets
Maggi Shinouda, Manulife
Ala Stratila, Manulife
Karine Tousignant, National Bank Financial Markets
Mélanie Viguié-Bilodeau, National Bank
Alena Vinogradova, BMO Capital Markets
Julie Walcott, BMO Private Wealth
Petra Wendroth, SLC Management
Siaw Yun Poi, CPP Investments
Agnes Zbroinski, RBC Capital Markets
YiDing Zhang, RBC Capital Markets

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.

Other Programs

Emerging Leaders Program

Mid-level professionals: break through to the next level of your career with individual and group professional coaching sessions.

Professional Mentorship Program

Be paired with a mentor outside of your firm who can guide you in establishing career goals and advance your career.