Dina Palozzi, who recently announced she was resigning as superintendent and CEO of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, says her knowledge and personal commitment to protecting consumers will bode well in her new position at BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc.

Palozzi will begin work at Nesbitt Burns July 30 after finishing her last day at FSCO on July 13.

She is a strong proponent of consumers, a belief she will take with her as executive vice president of client relations at Nesbitt Burns.

“I bring a knowledge base and personal commitment through the job about the need to look after the consumer’s interest,” she says. “I believe … that addressing the consumer’s interest is good for business at the end of the day.”

Palozzi has experience in insurance and pensions through her position at FSCO and a knowledge of the issues surrounding the securities industry as chairman of the Joint Forum of Regulators. While she was one of the founders of the joint forum, she says it now has its own momentum and will be able to continue with its original aim of harmonizing laws across the provinces and across industries.

As well, she has taken part in a proposed merger between FSCO and the Ontario Securities Commission. However, insurance industry officials are concerned with Palozzi’s departure. They say without her strong influence, the securities industry’s culture might take over their own and substantially change the insurance industry.

Palozzi, who recently turned 50, was entitled to receive her pension after 29 years of working for the Ontario government. And she felt it was time to move on to something different. “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt,” she said of her long-time civil servant career.