BMO Private Wealth takes on Kevin Barnes in newly created role

Each week, Investment Executive summarizes notable moves across the financial industry.

• Kevin Barnes was named head of private wealth distribution with BMO Private Wealth, effective March 27. Reporting to co-heads Meghan Meger and Geoff Newton, Barnes will craft and lead sales strategies, with a particular focus on services for affluent families, in the newly created role. He’s transitioned from his role as senior vice-president and region head, Greater Toronto region, with TD Wealth Private Wealth Management where he worked for nine years. His industry tenure of more than 30 years also includes positions with firms such as CIBC Wood Gundy and New York-based Merrill Lynch. Meger and Newton said in a release that, alongside Barnes, they also hope to attract “the industry’s best wealth management professionals.”
• Onex Corp. has signed an agreement to move its Gluskin Sheff wealth management advisor teams to RBC Wealth Management Canada. Onex stated that it wants to focus on investing, asset management and product development. Gluskin Sheff will wind down operations not transferred to RBC.
• Lesley Walters-Sagher, an industry veteran with more than 40 years of experience in financial services, has joined Vancouver-based Harbourfront Wealth Management Inc. as its new director of compliance supervision and program development. Operating out of the firm’s Winnipeg office, she’ll oversee compliance activity nationwide across 28 branches. She comes most recently from nearly four years with Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc.; her latest role being vice-president of supervision. In a release, she cited Harbourfront Wealth’s growth, as well as its late 2022 partnership with Boston-based Audax Private Equity, among the reasons for her move.

If you know of other people moves in the financial industry and/or would like us to consider your announcement, email Katie Keir at katie@newcom.ca.