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Each week, we summarize notable moves across the financial industry.

Alex Besharat, executive vice-president and head of Canadian wealth management with Scotiabank, announced he will retire in February 2026, after a four-decade career in the financial services industry. Besharat, who has led Scotia’s wealth management platform in Canada since 2015, helping to launch Scotiabank’s Total Wealth Strategy, a comprehensive suite of services targeted at high-net-worth investors. He started as an advisor with McLeod Young Weir in 1986, rising to become head of ScotiaMcLeod in 2014.

With Besharat’s departure, Scotiabank has appointed two other leaders in the Canadian wealth management business who it says will help deliver on the bank’s ambitious earnings growth targets.

  • Erin Griffiths has been appointed executive vice-president of global wealth solutions. Griffiths was previously senior vice-president of client solutions, and has held senior roles with Scotia Wealth Management and ScotiaMcLeod since 2006. Erin’s portfolio has now been expanded to include Canadian private banking, cultural segments, and global investment solutions, in addition to Scotia iTRADE, Scotiatrust and client solutions.
  • Todd Barnes will assume the role of executive vice-president of Canadian Wealth Management Investment Advisory in September 2025. Barnes is currently senior vice-president and head of ScotiaMcLeod, and over the next six months his responsibilities will be expanded to include Scotia Wealth Management Private Investment Counsel and Jarislowsky Fraser Private Wealth. MD Financial Management will move under his leadership later in the year. Barnes originally joined ScotiaMcLeod as a branch manager in 2010, and was previously a vice-president, branch manager and investment advisor with CIBC Wood Gundy for nearly a decade.

Other industry moves:

  • Christine Van Cauwenberghe has joined the board of Conquest Planning Inc. Van Cauwenberghe has been with IG Wealth Management in senior roles for more than 23 years. She’s currently head of financial planning, and previously was vice-president, tax and estate planning for six years.

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