Toronto-based Women in Capital Markets (WCM) named its 2021 award recipients on Monday, recognizing professionals who exhibited a commitment to equity, diversity and an inclusive Canadian financial industry.
Two individuals will receive WCM Transformational Leadership Award at a virtual reception on Dec. 8.
John Currie, vice-president and head of global wholesale operations of Asia Pacific at Scotiabank, and Donna Valiquette, chief corporate administrative officer for Canada and head of culture and employee experience for the Americas at MUFG Bank Ltd., earned the honours.
The award is given to senior executives who have made a lasting contribution to gender diversity and inclusion at their companies and are forging organizational and cultural change with tangible, measurable impacts.
TD Securities’ Women in Leadership Committee Canada earned the WCM Award for Excellence in Innovation for cultivating a culture of innovation and developing new programming that promotes diversity and inclusion.
Lindsay Patrick, head of strategic initiatives and ESG at RBC Capital Markets, and Farnaz Shahed, director of institutional derivative solutions at RBC Capital Markets, also received the award for innovation. The pair was recognized for work on the Equality Fund, a multi-stakeholder fund that promotes gender equality around the world.
WCM also recognized rising stars in the industry. The recipients of this year’s award for “high-performing, female professionals who have demonstrated excellence and are on the path to becoming future leaders in Canada’s finance industry” are:
- Nan Chen, principal at OMERS Capital Markets
- Brianne Gardner, financial advisor at Raymond James Ltd.
- Jenny Kletinich, vice-president of debt capital markets at RBC Capital Markets
- Maryam Moshiri, director of alternate solutions group, capital markets at CIBC Capital Markets
- Janet Richardson, manager of wealth sales at Manulife
The WCM Outstanding Volunteer Award went to Christina Carnovale, director of foreign exchange at RBC Capital Markets, and Hannah Smerek, director of commodity derivatives at National Bank Financial, for their dedication and innovation in growing WCM membership in Calgary.