Board of Directors

Jennifer spent fourteen years in the Capital Markets group at Scotiabank. Most recently, she held the position of Managing Director and Head of Sales, Equity Derivative Solutions, where she was responsible for coverage of the Bank’s institutional and corporate clients. Under her leadership, her team grew the suite of equity derivative solutions and worked with clients to structure and execute transactions new to both the Bank and Canadian market. In 2018, one of her team’s novel transactions was highlighted as a key transaction in the Bank’s Annual Report.

Prior to this role, she led the Consumer Energy Derivative Sales team, responsible for marketing energy and agricultural hedging solutions to end users of commodities across North America. Under her leadership, Jennifer grew the business into the top-ranked consumer platform in Canada as rated by Greenwich Associates.

In 2021, Jennifer joined a high-growth start-up led by Mike Durland (ex-CEO of Scotia’s wholesale Bank) providing a niche technology in the natural language processing space. As part of the senior leadership team at Receptiviti, she is responsible for the go-to-market and customer acquisition strategy for a new application programming interface technology launched at the beginning of 2020. She participates in crafting the strategic direction for the organization as well as guiding the science and technology teams towards the appropriate product market offerings. The technology is readily used in HR, mental health, and workplace analytics technology offerings.

Throughout her career, Jennifer has been committed to the advancement of women and diversity. While on her first maternity leave, she helped write the business case for the Diversity and Inclusion office at Scotiabank and later co-chaired the Innovation pillar of the GBM’s Scotia Women’s Initiative. She is a mentor to countless women and has been a regular contributor to women’s development themed events, such as WCMAspire and Mentor Lunch and Learn events. In 2019, she was honoured to receive the WCM Rising Star Award.


On a personal note, Jennifer is an involved mom to two high-energy children aged five and eight. She is a past member of Canada’s senior national gymnastics team and now a full-time hockey mom.

Monique Allen is the Executive Vice President, Data & Technology at OMERS, one of Canada’s largest pension plans. She has overall accountability for technology strategy and execution.

Monique is a member of the OMERS Executive Leadership Team, and the Executive Sponsor of the OMERS Women in Technology Employee Resource Group.

Monique has more than 20 years of experience as a financial technology leader. Prior to joining OMERS, Monique held several leadership roles in technology and general management. Most recently, Monique led the Canadian region at Finastra, one of the world’s top financial technology companies. In this role, Monique transformed several software businesses, modernizing the digital lending experience and transforming front- and back- office functions. Prior to that she held global technology roles at HP and P&G.

An advocate for leadership in equity, diversity and inclusion, Monique serves on the board of directors for Hackergal, a not for profit organization that encourages coding for girls, and is a founding member of CILAR, the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism. Monique was recently published in “The Collective Wisdom of High Performing Women.”

Monique is joining the board of WCM in 2022. Monique holds an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Waterloo, and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, York University. She is an avid hockey player and musician; hobbies she shares with her husband, Scott, and stepchildren, Ryan and Lauren.

As Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, Sébastien Bélair, is responsible of the Bank’s strategy of engaging and empowering employees to work collaboratively as One Team. His focus is on building high-performing teams in an inclusive workplace where employees feel both inspired and proud to work.

Over his 30-year career in banking, Mr. Bélair served in a number of senior leadership roles, including as SVP, Human Resources Strategy and Efficiency at a leading Canadian financial institution. He has Developed and in-depth knowledge of several sectors or activity, having worked in retail banking, call Centres, operations, relationship management and transformation. He has a proven track record of Driving results, finding innovative solutions and promoting diversity in the workplace.

Mr. Bélair holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Administration from HEC Montréal and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University.

Brad Black is Managing Director and Global Head, Financial Solutions Group (FSG) with CIBC Capital Markets. FSG is a global cross-asset sales team that provides Global Markets products and services to institutional clients comprised of Asset Managers, Pension Plans, Life Insurance Companies, Hedge Funds and Central Banks & Sovereign Wealth Funds. The scope of products and services include foreign exchange, fixed income, commodities, equity derivatives, financing and bespoke structured investment solutions including QIS and custom indices. Over his 17-year career, he has worked in all key areas of Capital Markets bringing a broad perspective to clients including Corporate and Investment Banking, Global Markets and Structuring.

Mr. Black joined CIBC’s Managing Director Selection Committee in 2018 and has been part of CIBC’s Global Leadership Team since 2015. From 2016 to 2018, he was a member of CIBC’s Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Council, where he worked to establish sustainable gender balance across the firm. He is a member of the Capitalize 4 Kids Leadership Council, 3to6 Foundation Board of Directors (a MLSE Foundation charity), United Way Major Individual Giving Cabinet and served many years as Capital Markets Chair of CIBC Miracle Day.


Mr. Black graduated from McMaster University (Hons B. Comm) and started his career with CIBC in 2001. He is a proud husband and blessed father of two wonderful daughters.

Tamara Finch is Executive Managing Director and Global Head of Financial Sponsors at TD Securities. Tamara leads a high performing investment banking team responsible for being a trusted advisor to Private Equity, Infrastructure, and Canadian Pension Plan investors across LBO, M&A, IPO and financing mandates. In her 20+ years of private equity, investment and corporate banking experience, Tamara has built a reputation for being an entrepreneurial change agent, building trust, achieving consensus, and driving value.

Tamara is seen as a senior female role model in Finance, a believer in talent being the key driver of value in all companies, and a passionate advocate of the advancement of women in the workplace and on boards. Tamara believes that diversity in teams and board rooms leads to better discussions, better decision making and ultimately better performance.

Prior to joining TD, Tamara was a direct private equity investor, built the successful value creation business for Ontario Teachers’, creating a systematic, repeatable transformation agenda across the global 60+ company direct investment portfolio that consistently delivered top quartile returns. Tamara sat on the Private Capital Underwriting Committee, chaired the Portfolio Monitoring Committee, and took on key leadership roles in strategy, talent and digital innovation for the pension fund.

Tamara began her finance career at Scotiabank in Corporate Credit focused on leveraged buy-outs. She has extensive board experience including Amica Senior Lifestyles, Exal Group, Alliance Laundry Systems and Women’s College Hospital.

Tamara holds a BA Honours Economics from Queen's University and an MBA from the University of Toronto. She is a CFA charterholder and holds the ICD.D designation. Outside of work Tamara enjoys community service, spending time with family and friends, and a good tennis match.

David Garg is currently Senior Vice-President, Corporate Development. In this role David leads the Corporate Development Team on mergers and acquisitions, and strategic investments across Sun Life. He works closely with all members of the Corporate Development team globally to provide thought leadership on capital deployment, build a pipeline of opportunities, and structure and execute strategic transactions. David also plays a key role in leading and developing the global Corporate Development team. In his role, David works closely with the Corporate functions and business group leaders to help achieve our ambition of being one of the best insurance and asset management companies in the world.

David is a seasoned professional with extensive experience working on mergers and acquisitions and in capital markets. For the past 18 years David has held progressively senior roles at Scotiabank and most recently was Managing Director and Head, Financial Institutions Corporate and Investment Banking. Throughout his tenure he oversaw several high-profile Canadian transactions. He has worked with all major insurers in the country and has a deep understanding of the industry. David has also lived and worked in the United Kingdom.

David holds a B.A. in Business Administration from York University, Schulich School of Business. He also sits on the Board of Governors at York University where he serves on the Investment Committee and as a Pension Fund Trustee. Outside of work, he is an avid chess player and a fan of virtually all sports. David lives in Toronto with his wife, Christie, and two young children, Brady and Ivy.

Deland Kamanga is the Group Head for BMO Wealth Management, leading the strategic direction for a broad range of businesses including Private Wealth Canada (BMO Nesbitt Burns and BMO Private Banking), U.S. Wealth Management, BMO Global Asset Management, BMO InvestorLine and BMO Insurance.

Deland has more than 30 years of banking experience, most recently as Head, Global Markets within BMO Capital Markets, providing markets-based solutions to BMO’s corporate, institutional and government clients. He’s a member of BMO’s Executive Committee and also serves on the board of InvestorLine, BMO Nesbitt Burns Holdings Corp., BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. and BMO Capital Markets Corp.

Deland is a dynamic senior leader who strongly advocates for causes within BMO and in his community. He is a proud champion of diversity and participates in a variety of BMO’s employee groups and initiatives, including BMO Black Professionals Network Canada, which he founded as an executive sponsor. Deland in also the co-Chair for BMO’s Employee Giving campaign, partnering with United Way and affiliated charities across North America. Deland received the 2021 Catalyst Champion Award for his trailblazing work for a more inclusive workplace for women. He serves on the BMO Leadership Committee for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Deland is a member of the SickKids Board of Trustees in Toronto since 2020 and joined the Board of Directors of SickKids Foundation in June 2022. He serves on the board of Women in Capital Markets as Treasurer and on the Jackie Robinson Foundation as Director. He is also a dedicated mentor to young professionals, inspiring them to bring their very best to the workplace and motivate them to achieve their career goals.

He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Western Ontario and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Joanne O’Hea is Managing Director, Global Head of Corporate Access at RBC Capital Markets. She was previously a Director of Global Equity Trading at RBC Capital Markets, where she was responsible for the sales and trading of equity securities for institutional and corporate clients, management of normal course issuer bids, at-the-market transactions and partnering with Sales, Trading, Research and Investment Banking in building deeper corporate relationships.

Since joining RBC Capital markets in 2007, Joanne has made significant contributions to the firm’s success and workplace culture. She is one of the founding members of RBC Capital Markets’ RWomen, a globally expanding internal forum dedicated to fostering female development and career aspiration, and is a member of RBC’s Canadian Diversity Leadership Council, playing an important role in driving diversity initiatives across the firm.


Joanne has been recognized by Women in Capital Markets receiving the 2011 Rising Star Award, 2016 Executive Coaching Award and 2017 Champion of Change, highlighting leaders in the capital markets industry.

She has served as Director on multiple not-for-profit boards and is currently a member of the SickKids Innovators Advisory Council and Co-Chair of Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation’s annual Well Dressed for Spring fundraiser.

Joanne is married and a proud mother of three young children.

Leila Rafi is a partner in the Capital Markets and M&A Group at McMillan LLP. Leila advises on a broad range of securities law matters and has a highly transactional practice and also has expertise in investment funds and asset management. She is a prolific speaker at industry events. In 2022, Leila was recognized as one of Canada’s 25 Most Influential Lawyers, and in 2018, was awarded the Lexpert Rising Stars Award for top Canadian lawyers under 40. She has been Lexpert Ranked in 2021 and 2023 as a Leading Lawyer for Capital Markets and was awarded Best Lawyers for corporate law between 2019-2022.

In the past, Ms. Rafi acted as a member of the Securities Advisory Committee at the Ontario Securities Commission and currently sits on the Steering Committee for Northwind which holds annual capital markets conferences for senior folks in the industry. She also sits on the Advisory Committee for the Expansive Woman Project. Leila has taught a Securities Regulation course at Queens, Faculty of Law in the past, and also been Adjunct Faculty at the University of Western, Faculty of Law, and the University of Windsor, Faculty of Law. As well, Leila acts a formal and informal mentor to many students and younger lawyers, including through the University of Toronto Student Women’s Association Program.

Jackie Uy Ham Lee is Vice President, Growth Businesses, Personal Banking Lending at Equitable Bank (Canada’s 7th largest bank), where she is responsible for the growth of the bank’s Personal Lending businesses, including Insurance Lending and Reverse Mortgages. She also drives strategy for the Personal Bank, which includes the bank’s digital retail arm, EQ Bank.

Prior to joining Equitable, Jackie was a Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where she worked across several industries including, Financial Services, Private Equity, and Technology, Media and Telecom. She supported clients on an array of complex strategic problems, including developing multiple 3 to 5-year strategies for mid to large (public and private) corporations to improve competitive position and to win market share. Jackie co-led Women@BCG Canada, where she championed multiple initiatives to promote mentorship and affiliation.

Jackie began her career in Investment Banking at UBS Securities Canada Inc., where she advised clients on buy / sell side diligences, restructurings, and several capital raises. She has an MBA from the Wharton School, at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts, Honors in Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business, at Western University. Jackie lives in Toronto with her husband and her young twins.