WCM + DFIC Present: The Road to CIO - A Fireside Chat with Lesley Marks & Lara Zink
Wednesday, June 21st 20235:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Join us at Mackenzie Investments' Toronto office for an inspiring fireside chat between WCM President and CEO, Lara Zink & Mackenzie Investments' CIO Lesley Marks.
Discussion topics will include the career journeys of these two incredible female leaders and the ways in which we can work to promote more women into senior leadership positions.
This event is presented in partnership with DeGroote Finance and Investment Council (DFIC), and is open to young women and those from equity seeking groups. Students in both undergrad and post grad programs are encouraged to register.
* WCM believes in accessibility and inclusivity. If ticket cost poses a barrier to you, please reach out to [email protected]
Lara Zink
President & CEO | WCM
Lara Zink is currently President & CEO of Women in Capital Markets. WCM is the largest network of female professionals in Canadian finance, with initiatives that impact the careers of countless female students and professionals across the country.
Prior to joining WCM, Lara spent 18 months in venture capital. She is an angel investor and a mentor at a startup accelerator called NEXT Canada. NEXT accelerates the growth trajectory of aspiring and scaling entrepreneurs with education, mentorship, funding, and access to Canada’s strongest entrepreneurial network.
From 1995 to 2019 Lara worked at RBC Capital Markets. She sold North American and European equity research and investment banking products to many of Canada’s largest institutional investors, including pension funds, bank owned mutual funds, and independent fund managers. A lead partner in RBC Women’s Leadership ETF, she has been a strong advocate for ED&I throughout her career and has extensive volunteer experience for social impact.
Lara holds a Bachelors of Arts degree from UWO, and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management. Lara is a Governor on the University of Toronto Governing Council, she sits on two Foundation boards, the CAMH Campaign Cabinet, and is volunteer and newly appointed Board Member for the Special Olympics. Lara has been an active mentor to junior women and men throughout her career.
Lesley Marks
Chief Investment Officer, Equities | Mackenzie Investments
Lesley Marks, Senior Vice President, Investment Management is Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of Equities for Mackenzie Investments. She oversees approximately 110 investment professionals who are involved in the day-to-day management of Mackenzie funds across the firm’s 12 equity boutiques. As CIO, Lesley is responsible for more than $65 billion of Mackenzie’s assets under management.
Lesley is a seasoned investment leader with more than 25 years of experience across asset and wealth management, including 22 years at the Bank of Montreal. During her tenure at BMO, Lesley was a CIO in both Asset Management and Wealth Management and prior to that had an extensive successful track record as a portfolio manager of Canadian equity portfolios.
Lesley is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University and an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business. She is currently Chair of the Crescent School Foundation board, sits on the advisory board of the Institute for Sustainable Finance and is a member of the Audit and Risk Committee for Kids Help Phone.
