Industry moves this week

Each week, Advisor.ca summarizes notable moves across the financial industry.

• Dan Rees, Scotiabank’s group head of Canadian banking since May 2019, is leaving the institution after 25 years. Rees, who plans to pursue other opportunities, the bank stated, was succeeded by Aris Bogdaneris effective Nov. 3. According to a report from The Canadian Press, president and CEO Scott Thomson thanked Rees, saying that under his leadership the bank launched its loyalty program Scene+. Bogdaneris joined Scotiabank earlier this year, with oversight over the bank’s Tangerine business as well as global marketing, customer insights, data and analytics, and real estate.
• Mike Ankers, who officially left Richardson Wealth at the end of October, has joined National Bank Financial Wealth Management’s Fairway Wealth Management team in London, Ont., as a wealth advisor. This marks a return to the bank for him, as he previously worked with NBFWM for more than 10 years. Ankers was previously senior vice-president and head of advisor experience and growth with Richardson Wealth, a role the firm had said will be filled again. Kish Kapoor, president and CEO of RF Capital Group, said during a conference call this week that Ankers had “an incredible impact” during his tenure and that his decision to leave was supported, and also reiterated that promotions were made within Ankers’s team upon his decision to leave.
• Also at Richardson Wealth, investment advisor John Horwood has retired. He has long been part of the Horwood team, and also was involved in the founding of Richardson Partners Financial Ltd. back in 2003 and worked with Richardson Greenshields of Canada between 1987 and 1996. His industry tenure spans four decades.
• Florence Marino, who was assistant vice-president of Manulife’s tax and estate planning group for decades, joined Toronto-based Tompkins Insurance in September as vice-president, tax and estate planning. She said in a LinkedIn post that she’ll continue to share insights on insurance, tax and estate planning in her role with the new company.
• Larry Distillio is now the leader of practice management consulting with Edward Jones. He was with Toronto-based Mackenzie Investments for 15 years, most recently as assistant vice-president of practice management. 
• On Nov. 1, Nancy Paquet officially took over as executive vice-president, wealth management, with National Bank, as announced in June. She has been with National Bank since 2007.
• Nick Leswick has been appointed to the new role of executive director of policy with the Bank of Canada, effective Jan. 9, 2024. He’ll oversee the economic and financial sector departments, as the new role brings leadership of both divisions under one executive. Leswick joins the Bank from the Department of Finance Canada, where he most recently held the position of associate deputy minister.
• David Schaffner has signed on as a strategic advisor with fintech company Volatility Labs Inc., known as Fig Investments. He’ll offer asset and wealth management insights to the Edmonton, Alta.–based company, which was founded in 2022 and focuses on the structured products market. Schaffner has worked in the industry in executive roles for more than 20 years. 
• Kathy Thompson was appointed assistant superintendent for the new national security sector with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, effective Nov. 3. She has more than 30 years of relevant experience, a release said, 22 of which were in the Canadian public service.

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.

Katie Keir

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Katie is special projects editor for Advisor.ca and has worked with the team since 2010. In 2012, she was named Best New Journalist by the Canadian Business Media Awards. Reach her at katie@newcom.ca.