Wellington-Altus adds new advisor-focused executive role

Wellington-Altus Financial Inc. has brought Steph Condra on as executive vice-president and chief experience officer (CXO), a role that involves oversight of the firm’s advanced wealth planning, advisor engagement, advisor onboarding, marketing and regional management teams.

Condra was most recently head of the national strategy office with BMO Private Wealth, and has more than 20 years of industry experience.

Wellington-Altus founder and CEO Shaun Hauser defined Condra’s role as a dedicated executive position that will help advisors evolve.

“Caring for [the firm’s existing] advisors is as important as finding new ones,” he said in an interview.

Former president Jordy Chilcott departed Wellington-Altus for Manulife Investment Management in the summer, with Dennis Stewner becoming president while maintaining his chief operating officer and chief financial officer roles.

“Jordy started the model of taking care of advisors and Steph’s picking up that baton, [but also is] going to take it to a whole different place,” he said.

Condra has experience with leading firm change, having been involved in 2019 in the integration of BMO’s private banking and full-service brokerage (BMO Nesbitt Burns) businesses.

She told IE that she’s been watching Wellington-Altus and was compelled by the firm’s decision “to acknowledge the need for a CXO, a role that is devoted towards the advisor experience [and to] making sure that we’re listening to them and offering them what they need to grow.”

The firm currently manages more than $25 billion in assets under administration, with the goal to reach $50 billion within the next few years, and employs 101 advisor teams. (The latest is listed below.)

Condra expects some of the firm’s growth will come from existing advisors, with support focused on helping top players bring in new talent and clients. One useful aspect is technology and automation, she said, but there also will be conversations around bringing on the next generation of clients via children and other family members.

For now, Condra is getting to know the firm’s advisors. “That’s going to be the plan: hitting the road and meeting as many advisors face-to-face as possible. I want to hear about their journey and the book that they’ve built.”

Condra’s appointment comes shortly after industry veteran Andrew Marsh joined Wellington-Altus Financial’s board of directors late last year.

Other notable moves this week:

• Moyle Rowley Wealth Management Group — a team of four that includes senior wealth advisors Grant Moyle and Steve Rowley plus investment associates Karac Graham and Jordan Boyes — has joined Wellington-Altus Private Wealth in Markham, Ont. from Toronto-Dominion Bank.
• Ryan Voegeli, based out of Toronto, is now head of investment banking for Canada with Barclays. He’s moved from CIBC Capital Markets where he worked for more than 10 years and was most recently head of global diversified industries investment banking, a release said.
• Former CBC news anchor Peter Mansbridge has been named strategic communications consultant with HomeEquity Bank, which exclusively serves Canadians 55+. He’s involved in a new campaign that, in part, addresses retirement questions. Mansbridge also worked with the bank in 2021 for a video series.

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.

Clarification: This article was updated to further explain the new CXO role at Wellington-Altus.