VersaFi (formerly WCM)

VersaFi members: are you looking to enhance your career? Mentorship can make a world of difference, whether you’re looking to build your confidence, expand your network, or focus on soft skills for leadership, our program is for you! This program was created exclusively for VersaFi members and is complimentary with membership. Since its inception, VersaFi has facilitated thousands of formal mentor relationships, supporting the next generation of leaders in finance, and offering both parties a meaningful personal and professional development opportunity. Applications are open from now until November 8th, and the program officially kicks off in early 2025: https://lnkd.in/eVczk6XE If you want to participate in this program but are not yet a VersaFi member, become a member today to gain access today: Versafi.ca/join

We're excited to announce that CFA Society Toronto has just joined us as a #CommunityPartner! Through this partnership, CFA Society Toronto and VersaFi will work together on a variety of initiatives, including the promotion of gender equity through research. Partnerships like this help demonstrate how collaboration fuels change. By joining forces, we are leveraging our collective influence to accelerate equity for women at every career stage. Together, we can help break down barriers, foster inclusive growth, and shape a finance sector where women can thrive! 

Building a talent pipeline of women in finance is a key pillar of our mission - and one we couldn't achieve without the help of our Partners like CIBC Capital Markets. THANK YOU for your support and for your efforts to help share the many benefits of an exciting career in finance with young women in high school through our #JobShadowDay events! "With women making up half of the entry-level workforce, it’s essential that they see themselves as future leaders and that they understand the opportunity they have ahead of them to help shape financial markets and institutions, driving meaningful change...Job Shadow Day helps provide exposure to the wide array of job roles across the finance sector, to enable young women to shadow finance professionals, and to help students make informed decisions about career paths." Tanya van Biesen

Exciting Partnership Announcement! We’re thrilled to welcome Fintechs Canada, a dedicated not-for-profit organization that serves as the collective voice for fintechs in Canada, as our newest #CommunityPartner! Through this partnership, we’ll collaborate on initiatives designed to foster equity and inclusion, driving positive change across the finance sector. Stay tuned for more updates as we work together to create lasting impact! #DiversityInFinance #InclusionMatters #CommunityPartnership #EquityInFinance

Have you taken a career break, and are now ready to return to the Finance Sector? This is your last chance to apply to our Return to Bay Street Program — applications close TOMORROW, October 4. Canada’s finance industry is missing out on one of its greatest assets — experienced women who’ve opted out but are ready for a comeback. RTBS is here to help you re-launch your career. “Versafi has not just helped me find a job—they helped me rediscover my purpose and rebuild my life. Today, I am thriving in my new job, balancing my career with motherhood, and feeling more fulfilled than ever.” — 2023 Return to Bay Street participant Chimno Okeke Don’t miss your chance to re-ignite your career! Find more information on eligibility and applications here: https://lnkd.in/eRyxCsTV

🚀 We are excited to launch our Equity Equation Survey. Our aim is to gather key insights from finance professionals across the country to assess where the industry stands on equity, sense of belonging, and inclusion. The results will help shape actionable recommendations to promote gender equity in finance. Your input matters! This ANONYMOUS survey will take at most 10 minutes to complete. Join us in driving meaningful change: sentis.ca/versafi/7 #EquityEquation2025 #GenderEquity #Inclusion #FinanceSector #VersaFi

Join us in welcoming Chartered Business Valuators Institute (CBV Institute) to our Corporate Partner community! Our Partners are crucial in helping us build the pipeline of talented women, supporting research initiatives, further developing our programming and events, and building an inclusive culture in the Canadian finance sector. We are grateful for their support as a Bronze Partner — and look forward to working with their team to accelerate equity for women in finance. Learn more about becoming a VersaFi partner at versafi.ca/partners and learn more about CBV Institute at cbvinstitute.com

Flexibility at work shouldn’t be a career-limiting choice and investment banking’s “face-time” culture is penalizing women specifically. 76% of women in investment banking feel penalized for taking advantage of policies offering flexible schedules. To retain top talent, we must promote a culture of flexibility that recognizes diverse employee needs. Let’s highlight and celebrate success stories where work-life integration has boosted productivity, and encourage leaders to lead by example. Flexibility is for everyone. 📖 Find the full report here: https://ow.ly/mcwc50Txw1J #VersaFi #ProjectAffinity #EquityInFinance #WomenInLeadership #InvestmentBanking #FlexibleWork #InclusiveWorkplace

Our Return to Bay Street (RTBS) Program can be a life-changing opportunity for some women looking to return to their careers in finance after a career break. With mentorship, training, and critical networking opportunities, RTBS helps women regain their footing and thrive. As 2023 participant Chimno Chinenye Okeke shared: "VersaFi didn’t just help me find a job—they helped me rediscover my purpose and gave me the confidence to change my life." Don’t miss out on your opportunity for change. Applications close on October 4. Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/eRyxCsTV

Our thanks to PwC Canada for hosting our interactive event, complete with self-guided demo stations, on Wednesday evening — what a great way to engage with others, and understand the impacts of Gen AI on the financial services industry! Our attendees also enjoyed an in-depth panel, where industry leaders provided insight into where the biggest opportunities for AI in financial services lie and shared their passionate visions for an ever-changing industry. A key consideration noted by all is that leaders must ensure the equitable use of Gen AI advances, so everyone gets brought along on the journey. Thank you to our panel: 🔷 Berkeley Warburton, Partner, Financial Services, PwC Canada – Moderator 🔷 George Chilakos, Data & AI Executive – Enterprise Financial Services at Microsoft 🔷 Rizwan Khalfan, EVP Canadian Personal Banking Digital Transformation and Strategy, TD Bank Group 🔷 Margaret Stuart, Country Leader, Salesforce Canada 🔷 Pallavi Tripathi, Senior Vice President & CIO, Capital Markets Technology at CIBC Thanks again to PwC Canada for sponsoring and hosting this exciting event! For more upcoming events where you can network, or learn more about trends in the industry, see our events calendar: https://lnkd.in/g4ZUN9Eb