Sonia Baxendale is President & CEO of Global Risk Institute (GRI). In this role, Sonia brings together leaders from industry, academia and government to focus on emerging risk issues.
Sonia has extensive experience as an executive and non-executive in the financial services industry globally.
Sonia is an active corporate director who sits on the boards of Laurentian Bank, Definity Financial Corp., and Intermediate Capital Group (ICG). She is past Chair of the Board of SickKids Foundation. In 2023, she was appointed to a three-member investment committee overseeing the $23.4 billion First Nations Child and Family Services settlement fund.
Prior to joining GRI, Sonia held senior roles at CIBC, including Senior Executive Vice President and President of CIBC Retail Markets, where she led the Retail & Commercial Banking and Wealth Management businesses. She played a key role in developing strategy and direction for CIBC. Prior to CIBC, she held various positions with American Express Canada and Saatchi & Saatchi.
Sonia is a graduate of the University of Toronto, where she was named the Victoria College Alumni of Distinction in 2017. She was named one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada” for three years in a row and then joined the ranks of the Top 100 Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2000, she was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40.
Chris oversees the recruitment and retention of GRI members and the planning and execution of events. He is a highly dedicated and dynamic professional with 20+ years of expertise in sponsorship activation, national event marketing and communications. Chris has managed corporate partnerships with dozens of national/international organizations including Refinitiv, S&P Dow Jones Indices, National Bank Independent Network, Horizons ETFs, TMX Group, Scotia Global Asset Management, AstraZeneca, CIBC, Moneris, Toyota and WestJet.
As Corporate Relations Manager, CFA Society Toronto, Chris helped develop and implement comprehensive acquisition and stewardship strategies and contemporary membership benefits programs, delivering value-add opportunities for existing society sponsors and widening the range of digital communication opportunities for new and prospective sponsors.
With Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Chris led the national marketing campaigns for the CIBC Run for the Cure, and based in Charlotte, NC, activated the Mike’s Hard Lemonade national brand sponsorship of a NASCAR professional team.
A former amateur competitive road bicycle racer, Chris launched his professional career in sports marketing as manager of the Schwinn/Toyota Canada mountain bike team and has a Sociology/English degree from Trent University.
Jorge Cruz Lopez is Managing Director, Head of Research at Global Risk Institute. In this role he oversees internal and external research projects, ensuring the delivery of industry-leading content. Jorge also manages research partnerships in Canada and abroad, and actively engages with GRI members to ensure that research efforts are aligned with member priorities.
Prior to GRI, Jorge was Director of the Master of Financial Economics Program at Western University, where his research interests included financial risk management, asset pricing and financial market infrastructures. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the New York Institute of Finance, and an editor of the Journal of Financial Market Infrastructures and the Latin American Journal of Central Banking.
Jorge’s extensive experience includes being a Senior Economist and Principal Researcher at the Bank of Canada, and editor of the Financial System Review. More recently, Jorge served as Director of Research and Financial Engineering at Financial Network Analytics Ltd., a leading FinTech firm in the UK. He has been a Visiting Scholar at De Nederlandsche Bank, HEC Paris, and Queensland University of Technology, and has held teaching positions in the business schools of Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, and Simon Fraser University, where he obtained a PhD in Finance in 2014.
SukYee Ang is Director, Finance, at Global Risk Institute. She brings over 20 years of experience and expertise in financial accounting and reporting, variance analysis, payroll preparation and administration, strategic planning and cash management. Prior to joining GRI, SukYee was the Controller for 10 years at one of Canada’s leading providers of health and productivity solutions for employers and organizations. SukYee is a Chartered Professional Accountant, CGA and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto.
Madalina Bonilla is Director, Education at Global Risk Institute. She is responsible for managing and executing the various risk education programs delivered to GRI’s members and the innovative riskLIT risk literacy project.
Madalina brings 20 years of experience in leading the design, implementation and measurement of learning and development solutions across the financial and mining industries.
Prior to joining GRI, she was Director, Enterprise Learning Advisory, at CIBC, where she implemented several innovative and impactful learning solutions for the Inclusion, Wellbeing, and Leadership Development areas. Madalina developed capability building and talent development strategies for various CIBC business units including Finance, Administration, Internal Audit, Technology, Enterprise Risk and Security Services.
In 2012, Madalina worked with SNC Lavalin’s Local Resource Development Initiative team in Panama, where she designed and promoted training programs for local workers from the communities adjacent to a copper mine.
Madalina holds a Master of Education in Workplace Learning and Social Change and an Honours Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Economics, both from the University of Toronto.
Dennis Fei joined GRI in May 2013 as Director, Financial Reporting and Budgeting. He has over 30 years’ experience in developing and implementing financial, budgeting and reporting systems and controls in various industries.
Dennis holds a Double Major BA in Economic and Actuarial Science from University of Toronto.
As Director, Sustainable Finance, Stevie Krohn helps advance the Global Risk Institute’s leadership in supporting Canadian financial institutions to better understand and implement sustainable finance practices.
Stevie brings a wealth of experience across sustainable investing, sustainable finance, capital markets and private credit. Most recently, she advised on climate finance and energy transition at Avondale Private Capital, and led Sustainable Investing at RPIA. Prior to that, she was VP, Global Markets Engineering & Growth at BMO and VP, Debt Capital Markets at National Bank of Canada.
Stevie holds a B.Sc. in Financial Mathematics with Distinction from Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as the SASB Fundamentals of Sustainable Accounting (FSA) certification and the Certificate in Quantitative Finance (CQF).
Nancy Tibbo is Director, Marketing and Communications, at the Global Risk Institute. She brings more than 25 years of proven expertise and leadership to the role. Before joining GRI, Nancy was Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications for Canada’s largest pharmacy benefit manager. In addition to other key leadership roles, she also served as Senior Manager of Marketing and Public Affairs for the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Nancy holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Windsor in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University.
Tori Adams is Graphics Design and Desktop Publishing Specialist at GRI. With degrees in Sociology and Illustration, they have a varied academic background, and an eye for communicating complex ideas in compelling ways. Tori has worked in a number of roles focused on customer satisfaction, graphic design, and communications, for not-for-profits as well as local and national companies.
Yibo Bu, a certified FRM member, is Climate Research Analyst at Global Risk Institute. In this role, she contributes her expertise to various research projects, and to GRI`s engagement with partners in academia and government, across climate risk related topics.
Prior to joining GRI, Yibo was a Financial Advisor at the Cooperators, and served as vice president of a non-for-profit organization. She has passed the Level 1 CFA exam, holds a Master’s of Financial Accountability from York University, and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business with a specialization in risk management.
Jan Beckerleg is Program Manager for riskLIT, GRI’s micro-learning initiative, which includes managing and executing various deliverables to the GRI membership.
Jan brings over 30 years of experience in the financial services sector across a variety of departments and delivering various complex initiatives.
Prior to joining GRI, she was Senior Director, Global Operations at CIBC, where she lead large operational teams in multiple locations overseeing the bank’s mutual fund distribution and manufacturing business. She also gives her time as a volunteer at the Red Cross Food Bank.
Jan holds a BComm, majoring in Quantitative Methods from Concordia University in Montreal.
Yusuf Bulbulia is a Research Analyst at Global Risk Institute. His research interests are at the intersection of political science, public policy and economics, and include immigration, climate policy, elections, fiscal policy, and political economy.
Yusuf is a PhD candidate in Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. Prior to joining GRI, Yusuf gained research experience in academia and management consulting.
Jill Hamilton is the Events Manager at the Global Risk Institute, leveraging over 15 years of entrepreneurial experience to drive the planning, coordination, and execution of a diverse array of events. She manages all aspects of event logistics, vendor relationships, and ensures the seamless delivery of impactful experiences for attendees.
Jill holds a post-secondary diploma in Legal Assistance, along with certifications as a Law Clerk, and in both photography and graphic design. As a business owner, she created events for clients as well as developed and executed marketing strategies, managed event logistics, coordinated with vendors, and crafted tailored experiences to meet specific client objectives and enhance brand visibility.
Throughout her career, Jill has demonstrated versatility, having held various roles including event host, graphic designer, photographer, videographer, and digital communication associate. Her broad skill set, combined with her extensive experience in event and digital media management, makes her a valuable asset to GRI team. Jill also serves on the board of the Canadian Tank Museum, home of the Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum.
Sandi Lebed brings over 40 years of experience to her position of Executive Assistant. Sandi has worked for a number of diverse corporate and public entities ranging from Automotive (Magna International) and Real Estate (Johnston & Daniel) to Financial/Banking (Wood Gundy and CIBC). During this time Sandi has worked with, and supported, executives at senior levels of management for these companies and brings a high level of expertise to Global Risk Institute.
As Global Risk Institute’s Event and Office Coordinator, Breanna is adept at anticipating and addressing potential issues before they arise, ensuring that all aspects of an event or office operations run smoothly. She has a proven track record of successfully executing high-profile events and managing complex office logistics.
Al Maggi is Manager, Content Creation, bringing 25 years of diverse experience in a number of communications, media relations and content management roles. Al specializes in distilling complex ideas into digestible content for a broad audience. He has done so as Marketing Manager at IBC, Director of Communications at CFIB, and is happy to add GRI to his list of impressive acronyms.
Alexey Rubtsov is Senior Research Associate at Global Risk Institute and a Tenured Associate Professor of Mathematical Finance at Toronto Metropolitan University, where he also serves as the Director of the Financial Mathematics program. His areas of focus are Artificial Intelligence, Systemic Risk, Climate Change Risk, and Asset Allocation. In addition to his academic roles, Alexey is the Principal Strategic Advisor at the federal Department of Finance and previously served as a Senior Specialist at the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI). He has also contributed to the field of applied AI as an Academic Advisor at Borealis AI. Alexey’s academic research has been published in such journals as Management Science, Operations Research, Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, and Annals of Finance, among others. He holds a PhD in Operations Research and an MSc in Financial Mathematics from North Carolina State University.
As Manager, Member Services at Global Risk Institute, Andrea Sayde is responsible for managing the stewardship of existing members, supporting the recruitment of new members, and developing internal operations and processes that support member retention. She is an authentic, intentional, inclusive, and fun relationship builder and manager bringing over 7 years of experience in member stewardship and growth roles within the non-profit sector. In addition to her role with GRI, Andrea serves on the Advisory Board for the Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce.
Prior to joining GRI, Andrea was Membership Manager at the Centre for Social Innovation, where she led the growth of membership (sales), developed and implemented new member stewardship and onboarding processes, and expanded upon value-add offerings to existing members. As VP of Member Relations at Young Women in Business, she was able to support a network of professionals from various industries through events, education, mentorship, and programming.
Andrea holds a Master of Environmental Studies and Bachelor of Environmental Studies focusing on Politics, Governance and Policy, both from York University.
Kaleed Tayfour is a Research Analyst at the Global Risk Institute. His work focuses on applying advanced quantitative methods to analyze the financial system. While attending York University, Kaleed was actively involved in the Virtual Economics Journal, a student initiative, where he honed his analytical skills and deepened his understanding of economic theories and research methodologies. He has a keen interest in network effects and their interaction with risk, exploring how interconnected systems can amplify vulnerabilities and influence the propagation of financial shocks. Kaleed was previously responsible for managing GRI’s operational data and reporting infrastructure.
Anmol Wadera is Data Analyst on our Marketing and Communications team, responsible for enhancing our data management capabilities, ensuring the quality and integrity of the data and overseeing the migration to a new, dynamic database tailored to our organizational needs. Prior to joining GRI, he served as a data analyst at a startup in the field of professional career guidance and higher education. Anmol holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Statistics from the University of Delhi and post-graduate certificates in Data Analytics & Business Decision Making and Artificial Intelligence Analysis, Design, and Implementation from Durham College.
Anmol is a data enthusiast with a passion for analytics. He is eager to make impactful contributions to the evolving field of data science and aspires to play a pivotal role in shaping its future.
Lorianne Weston is a seasoned professional with expertise in pensions, governance, project management and education. She holds dual law degrees in civil and common law from McGill University and is a Certified Training and Development Professional. After a number of years as a financial advisor with an international portfolio management firm, Lorianne worked for over a decade with not-for-profit professional associations, leveraging her unique combination of skills for the needs of different organizations. She was selected as one of the Benefits and Pensions Monitor 2024 Top Financial Executives and Professionals in the Benefits, Pensions, and Institutional Investment Industries.