I am pleased to share that GRI’s Board of Directors has appointed Vivian Abdelmessih as the organization’s next President and CEO, effective October 26th, 2026. Vivian brings a distinguished career with more than three decades of industry and risk management experience, including serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer for TD’s Canadian Banking, Wealth and Insurance businesses, and currently as Board Chair of Export Development Canada.
Following a comprehensive search process led by the Board, Vivian emerged as an exceptional leader to guide GRI through its next chapter. Her deep expertise in risk management, collaborative leadership style, and commitment to fostering dialogue across industry, government, and academia align strongly with GRI’s mission and future ambitions.
Sonia Baxendale leaves GRI in an excellent place, with a clear mission, strong and stable membership growth, and sustained relevance across the financial sector. She will remain with GRI as an advisor until the end of this year, ensuring continuity for our members, partners, and stakeholders.
I am confident GRI’s future is in very capable hands.
Bill Bonnell
Chair, Board of Directors, Global Risk Institute
Vivian Abdelmessih
Ms. Abdelmessih currently serves as Chair, Export Development Canada, an Ottawa-based Federal Crown Corporation. She also serves as Audit Chair, Scientific Games Inc., based in Atlanta, GA. In addition, Ms. Abdelmessih is a member of the Board of Trustees of First Capital REIT, serving on the Governance and Audit committees, and is a member of the Independent Review Committee for Brookfield Private Equity Fund (Canada). In her community work, Ms Abdelmessih is a member of the Advisory group for The Equity Opportunity: Advancing Women’s Economic Well-being, launched by LEAP|Pecaut Centre for Social Impact, a member of the Victoria University Campaign Cabinet and is a past Chair of the TD Bank Enterprise Women in Leadership Committee, as well as past co-chair of the TD Bank United Way giving campaign. Ms. Abdelmessih is a former director of First Nations Bank of Canada, The Canadian Business Growth Fund, Bridgepoint Health Foundation and Greenwood College. A highly experienced professional in the financial services sector, Ms Abdelmessih held senior management positions in the front office and key operational roles, driving strategy, growth and transformation during a career spanning over 30 years with RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) and TD (Toronto Dominion Bank) in Canada and the US, and is the former Chief Risk Officer, Canadian Banking, Auto Finance, Insurance and Global Wealth Management, for TD Bank.
Ms. Abdelmessih is a member of the C.D. Howe Institutes’s Domestic Stability Buffer Council
Ms. Abdelmessih holds an Honors BA in Political Science and English from the University of Toronto, an MBA from The Richard Ivey School of Business and completed the Wharton Business School Advanced Risk Management Executive Education program. She is a graduate of the Rotman School of Management Institute of Corporate Directors and holds the ICD.D designation.