Global Risk Institute in Financial Services (GRI) is pleased to have Sonia Baxendale start as President and CEO today. Sonia succeeds Richard Nesbitt, who is retiring as an officer and a director.
“Sonia has experience at the highest levels of financial services and in many facets of the business that dominate the industry today,” said Tiff Macklem, Chair of the GRI Board of Directors.
Her financial services background combined with her experience as a corporate director will bring perspective and leadership to further grow GRI’s impact and build on our recent successes.
Sonia is a Director of Laurentian Bank, Foresters Financial, SickKids Foundation, and Toronto Artscape Inc. Sonia was previously the President of CIBC Retail Markets where she led the Retail and Wealth Management businesses from 2005 to 2011. From 1992 to 2011, Sonia played a key role in developing strategy and direction for CIBC and held various leadership roles including Senior Executive Vice-President, CIBC Wealth Management, Executive Vice-President, Asset Management, Card Products and Collections, and Executive Vice-President of Global Private Banking and Investment Management Services. Prior to CIBC, Sonia held various positions with American Express Canada and Saatchi & Saatchi.
About GRI:
The Global Risk Institute is the leading forum for ideas, engagement and building capacity for the management of risks in financial services. We are a non-profit, public and private partnership with 33 government and corporate members from asset management, banking, insurance and pension management. In addition, the institute’s National Pension Hub, which serves as a Canadian centre for pension knowledge and research, has 19 members including major pension plans, accounting firms, consultancies and public corporations. GRI’s goal is to develop fresh perspectives on emerging risks, to engage members, and to enhance risk-management skills. Our activities support academics, corporations, policy makers and regulators. We take a global view of the risks facing the financial services industry from our base in Toronto, Canada.