I AM HONOURED to have served as Chair of CFA Society Toronto’s Board of Directors this past year and look forward to continuing to serve the Society as Past Chair.

As Chair, my focus since our strategy session in February has been to update the Society’s Board governance model. This work will incorporate compliance with Ontario’s Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) legislation, which came into effect in October 2021. It will also incorporate governance best practices learned from other CFA societies globally and organizations in the Canadian not-for-profit sector. Modernizing our governance structure will necessitate substantial changes to our by-laws. Stay tuned for full details on these changes ahead of our Annual Meeting, scheduled for November 15, 2024. 

One of the highlights of my term as Chair was moderating the fireside chat with acclaimed author and investor Bill Browder at the 2022 Annual Investment Dinner. As a fan of both of his books, Red Notice and Freezing Order, it was an honour and personal highlight to interview him. The sold-out event attracted an audience of nearly 700. It was a fantastic way to connect with fellow members, volunteers, and industry professionals. I want to extend my gratitude to the Annual Investment Dinner Committee for their hard work and congratulate them on the highly successful event.

I look forward to enjoying the 2023 Annual Investment Dinner, “Our Automated Future: How Generative AI Will Change Our World,” moderated by my fellow board member, Heather Cooke, CFA.

In June, I had the privilege of sharing a panel with Heather and fellow board member Kar-Wei Lam, CFA, at the Women in Asset Management event. CFA Society Toronto hosted over 30 students from the Ivey Business School’s Women in Asset Management program. As a panel, we shared our insights on our careers, opportunities, and challenges. Our key message: careers in the financial services industry are diverse, exciting, challenging, and rewarding. This event was a key step in our efforts to support greater diversity in in our industry. Thank you to Lynn Wang, CFA, for planning and moderating this important event, and to the Awards and University Relations Committee.

Thank you to the Board of Directors, Society staff, and our team of volunteers for all your support during my term, and for your ongoing commitment to our profession. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of our members and volunteers over this past year and look forward to connecting with many more at future CFA Society Toronto events.