CIBC employee wins Women in Capital Markets' Rising Star Award

Mentorship key to success says honouree

TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2012 /CNW/ - CIBC (TSX:CM) (NYSE: CM) is proud to announce that Viktoriya Gruzytska, Executive Director, Corporate Credit Products has been recognized with the Women in Capital Markets' Rising Star Award for 2012.

"I am honored and excited to receive the Women in Capital Market's Rising Star Award and grateful to everyone with whom I have had the privilege of working with during the past 12 years at CIBC," says Gruzytska who is in the corporate banking group at CIBC. "I have been very fortunate to have benefitted from valuable mentoring and to have been inspired by strong female and male role models, which has encouraged me to give back to others, especially to women who are new to the industry or considering joining."

The Women in Capital Markets' Rising Star Award honours an individual who at an early stage in their career exhibits an entrepreneurial spirit combined with outstanding and unique contributions to the capital markets industry.

"CIBC believes in the importance of promoting the entry, advancement and development of women in the workplace," says Richard Nesbitt, Senior Executive Vice-President, CIBC. "That's why it's important to recognize employees like Viktoriya who have made lasting contributions by providing inspirational leadership and mentorship to women."

Gruzytska says that a big part of her decision to pursue her career path was strongly influenced by a friend who was already in the field and without her encouragement Gruzytska would not had considered a career in capital markets.

"It is hard for me to imagine a career outside of capital markets, but had it not been for that early advice and mentorship, I am not sure I would be where I am today," says Gruzytska. "I was truly fortunate and find it extremely rewarding to be able to do the same for others."

Since joining CIBC, Gruzytska has encouraged young women who are either thinking about working in capital markets or who are in the early stages of their career to build their own personal "career advisory board". Her own advisory board is comprised of a network of people both inside and outside of CIBC, who she reaches out to whenever she needs advice on her professional and personal goals.

"Mentoring is mutually beneficial, with both partners learning from the relationship. And I have found it pivotal to career advancement," says Gruzytska. "Many of my career advisory board members are long-time mentors, who I respect highly and value. Time and time again, they have offered unique perspectives and have inspired me to pay-it-forward to young women in the industry, formally and informally."

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with nearly 11 million personal banking and business clients. CIBC offers a full range of products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network, branches and offices across Canada, and has offices in the United States and around the world. You can find other news releases and information about CIBC in our Press Centre on our corporate website at www.cibc.com.

SOURCE: CIBC

Media contact: Sean Hamilton, Communications and Public Affairs, CIBC at 416-304-8456, [email protected]