Women in Capital Markets Announces 2016 Recipients of WCM Return to Bay Street Award and Successful Program Expansion into Montreal

TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2016 /CNW/ - Women in Capital Markets (WCM), a non-profit advocacy organization which promotes the entry and advancement of women into leadership roles in the industry, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2016 WCM Return to Bay Street (RTBS) Award and successful rollout of the RTBS program in Montreal. The RTBS Award is given to professional women who have taken a break from their successful careers in the capital markets industry and are now ready to re-launch their careers. These women are returning to roles in capital markets and represent a valuable pool of talent returned to the industry.

The 2016 award recipients are:

• Mela Bihuniak, National Bank Financial
• Ingrid Blauer, BMO Capital Markets (Montreal)
• Anshu Grover, RBC Capital Markets
• Vesna Gmazel, TD Securities
• Dionne Klein, CIBC Capital Markets
• Anita Lee, RBC Investor & Treasury Services
• Binah Nathan, BMO Capital Markets
• Annette Niebuhr, BMO Capital Markets
• Joanna Pollock, RBC Capital Markets (Montreal)
• Beverly Sahota, BMO Capital Markets
• Elizabeth Seger, CPP Investment Board
• Ariane Stren, Scotiabank

The twelve 2016 award recipients will each receive $5,000 toward an education program, a paid minimum four-month contract at one of BMO Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets, CPP Investment Board, National Bank Financial, RBC Capital Markets, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets or TD Securities, a WCM Mentor and a one-year WCM Membership.

"This year is a significant milestone for the RTBS program which is now in its sixth year. Not only are we recognizing our largest cohort of award recipients and receiving support from the largest number of financial institutions, we are also excited to be recognizing Montreal winners for the first time. There is a pool of talented senior professional women in markets across the country and we hope to expand the program even further in the coming year to help more women re-enter the industry," said Jennifer Reynolds, CEO of Women in Capital Markets. "This program continues to have a tangible impact on the growth in the number of talented senior women working in the industry and we are pleased to see the program grow year over year with the support of our sponsors. The talented women we are recognizing today are great examples of experienced professionals who can make an immediate contribution to their organizations. I congratulate them all and look forward to seeing the impact they will have on the industry."

Launched in 2010 by WCM and founding sponsor BMO Capital Markets, through funding from their Equity Through Education program, the WCM RTBS Award Program assists talented women with a previous career in capital markets to re-launch a full-time career in Canadian capital markets after an extended period of absence from the industry. The program includes a 1-day workshop designed to educate women about the award and prepare them to return to the industry, an interviewing skills workshop and the award component that provides an education grant, a paid work contract at one of BMO Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets, CPP Investment Board, National Bank Financial, RBC Capital Markets, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets or TD Securities, a WCM mentor and a one-year WCM membership.

From 2012 to 2016, the RTBS program has awarded paid contract positions to 34 women, the overwhelming majority of whom have translated their contracts into longer term roles in the capital markets industry.

About WCM

WCM is the largest network of professional women in the Canadian financial sector and the voice of advocacy for women in our industry. WCM is committed to the advancement of women in business and to increasing the number of women in senior leadership roles in the Canadian economy. We work with our partners, members and the broader public to promote initiatives which successfully increase the economic empowerment of women and move the dial on women's representation and impact in the boardrooms and executive suites of corporate Canada.

SOURCE Women in Capital Markets (WCM)

Please contact: Sonia Prashar, [email protected], 416-560-6753