THIS YEAR’S THEMES
REGULATION
We're unpicking the next steps in the implementation roadmap and exploring the current state of the market, including when we can expect write access and how it will accelerate the time-to-value of existing products. We’ll get the inside scoop on the working groups, including current progress and future roadblocks. Join us to break down international regulatory environments, benchmark Canada against the global Open Banking landscape, and dive into developments coming out of the USA.
ADOPTION
We'll uncover how to develop a commercial go-to-market strategy, deliver seamless user experiences, and launch innovative products that appeal to risk-averse Canadians. You'll get to grips with the practical steps that can be taken to embed privacy and security into customer-facing Open Banking products. Join us to examine how Open Banking can reach Interac levels of market penetration, speculate what the breakthrough use case could be, and debate whose role it is to educate the market.
MONETIZATION
The question of how to monetize Open Banking remains top-of-mind for business leaders. We'll explore how FIs and fintechs have implemented Open Banking into their business models to increase revenue, reduce costs, and improve customer engagement – and examine concrete strategies to convince line-of-business leaders to adopt API programs. Join us as we dive into successful commercial use cases from other regions and map the landscape for future Open Banking efforts.
ARCHITECTURE
As Canada wrestles with the complexity of developing a shared “language” for its Open Banking initiative, we explore how financial institutions and third-party providers can ensure that their APIs comply with the regulatory requirements of different jurisdictions and are secure enough to protect sensitive customer data. Join us as we make the case for why both incumbents and challengers will benefit from an open ecosystem.
OPEN FUTURE
Despite being in its infancy, industry insiders and technologists are bullish on Open Banking’s transformative impact. From Australia’s data portability approach, to the accelerating pace of innovation in Brazil, we’ll explore how industry evolution to a more open environment will give customers better experiences and more control over their data. Join us to add your voice to the open future forecast.
Agenda
Welcome to Open Banking Expo Canada!
Opening Keynote: Update from Finance Canada’s Open Banking Lead
Finance Canada
Abraham Tachjian
Open Banking Lead Finance CanadaAbraham Tachjian is Canada’s open banking lead, named by the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Associate Minister of Finance, in March 2022. Mr. Tachjian has extensive experience related to open banking in Canada and internationally. He was a Director in the Financial Services practice at PwC Canada. He helped found Mox Bank, a new digital bank in Hong Kong, and was Director of Digital Banking of Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore where he was responsible for the implementation of emerging technologies.
Mr. Tachjian earned a B.A. from Concordia University, an LL.B in civil law from Université de Montréal, a J.D. in common law from University of Ottawa and a certificate in Chinese Law from China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing. He is a member of the Law Society of Ontario and the Barreau du Québec.
POWERHOUSE PANEL DEBATE: Canada’s Open Banking revolution – it’s time to deliver!
The Canadian Open Banking movement has been slow to materialize, and while caution can be in consumers’ best interests, Canada is at risk of failing to deliver against its Open Banking timeline. The September deadline is fast approaching, and our expert panel will debate the necessary steps needed to harness the full potential of Open Banking in the immediate, and long-term, future. Join us for a frank discussion on the current state of Canada’s Open Banking landscape and what can be done to ensure a successful and timely delivery.
Axway
Eyal Sivan
Head of Open Banking AxwayResponsible for the development, planning and execution of a comprehensive Open Banking strategy to position Axway as the leading solution provider in the space. Coordinates efforts across teams within the organisation, from marketing to sales to product, in order to ensure common strategic alignment and complementary messaging. A member of the Catalyst team at Axway, dedicated to providing global thought leadership in the realm of APIs, integration technologies and digital transformation.
EQ Bank
Mahima Poddar
Group Head, Personal Banking EQ BankAs the Senior Vice-President & Group Head of Personal Banking at Equitable Bank, Mahima leads EQ Bank, Canada’s leading digital bank, the Single-Family mortgage businesses, the decumulation lines of business in Reverse Mortgages and CSV Lending, Marketing, and the distribution of deposit products through the Financial Planning channel. Mahima joined Equitable in 2016 to lead the Corporate Development team, grew her mandate to include digital banking and marketing in 2019, and eventually to lead the Personal Banking division in 2020. Under her leadership, Equitable has acquired both Bennington Financial and the Maple Bank portfolio and introduced the decumulation lines of business; while EQ Bank surpassed $7 billion in total deposits, and successfully introduced a suite of new products and features.
Symcor
Saba Shariff
Head of New Product Development & Corporate Strategy SymcorSaba Shariff is a seasoned leader at Symcor, a Canadian company that enables secure data exchanges, supporting the country’s largest organizations in the financial, insurance, government and telecommunications sectors. As Head of New Product Development and Corporate Strategy, Saba leads a passionate team that is responsible for designing and launching new products to address industry-wide challenges. Named as one of Canada’s Top 50 Women in Fintech in Canada, Saba is a sought-after public speaker who shares insights on topics such as Open Banking, Innovation, and Women in Technology. In her spare time, Saba volunteers with causes that include serving as an Honorary Chair of the Princess Margaret’s Weekend to Conquer Cancer event, and as a Board member for Women in Communications and Technology (WCT).
Insight and updates from the Working Groups: From 2021 to 2023 – and beyond!
Join us as we delve into the inner workings of the Canadian Open Banking roadmap. We’ll reveal the latest updates from the working groups responsible for accreditation, liability, privacy, and security, explore the challenges and opportunities that come with aligning policy to technology, debate the speed and efficacy of the current operational roadmap, and break down how robust solutions can be implemented. We’ll dive deeper into the emergence of the “purpose-built governance entity”, question the read/write timeline and explore the role of senior stakeholders in positively impacting policy decisions. We’ll revisit the Open Banking Advisory Committee’s 2021 recommendations, explore what’s changed and why. You’ll have a chance to ask your questions to the participants for an inclusive and open discussion.
Moderated by Steve Boms
Allon Advocacy
Steve Boms
Founder & President Allon AdvocacySteve Boms, Executive Director of the Financial Data and Technology Association of North America, has more than 15 years of experience working inside government, public and private companies, trade organizations, and the technology industry, and assists member companies and clients in working with policymakers in Washington, in statehouses across the United States, and internationally. Steve has spent his career focused on complex financial services public policy issues, having worked in the United States Congress on the committee with jurisdiction over banking issues. He has led advocacy efforts and public policy teams globally for equity options exchanges, large U.S.-based financial institutions, and leading fintech firms. A recognized expert in the intersection of financial technology and public policy, Steve has testified before the United States Senate, the Senate of Canada, and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development regarding financial services and technology.
In addition to working directly with FDATA North America’s members, he is a frequent conference panelist and his perspective is solicited by reporters on the technology, financial services, and regulatory beats.
Steve is also the President and founder of Allon Advocacy, LLC, a public policy firm that helps technology, fintech and financial services firms navigate complex public policy and public affairs environments around the world.
Vancity
Nezihe Aquino
Senior Vice President, Enterprise Risk and Chief Risk Officer VancityNez Aquino is the SVP Enterprise Risk and Chief Risk Officer at Vancity. Her team oversees the credit, legal services and enterprise risk management functions while supporting the organization to make timely, strategic decisions that help to deliver a differentiated member experience.
Nez has held progressive roles at Vancity over the last 15 years leading Finance, Payment Solutions, and Retail Banking prior to her role as the CRO. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over two decades of experience in banking. Prior to joining Vancity, Nez worked at the Bank of America’s credit card division supporting the business performance of that organization. Nez is a Board Director at Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
Nez is a values-based, resilient and high energy executive who is passionate about giving back to the community. In her spare time, Nez enjoys cooking, doing yoga and is an opera enthusiast.
COFFEE & NETWORKING
INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDY: Building a go-to-market motion for Open Banking
Canada is not alone. Join us as we look at the Open Banking landscape abroad and explore the lessons that can be learned. From successful implementation to costly mistakes, we’ll be covering it all. Join a major player from an overseas Financial Institution as they share proven tactics and strategies to shorten the time-to-value of your Open Banking products and services. We’ll discuss how to define success, delve into functioning revenue numbers, explore how market maturity affects product offerings, and how building consumer trust is critical to finding product-market fit.
BBVA Spain
Ana Climente
Head of Open Banking BBVA SpainAna Climente is Head of Open Banking at BBVA Spain in charge of connecting with new ecosystems to promote partnerships with 3rd parties and developing new ways of distributing financial services through APIs. Before, she was Head of Digital transformation for enterprise clients at BBVA Spain leading the creation of solutions leveraged on data for enterprise clients to help them make better financial decisions.
Previously, Ana was Vice President of payments and collections in the transition to SEPA and was in charge of developing cash management solutions at BBVA. And has also represented BBVA and the Spanish financial sector in different EBA and EPC working groups.
Ana joined BBVA in 2005. Before that, she worked as strategy consultant at Accenture, specialized in B2B solutions for Europe, Middle East and Africa. She also started up Adquira, a leading Spanish procurement company.
Ana graduated in International Business Administration with a double degree in Spain and Germany in 1998.
Shortening the adoption curve: What consumers really need, when, how, and from whom
The Open Banking movement has the potential to revolutionize financial services, but as cautious regulators move slowly, questions of how to speed up adoption remain unanswered. To speed up the process, we must understand what consumers really need and how to deliver it. Is offering beneficial products and services enough to incentivize an Open Banking uptick, or must Canadians understand “Open Banking” as a concept? Defining success and identifying growth factors are crucial to overcoming these challenges. In this session, we’ll explore how to secure customer data and transactions with robust authentication and encryption methods, simplify onboarding by leveraging pre-built integrations, and reduce the complexity of compliance requirements. Building trust and transparency in data usage, offering robust security measures, and creating user-friendly experiences are also critical. We’ll discuss how to select the right launch partner to accelerate adoption of critical products and services and ensure mutually beneficial partnerships that deliver maximum value to the end-user. Join us to learn how to shorten the adoption curve for Open Banking and meet consumers’ needs.
Speaker(s) to be announced shortly
PANEL DEBATE: Show me the money: Concrete strategies for commercializing Open Banking
Money talks, and when it comes to Open Banking, the question on everyone’s mind is how financial institutions can turn their investments into profits. With “Made in Canada” Open Banking still in its infancy, it is challenging to determine what the quickest route to commercial success might be. But as regulatory guidance begins to take shape, it’s time to start planning for the future. In fact, many financial institutions are already building out their Open Banking capabilities and leveraging specific standards. With a solid basis of existing global use cases, we’ll delve into the possible revenue models, from PFM to incremental fees, and the regulatory landscape that could enable, or inhibit, success, asking:
- Is there any real money to be made with just read access? When will there be write access and should we be preparing for it?
- What’s the fastest route to ROI? What is it possible to charge incremental fees on? When will we know the regulatory guidance around access to balances and transactions?
- What are the key data privacy, security, and customer trust challenges that financial institutions face when commercializing Open Banking?
- How can banks become PISPs and connect with others to create opportunities, build enhanced APIs, and drive new revenue streams?
Moderated by Tom Pawelkiewicz
BBVA Spain
Ana Climente
Head of Open Banking BBVA SpainAna Climente is Head of Open Banking at BBVA Spain in charge of connecting with new ecosystems to promote partnerships with 3rd parties and developing new ways of distributing financial services through APIs. Before, she was Head of Digital transformation for enterprise clients at BBVA Spain leading the creation of solutions leveraged on data for enterprise clients to help them make better financial decisions.
Previously, Ana was Vice President of payments and collections in the transition to SEPA and was in charge of developing cash management solutions at BBVA. And has also represented BBVA and the Spanish financial sector in different EBA and EPC working groups.
Ana joined BBVA in 2005. Before that, she worked as strategy consultant at Accenture, specialized in B2B solutions for Europe, Middle East and Africa. She also started up Adquira, a leading Spanish procurement company.
Ana graduated in International Business Administration with a double degree in Spain and Germany in 1998.
National Bank of Canada
Stéphane Bousquet
Leader — Open Banking & Digital ID National Bank of CanadaWith over 25 years of experience in digital strategy and transformation, Stéphane has made a name for himself as a key player in the evolution of Canada’s digital landscape.
Prior to working at National Bank of Canada, Stephane was active in the media industry where he led numerous digital transformation programs for the Sun Media Corporation, the National Film Board of Canada and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Stephane holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communications and Digital Media from the University of Quebec in Montréal (UQAM).
LUNCH & NETWORKING
BANK PANEL DEBATE: The future of banking in Canada: An insider’s perspective on Open Banking
Are you ready to dive into the heart of Open Banking in Canada? Join us as we explore the current state of play of the market and what will separate winners from losers as Canada moves into the next phase of its implementation roadmap. Our panelists will give you a glimpse into the future, predicting what they expect the Open Banking landscape to look like in 2024, and what benefits lie ahead for consumers and industry players alike. Dive deeper into the impact of major developments in the market, such as the Banking Modernization Act, on the future of Open Banking. Our experts will address the elephant in the room – disintermediation – and share their strategies for ensuring the banks remain competitive through strategic partnerships. You’ll hear what’s really in it for the bankers – from their perspective.
BMO Financial Group
Sandeep Achar
Director Strategy, Emerging Businesses BMO Financial GroupAs Director Strategy – Emerging Businesses, Sandeep leads BMO’s efforts on monitoring and driving strategy, integration and business response towards disruptive market forces that drive the evolution of payments, retail and business banking (such as Open Banking, RTR, Digital Assets, Banking as a Service & others). He is also responsible for the creation and ongoing refinement of Horizon 2, 3 roadmap to inform capability gaps to defend against disruptions.
In addition to this role at BMO, Sandeep is an exec advisor to the Masters of Digital Product Management program at Queen’s University and volunteers as a Strategic Partnerships Lead for TEDx Toronto.
Sandeep is a graduate of the Smith School of Business, Queen’s University with a Masters of Business Administration degree. He also holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the National Institute of Engineering in India.
RBC
Shekher Puri
Vice President Digital Components and Platforms RBCAs a leader with Canada’s largest Financial Institution, Shekher began his career at RBC in 2002, where he joined the branch network and held several leadership roles, including Regional Vice President, Integrated Markets, in GTR. He also brings experience from working in leadership roles at the Advice Centre, RBC Insurance and Mutual Funds Distribution. In 2019, Shekher took on leadership of the Digital Identity, Security, Access, APIs and Open Banking team, which has launched several industry-leading solutions that are being used across RBC Channels and Businesses, for example, North America’s first Digital Identity Verification solution in 2020. In his current role, Shekher is responsible for identifying, building, and deploying critical re-usable digital patterns, assets, and components to drive digital engagement, bionic sales, and strategic reuse. Shekher is accountable for scaling the manufacturing of re-usable components and rethinking how RBC manages digital capabilities. Shekher continues to also lead the Digital Identity, Access & Security, and Open Banking/APIs strategy for RBC.
PANEL DEBATE: How to meet SMEs’ unique needs with Open Banking
The Open Banking implementation roadmap presents an exciting opportunity for SMEs to modernize their financial operations, streamline accounting and invoicing, and unlock new revenue streams through strategic partnerships. However, the post-pandemic economy has presented a new set of challenges for SMEs, such as access to credit and capital. Despite these challenges, SMEs are bullish on Open Banking, with the majority expressing a preference for government-approved platforms. But the road to Open Banking is not without its hurdles, and SMEs face the challenge of adapting to a new and unfamiliar financial landscape, navigating complex regulations, and ensuring the security of their financial data. In this session, we’ll break down how to address the unique needs of the SME market and deliver value-added, cost-friendly services that benefit Canada’s small business owners. We’ll explore how Open Banking can help SMEs improve their financial health, stay ahead of the curve, and thrive in the digital economy. Join us to learn more about how Open Banking can transform the way SMEs do business in Canada.
Peoples Group
Cyrielle Chiron
Senior Vice President, Product Strategy and Innovation Peoples GroupCyrielle Chiron is the SVP, Product Strategy & Innovation at Peoples Group. She leads the development of new products and services including the Innovation Hub’s activities. Prior to Peoples Group, she was with Payments Canada as Chief Strategy Officer where she was responsible for leading the research and strategy teams. Cyrielle offers a wealth of payments, retail and commercial financial services knowledge, and has an extensive international career in research and consultancy in the financial industry. She is also a regular speaker at thought leadership events and was the host of the PayPod while working at Payments Canada. Prior to Payments Canada, she was Managing Director, North & Latin America for RFi Global and was responsible for all research programs, sales & operations across North and Latin America. Prior to RFi Global, she was with IAG as Senior Strategy Analyst and CoreData as Head of Research Asia Pacific.
She has two BBAs in international Business (Helia & Rouen Business School), and a Master’s Degree (Hons), MSc International Marketing and Communication Management (Ecole supérieure de Commerce de Toulouse).
Peoples Trust Company, part of Peoples Group, is a leading issuer of prepaid payment cards and an innovative merchant acquirer. They are an entrepreneurial organization that excels at customizing solutions to fit the needs of their clients. As a result, they have been recognized as a pioneer and innovator of prepaid cards in Canada, and as an early adopter of payment solutions. Peoples has partnered with many of Canada’s FinTechs, giving them the tools and guidance to help realize their success.
Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business
Paul-Emile McNab
Vice President, Business Development & Membership Experience Canadian Council for Aboriginal BusinessPaul-Emile has been active in the fields of Research, Consulting, Fundraising and Business Development for the past fifteen years. In 2007, he completed his honours degree in History, Political Science and Canadian Studies at the University of Toronto. In 2010, he completed his Masters in Environmental Studies at York University, with a focus on Indigenous knowledge and a major research paper titled: The Traditional Rights of Ways on the Walpole Island First Nation.
He has served as a member of the Research Advisory Committee with Canadian Energy Research Institute, the Chair of the National Advisory Committee with ORIGIN Inc. and the current President and Chair of the Board of Directors for Aboriginal Legal Services. He currently resides in Toronto and is an avid follower of sports and business.
ATB Financial
Victoria Clark
Managing Director, Payments ATB FinancialVictoria is a Managing Director in ATB’s Payments and Banking Products team, supplying solutions for ATB’s 815,000 clients. In addition to setting the direction and leading the team accountable for ATB’s card solutions, and co-elevating ATB’s payments strategy, Victoria is leading the working committee to enable ATB’s open banking strategy.
COFFEE & NETWORKING
INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDY: Creating an Open Data ecosystem
Stay tuned for an in-depth tactical session from an international peer who is building the path to Open Finance and Open Data.
Speaker(s) to be announced shortly
PANEL DEBATE: Achieving coherence: Strategies for a stable and secure Canadian financial system
The rapidly evolving innovation landscape in Canada is bringing together banks, fintechs, and regulators to craft a more accessible financial future. However, initiatives like Open Banking, Pay Mod, Digital Currencies, Digital ID, and Privacy frameworks are also creating significant challenges in terms of governance and implementation. As the Canadian government overhauls its privacy laws, data portability has come into sharp focus. With the development of real-time rails and the increasing intersection between Open Banking and next-gen payments, existing and emerging business models may be under threat from new mechanisms such as account to account payments. In this session, we will explore strategies for achieving coherence and in the Canadian financial system. We will discuss the use of common data standards, best practices for governance, including the development of industry standards and guidelines, and the establishment of oversight bodies to monitor compliance. We will also explore how to maximize customer value by leveraging insights and analytics to inform decision-making and create user-friendly experiences. Join us to learn how to navigate the challenges of the financial innovation landscape and achieve coherence for a stable and secure Canadian financial system.
Speaker(s) to be announced shortly
PANEL DEBATE: Open Finance means Open Data – ignore it at your peril!
Open Finance and Open Data are natural successors to Open Banking, and many global jurisdictions are already building their roadmaps with an eye toward the future. Canada has a unique opportunity to reduce friction in its Open Finance journey, but only if it acts now. In this session, we’ll explore how to capitalize on the opportunities presented by a shifting digital landscape to build a bridge to Open Finance and Open Data. We’ll discuss the importance of engaging stakeholders from other industries early on to facilitate the creation of a mutually beneficial open ecosystem and discuss the role of a Consumer Data Right (CDR) in laying the foundation for success. We’ll also examine whether partnerships can be forged between competitors for the greater good and what architecture needs to be in place to ensure longevity. You’ll leave this session equipped with an understanding of the transformative potential of Open Finance and actionable strategies to implement in support of your business’s Open Data strategy – today, tomorrow, and in ten years’ time.
Portfolio+
Steven Thomas
Chief Technology Officer Portfolio+Steven has twenty+ years of experience across financial services, interactive media and telecom. He has a proven track record of leading global teams in the design and delivery of IT infrastructure, architecture and applications while addressing complex business challenges. Steven drives product delivery at Portfolio+ across feasibility, requirements analysis, design, implementation, deployment and support.
Close of Open Banking Expo Canada & Gala Dinner
Opening remarks & insight from GFT
Join GFT as they welcome you to the stage & contextualize the content ahead…
Speaker(s) to be announced shortly
Good neighbors: An update on the CFPB’s roadmap for Open Banking
Join us for an update on the CFPB’s aim to give Open Banking “teeth” in 2024…
Speaker(s) to be announced shortly
Moving beyond the trust imperative: Next steps and critical stakeholders
We all know that trust and transparency are the major ingredients for successful customer-facing Open Banking products and services, but what are the practical next steps to be taken to ensure data protection in an open environment? What is the role of digital ID in embedding security in customer-facing Open Banking products? What happens when technology fails: who is liable and what legal frameworks need to be in place to safeguard both consumers and FIs? We’ll dive deeper explore the proposed timelines for operational risk and reporting decisions and examine whether data quality controls are necessary for the first phase of Open Banking: is there an industry standard on how to manage, maintain, and secure customer information?
Scotiabank
Stephanie Zee
Vice President & Global Head, Enterprise Payments Risk, Financial Crimes Risk Management ScotiabankStephanie is Vice President, Enterprise Payments Risk and a member of the Financial Crimes Risk Management Team at Scotiabank. She has responsibility for the governance and oversight of Payments Risk across Scotiabank’s global footprint. Stephanie has more than 20 years of experience in Cash, Treasury and Card product innovation and management; sales, marketing, and business development; and operational, cyber, and fraud risk management. Stephanie is the Board Vice Chair of Mackenzie Health and a former Director of Payments Canada. Stephanie has earned an LL.M. from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University, an MBA from the Ivey School of Business at UWO, and the ICD.D certification from the Rotman School of Management at U of T.
PANEL DEBATE: API Standards: Developing a framework that will work for Canada
API standardization is a delicate balance between innovation and interoperability, and developing a shared language for data sharing in Open Banking is arguably the single most important factor in developing a thriving ecosystem. Interoperability between financial entities is imperative as well as being able to facilitate cross-border transactions. As the debate continues on market-driven vs regulator-led standards, we bring together the major stakeholders to shed light on where common ground can be found, and when Canada can expect a resolution: is the standard going to be regulated, is it going to be maintained, and if so, by whom?
Financial Data Exchange
Don Cardinal
Managing Director Financial Data ExchangeDon Cardinal is Managing Director of the Financial Data Exchange (FDX). Cardinal leads FDX by engaging with FDX members across the financial services and fintech ecosystem in the US and Canada to develop and implement the FDX API technical standard and to promote FDX’s five principles for permissioned data sharing: Control, Access, Transparency, Traceability & Security. Since its launch in October 2018 with 21 founding members, Cardinal has grown the nonprofit standards body to over 185 member organizations and 16 million consumer accounts have been migrated to the FDX API in North America.
Don comes to FDX after more than 20 years with Bank of America, where he served in key leadership roles as the Privacy Officer of their Military Bank, the Digital Banking VP for Military Bank, VP in Digital Banking, and most recently as a Senior VP in Global Information Security, where he orchestrated the bank’s DMARC email security implementation. From 2016 to 2018, Don also served as co-chair of the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center’s (FS-ISAC) Aggregation Working Group. Prior to his banking career, Don worked for a fintech, writing tax preparation software.
LUNCH & NETWORKING
The interplay between Open Banking and Digital ID
Desjardins
Sallim Dahman
Open Banking & Digital Identity Manager DesjardinsSallim Dahman is the Open Banking and Digital Identity Manager at Desjardins Group, the largest Canadian cooperative financial group. With nearly ten years of experience within his organization, where he has been at the heart of strategic, innovative and digital projects promoting financial autonomy, Sallim holds a Master’s degree in management and is currently completing a PhD in sociology. Intrigued by consumer behaviour and passionate about social sciences, this young manager hopes to play a part in the implementation of the Canadian Open Banking ecosystem. He is also involved in the discussion around the development of digital identity solutions. Being an advocate for both Open Banking and Digital Identity, he wants to make sure that these avenues are guided by the real needs of financial services customers and, on a larger scale, based on the reinforcement of the control by individuals over the sharing of their personal and financial information.
Accelerating financial inclusion for Canada’s underserved communities in a challenging economic landscape
Financial inclusion is crucial to a healthy economy, and Open Banking has the potential to revolutionize the lives of millions of Canadians who are currently un- or under-banked, or even credit invisible. But what does Open Banking mean for those who have struggled to access financial services in the past? How can it empower them to take control of their finances, build their credit, and achieve financial stability – especially in a recession? We’ll delve into the practical benefits of Open Banking for those who are un- or under-banked, including the ability to open bank accounts without the need for traditional credit history checks, and the creation of new financial products and services tailored to their needs. We’ll also highlight the potential challenges, including data privacy and security, and the need for education and outreach to help people understand and take advantage of these new opportunities.
League Data
Carrie Forbes
Chief Executive Officer League DataCarrie Forbes is the CEO of League Data, a Halifax based cooperative owned by the credit unions in Atlantic Canada. League Data is also the CIO for the Atlantic Credit Unions, providing enterprise banking solutions for the credit unions and their members. Carrie participates on several national committees and boards providing collaboration and influence within the financial cooperative and fintech sectors.
Carrie joined League Data from the Province of Nova Scotia, where she was a Director of Strategic Relations in the Chief Information Office, and a Learning Consultant within the NS Public Service Commission. Prior to her work in the public sector, she held various positions at Scotiabank within its Electronic Banking center for a decade. She holds an Advanced Bachelor of Arts, English Major degree from Dalhousie University. As an avid life long learner, Carrie also holds numerous certifications from a variety of institutions.
Women Corporate Directors Foundation
Jennifer Reynolds
Chief Executive Officer Women Corporate Directors FoundationJennifer Reynolds is the CEO of Women Corporate Directors Foundation (WCD). WCD is the world’s largest network of women corporate board directors, with more than 2500 members serving on more than 8,500 public and private boards around the globe.
Jennifer’s 25-year career in the financial services industry has included senior roles in investment banking, venture capital, and global risk management. Prior to joining WCD, Jennifer served as the President & CEO of Toronto Finance International (TFI), a public- private partnership which promotes and develops Canada’s financial services sector and serves as the international representative for the Toronto financial centre. Prior to joining TFI, Jennifer was the President & CEO of Women in Capital Markets (WCM), Canada’s largest industry association and advocacy group for women in the financial sector.
Jennifer is a Director on the Board of BF&M Insurance Group Ltd, Director on the Board of Agrinam Acquisition Corporation, Director on the Board of the Canada Development Investment Corporation (“CDEV”), and a Director on the Board of Women’s College Hospital Foundation. Jennifer is the Co-Chair of the UN convened Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) network and also serves on the Advisory Council for the Institute of Sustainable Finance. In 2015 and 2017, she was named a Women’s Executive Network (WXN) Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winner.
Jennifer is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Women’s Leadership program, and she received her MBA from McGill University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Economics and Political Science from McGill University. Jennifer also holds the Institute of Corporate Directors Designation, ICD.D.
PANEL DEBATE: From threat to opportunity: How Credit Unions can maximize the potential of Open Banking
Canadian Credit Unions are facing the challenge of Open Banking and its potential impact on their members and their role as financial institutions. While some Credit Unions may see Open Banking as a threat, it is important to recognize that it presents a significant opportunity to improve services for their members. If they wish to remain relevant, FIs must create solid, performant, reliable connections between their internal systems and the outside “Open Banking” space. To fulfil their purpose, Credit Unions must act as both a provider of data and a provider of services that consume data. One key to success in Open Banking is for Credit Unions to work together and choose the right tools and platforms to stay relevant to their members. This session will explore the role of Credit Unions in the Canadian Open Banking future and how they can turn the threat of disintermediation into an opportunity for growth and success.
CLOSE OF STAGE TWO | COFFEE & NETWORKING
Nezihe Aquino
Jag Bhogal
Tom Pawelkiewicz
Paul-Emile McNab
Saba Shariff
Robert Miller
Peter Tilton
Abraham Tachjian
Carrie Forbes
Jennifer Reynolds
Andrew Moor
Patrick Barr
Don Cardinal
Steve Boms
Eytan Bensoussan
Jamie Kruspel
Craig Borysowich
Mahima Poddar
Ana Climente
Stephanie Duhaime
Sallim Dahman
Shekher Puri
Eyal Sivan
Mauricio Deutsch
Stéphane Bousquet
Victoria Clark
Sandeep Achar
Geetika Tiwari
Steven Thomas
Cyrielle Chiron
Check out our full speaker roster here.
Why attend
Across two stages 60+ industry headliners from Canada and beyond will dive into the topics on everyone’s lips. From building your own Open Banking strategy to the end of screen scraping, and from data security to embedded finance, we have you covered.
zone
Using the event app you can book a slot in our Networking Zone during the event to build out your connections, forge new partnerships or catch up with industry friends.
Looking for a partner to supercharge your Open Banking strategy? Find them on the Expo floor. We have a host of industry heavyweights showcasing the latest innovations and new products on the market.
dinner
Join us after the conference for the gala dinner. The perfect opportunity to discuss the day’s learnings whilst enjoying an appetizing three course dinner with industry colleagues and friends.
Our partners
Say hello to the game-changers driving the Open Banking revolution in Canada and could be your next partner.
Would you like to partner with us? Check out our partnership opportunities here.
