Sprott hosts an important discussion on the diversity of careers in finance

Christine Girvan, Leslie Ballard, Dimi Ntantoulis, Maral Chukhalkhuu, Hope Celani and Sprott Dean Linda Schweitzer

Five successful women in finance shared career insights and advice at a special event entitled Women: Paving Their Way in Finance on Oct. 2. Christine Girvan, head of Canadian distribution at MFS Investment Management; Dimi Ntantoulis, portfolio manager, Canadian equity at MFS Investment Management; Hope Celani, manager, consulting at BNY Mellon; Leslie Ballard (BCom/05), Usher Hahn Wealth Advisory, CIBC Wood Gundy; and Maral Chukhalkhuu (BIB/08), associate, RBC PH&N Investment Counsel.

The event began with a fireside chat between Christine and Linda Schweitzer, Interim Dean of the Sprott School of Business. Christine spoke about how diversity in the workplace can bring fresh ideas. She said that women have a lot to bring to the table and that finance can be a very attractive career.

Christine and Linda speaking to each other in big chairs

“I have to have a job that has an opening to a bigger world,” Christine said, talking about when she was starting her career in France. For Christine, a job in finance was the ideal opening to a bigger world. She continued working in finance when she moved to Canada.

Her advice to students and new graduates was to be self-assured and to be resilient.

“Don’t give up, keep at it, ask for feedback,” said Christine. When she arrived in Canada without a network, she began calling professionals in the finance industry. At the end of every conversation she asked for the names of three more people who she should speak to, expanding her network.

The four other panelists joined Christine on stage and spoke about the different career paths they took to get to where they are today. Some of them had an intention to go into finance after university, and others found themselves in roles where they discovered their interest in the field.

Dimi was a pharmacist before deciding to make a career change. She got her MBA, initially thinking she would continue to work in business related to pharmaceuticals. Instead, she found a passion for finance and never looked back. Hope also did not study business in her undergrad. She was equipped with a history degree before moving to Scotland. After applying for a job through a newspaper ad, she was offered the position because of the culture difference in what the term ‘university degree’ represented. Through this position, she was introduced to the world of finance.

Leslie finished her Commerce degree at Sprott with a concentration in finance. In her role now, she enjoys how she gets to interact with clients and make a difference in their lives, while also putting to use her skill with analytics and numbers. Maral found her first job at RBC through a networking connection she made while attending the SBSS Business Banquet that takes place annually in November. She kept in touch with some of the professionals she had met at the banquet. After graduation she sent them her resume and Canadian Securities Course score, which turned out to be the first step in her financial career.

The panelists touched on the finance industry’s reputation of being male dominated. Dimi said that since she started in the industry, it has been changing to become more inclusive and welcoming. Her current workplace has many women in senior positions. This shift has provided valuable mentorship opportunities for women in finance.

“The industry, it’s still very male dominated. It’s an evolution, not a revolution—because you have to go through the ranks and get experience. It has improved a lot,” said Dimi. “The view of women being team-players, of being smart, of being prospective colleagues has truly evolved over twenty years.”

The panelists had a wealth of knowledge to share with young professionals including the importance of networking, pushing outside of your comfort zone, saying “yes” to opportunities and not being afraid to fail.

“The worst you can get is a no. There’s no harm in asking,” Maral advised. She also spoke about how it is important to apply for jobs even if you do not have 100 per cent of the qualifications asked for in a job description.

A networking session followed the panel, allowing alumni, students and staff to mingle and continue asking the panelists questions in a more personal setting. To find out about upcoming Sprott alumni events, please visit our events page.