Women in Capital Markets Relaunches Return to Bay Street Program to Support Women Re-Entering the Finance Industry

TORONTO , January 20 /Businesswire/ - Women in Capital Markets (WCM) is proud to announce that the 2021 Return to Bay Street (RTBS) program is accepting applications. Since 2010, this renowned returnship program has relaunched the careers of 73 women in Canadian finance. The program is designed for experienced women who have previously held mid-level and senior positions in capital markets, have taken time away from their careers in finance, and are now interested in returning.

Successful RTBS applicants each receive a paid work contract at an RTBS partner institution, an education grant, mentorship, and a one-year WCM Membership. By facilitating this program, WCM and its RTBS partners — BMO Capital Markets, CIBC, Mackenzie Investments, Manulife, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, RBC Capital Markets, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets, and TD Securities—are proactively accelerating women’s representation in the capital markets industry.

The 2021 WCM RTBS Co-Chairs commented that; “The WCM RTBS Program has proven to be an incredibly successful initiative for high-calibre professional women keen to relaunch their careers on Bay Street, continuing their career development and advancement to progressively senior positions, while broadening equity, diversity and inclusion in the industry. Personally, as a WCM RTBS recipient in 2012, I can attest to the program’s effectiveness and appreciate the continued commitment from WCM and all sponsors,” said Mary Ann Mendes, Managing Director & Head, Client Management, BMO Capital Markets and Co-Chair of the RTBS Working Group. Daniel Dorenbush Managing Director and Head of Canadian Prime Services at Scotiabank, Co-Chair of the RTBS Working Group added, “The Return to Bay Street Program provides critical support to the experienced and talented women who paused their careers and are ready to step back into the workforce. At Scotiabank, we have seen firsthand the positive impact this program has had on the industry and we are pleased to be among the many organizations bringing more women back into the capital markets business.”

Launched in 2010 by WCM and founding sponsor BMO Capital Markets—through funding from their Equity Through Education program—WCM’s RTBS program recognizes and values the talent and experience of women at every stage of their careers, recruiting mid to senior-level professionals back into the industry after an extended absence.

WCM is proud to work with a committed group of financial institutions to deliver the RTBS program. The strength of the program comes from their strong collaboration and desire to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in finance, specifically increasing the representation of women at the mid and senior level.

To best prepare candidates for the Return to Bay Street application experience, WCM is offering a conference on March 11, 2021 with HR and business leaders in the industry to educate women about RTBS. All women considering applying are encouraged to participate. The conference will offer:

• A full overview of the Return to Bay Street Award Program;
• Information on what candidates are to expect as they go through the application process;
• The opportunity to learn more about the experiences of previous RTBS candidates;
• An expert-led session on resume building and interview advice from HR leaders in the industry;
• A panel discussion on industry trends and their impact on capital markets careers.

One of WCM’s core strategic priorities is to accelerate the careers of women at every level in Canadian financial services, through professional development programs, awards and other visibility and networking opportunities. For more information about WCM's programs, please visit wcm.ca/professionals/programs.

About WCM

Our mission is to accelerate equity, diversity and inclusion in finance. We work to grow the pipeline of women, build the industry’s equity and inclusion literacy, and unite firms to drive change on an industry-level. We do this through advocacy, research, programming and recruitment. As a not-for-profit founded in 1995, our community has grown to 3,500 professional and student members, and our initiatives have impacted the careers of countless students and professionals across the country. Support our movement towards equity and diversity in finance by joining WCM at wcm.ca/join.

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