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COVER STORY: YOUNG GUNS GRANT WHITE Investment advisor National Bank Financial
In Winnipeg, the White name holds some weight in the business community, to say the least. The family has owned and operated different companies in Manitoba’s capital since the 1930s. In more recent years, that acumen has transferred specifically into wealth management and planning, and Grant White now represents the lineage as an advisor with National Bank Financial. Given his background, it’s not surprising that White takes the role very seriously and expects those in the industry to follow suit. “The biggest challenge we face is developing the reputation of the profession itself,” he says. “I don’t think advisors get the respect we deserve, but at the same time, I do think we have done that to ourselves. We really need to work on building the optics of our profession.” Stints with Rogers, BMO Nesbitt Burns and Wellington West eventually led White to National Bank Financial, where he was named Rookie of the Year in 2013 as he built a solid client base. Now with 10 years of industry experience behind him, White has become well-versed in the intricacies of wealth management and financial planning; for him, convergence has been the main difference since he broke into the industry a decade ago. “The main change I’ve seen is a greater push toward a comprehensive wealth management approach –providing full financial services like tax planning, estate planning, and really taking a look at a clients’ overall financial situation and offering advice for their needs,” he says. “Our team is structured here to manage all the needs a business owner or professional may have.” With $65 million in assets under management, White’s approach has clearly borne fruit, but he believes greater change is required for the industry at large to reach its full potential. Similar to many of this year’s Young Guns, the Winnipeg native welcomes the implementation of CRM2. However, he believes its provisions could and should reach even further. “I think the new regulations haven’t gone far enough,” he says. “I would like to see more transparency on management fees. I would like to see fees all in one place, something like a mutual fund fee. Our team here is very transparent with our clients. Certain things like deferred sales charge commissions are banned in our firm, and I would love to see that be the same right across the industry.”
DARCIE CROWE
26
SYED RAZA
Senior investment advisor and portfolio manager
Advisor and director of marketing
Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management
LSM Insurance
In finance, standing still is often tantamount to going backwards. This is something Darcie Crowe clearly has kept in mind throughout her career, most notably when she transitioned from investment banking into wealth management in 2010. Having graduated from the Honors Business Administration program at the Richard Ivey School of Business, Crowe worked with Genuity Capital Markets for five years. When the company was acquired by Canaccord Financial in 2010, it offered Crowe the perfect opportunity to shift gears and move into the realm of financial planning. The change in direction allowed her to focus much more on people and their families and to assist them in meeting their investment and financial planning goals. It’s safe to say that decision paid off, as she built $250 million in assets under management at Canaccord Genuity’s base in Toronto. Having tasted success in Canada’s largest city, Crowe sought another challenge and decided to look West, relocating to Vancouver in 2014 to build the firm’s business there. As a portfolio manager and personal financial planner, she takes a comprehensive approach to working with her clients. She is also a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and is passionate about assisting both men and women working through difficult life transitions and achieving financial security.
Like many of this year’s Young Guns, Syed Raza believes it’s essential for advisors to change with the times and optimize the use of technology. A licensed insurance advisor with LSM Insurance, Raza has progressed from serving as the firm’s marketing manager to his current role as director of marketing. That progression has been fuelled by his expertise in building LSM’s online presence and enhancing cross-platform marketing strategies for on-page optimization and link-building. Raza has also prioritized the performance of SEO/ SEM campaigns, including keyword research and paid ad performance using third-party analytic tools.
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