Panel of Mentors

Sameer is an author, keynote speaker, motivator, community leader and mentor. He is financial services sector veteran with a strong international experience in accounting and finance. He currently serves as risk management professional with one of the large banks in Canada. With a solution driven approach, he has significant experience of general management, capital markets, risk management and compliance across an impressive career spanning more than three decades. Prior to his current role, Sameer spent many years in a progressive series of roles with various banks in Canada. He has also worked internationally as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in India, Management Consultant (CMA) in USA and is a qualified fellow on the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of India, Certified Management Accountants of USA. Amongst his notable international experience was being a financial consultant to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, an international fame Indian guru, known for developing the Transcendental Meditation technique. Sameer serves as Lieutenant Governor on the Governing Council of University of Toronto.

Akash is an Experienced financial industry professional where in his current role as a Sr Manager, Risk Management for RBCx Ventures and P&CB, risk assessing initiatives, and helping business partners work through the unknowns. Previously he's played an integral role in shaping the Banking Reinvention - Relationship Banking Journey through partnering with business and technology partners on initiatives such as RBC Vantage, Campaign Modernization, etc. Before joining P&CB, he had previous experience with I&TS Custody, Middle Office & Fund Accounting business segments where he successfully delivered on mass digital adoption & regulatory initiatives for RBC’s institutional clients. In 2020, Akash was selected to join Season 8 of RBC Expand (RBCx) a 9-week innovation program that brings together participants from across all business lines of RBC to explore disruptive ideas and learn new ways of working. His team was tasked with creating a product to make RBC the bank of choice for newcomers and his team won 2 out of the 3 awards - Best Overall Solution and Most Disruptive Solution.

Akash is also passionate about strategy, innovation, risk management & people engagement and has a Bachelor's in Technology & Post Graduation in Business Analysis as well as Management Consulting along with Product Owner, Scrum Master, Public Speaking, and Design Thinking certification