Diverse backgrounds,
deep experience
Our two practice areas are led by a team of seasoned professionals with deep expertise in their fields. Together with our broad team of strategic advisors, we ensure that we have the right talent and experience for every client engagement.
Michael Henry
Managing Partner
xRecognized by clients for his commitment to exceptional search delivery, as well as diversity and inclusion, Michael Henry is one of Canada’s leading executive search professionals.
As Managing Partner of Massey Henry, Michael specializes in leadership recruitment for financial institutions, asset management, insurance, financial and risk management, and securities and non-securities regulation organizations across Canada.
In addition to his core executive search work, Michael serves as an advisor to boards of directors on their overall composition, capabilities, and succession planning strategies at public sector and financial services institutions.
Prior to founding Massey Henry, Michael was a Partner and Head of the Canadian Financial Services Practice at a large global executive search firm. Earlier in his career, he served as the Aide to The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, 26th Governor General of Canada, at which time he developed extensive and enduring relationships with leaders in every sector across the country.
Michael holds a Master of Science degree from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor of Arts from Western University. He is a founding Committee Member and Chair of Massey Hall & Roy Thomson Hall's Centre Aisle and also serves as a Member of the Board of Trustees of both the Massey Foundation and the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.
John Sanders
Senior Partner, Board and CEO Services
xJohn is a senior business leader with over 30 years of experience in global consulting, business leadership and strategic investments.
He has held longstanding senior leadership roles with two of the world’s largest consulting firms working with business leaders to drive financial performance through organizational transformation and business restructuring. In addition, to his corporate consulting experience, John has participated in global investments with a partner and personal capital through a variety of private capital entities.
Most recently, he served in a leadership role on the Board and Financial Service practices of a large global executive search firm. Over the past decade, he has led many directors and senior executive searches for some of Canada’s most prominent financial services and public sector organizations.
John is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and Chartered Director (C.Dir). He also holds the H.R.C.C designation from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University.
Alex Bunyan
Partner & Head, Leadership Practice
xWith more than 20 years of leadership experience across three industries, including financial services, Alex has spent his career in the service of others, with a passion for coaching, empowering, and supporting their success. During his career, Alex has grown, developed, and led people and teams across small and medium-sized organizations, as well as in multi-national firms.
Prior to joining Massey Henry, Alex built his own executive coaching firm, served as the Head of Executive Recruitment for the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), and spent several years as an executive recruitment consultant for a global talent advisory firm. In these roles, he extensively interviewed, assessed, and advised North American and U.K. executives and C-Suite leaders on their career and talent decisions.
Earlier in his career, Alex spent a decade building and leading a retail P&L and managing a large team, earning his first senior leadership position in the process.
As an executive coach at Massey Henry, Alex is committed to helping financial services leaders and executive teams find clarity in their purpose and conviction in their actions. Guided by his years of experience supporting and serving executives in financial services and beyond, Alex helps his clients to take real, meaningful, steps towards realizing their true potential and delivering exceptional results while inspiring their teams to do the same.
Alex earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Victoria, his MBA from Ivey Business School, and received his coaching training from the Co-Active Training Institute. He holds a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) designation and a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) designation with the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Linda Mundt
Engagement Manager
xWith over 25 years of recruitment experience, Linda has led and supported diverse executive roles in the financial services, consulting, and global entertainment sectors across North America.
She has led senior-level recruitment assignments for globally recognized organizations such as Deloitte, Mastercard, Capital One, CIBC, State Street, and Hewitt Associates. Most recently, she served as a recruiter for one of the largest and most prominent entertainment companies in the world.
Linda brings a blend of both corporate (internal) and external recruitment experience and is recognized for her collaborative and consultative approach. She is driven by a passion to help both clients and candidates navigate the executive recruitment process to build strong and high-functioning leadership teams.
Linda is also passionate about supporting diversity and inclusion at the executive levels, guided by her prior experience researching and writing HR policies and processes on employment and pay equity. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Windsor.
Sue Mahon
Director, Search Delivery and Operations
xSue brings over 25 years of experience in the executive search industry. She was most recently the Project Manager within the Public Sector, Board, and Financial Services practices at a large global executive search firm.
Having supported hundreds of clients across the public and financial services sectors, she is known for providing exceptional administrative and project management support.
Sue’s exceptional organizational ability and strong customer-service orientation have proven invaluable to clients and candidates as they seek to navigate the complexities of the search process. She ensures that projects run smoothly, and that clients, as well as our project team, have effective solutions, resources, and support throughout the search engagement
Sue’s professional experience is complemented by her Bachelor of Arts degree from York University – Glendon Campus.
Gaurav Pokharel
Head of Communications
xGaurav brings 10 years of experience in the executive recruitment industry, having supported global, national, and boutique search firms.
At Massey Henry, he leads client communications related to the executive recruitment process and oversees the marketing and communications strategy for the firm. He is committed to advancing diversity, inclusion, and equity principles at the senior executive levels.
Gaurav volunteers as a mentor for several initiatives, including with the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Arts and Skills for Change, a not-for-profit organization providing new Canadian immigrants with a broad range of employment services. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waterloo.
Mitchell Sanders
Consultant
xMitchell brings research, client relationship management, and labour relations experience across the public and private sectors.
At Massey Henry, he serves as a key member of the search delivery team, supporting executive search activities with a focus on sourcing candidates, developing candidate pools, and supporting client relationships.
Prior to joining the firm, Mitchell served as a Labor Relations Associate (LRA) at the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), where he collaborated with diverse stakeholders and provided research briefs for high impact initiatives.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours and a Master of Industrial Relations (MIR) from Queen’s University. Driven by a passion for continuous learning, Mitchell recently earned his Master of International Business (MIB) from Regent’s University London, in addition to receiving a Level 7 Diploma from the Chartered Management Institute (UK).
Cathy Dao
Manager, Business Planning & Analytics
xCathy brings experience with roles that have supported analytics, reporting, and strategic initiatives within a large financial institution environment.
At Massey Henry, she delivers market intelligence and data analysis to better support clients, and contributes to communications related to the executive search process.
Cathy holds a Bachelor of Commerce, with specialization in Finance, from the University of Ottawa. She is currently working towards a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.
Rhiana Safieh
Project Coordinator
xRhiana brings communications experience in the investment management and technology sectors.
She is passionate about creating engaging and informative content and communicating complex ideas in simple and engaging ways. At Massey Henry, she supports executive search delivery and the firm’s marketing and communications initiatives, with emphasis on candidate and client documentation.
She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Waterloo in English Rhetoric, Media, and Professional Communication.
Darlene Botman
Project Coordinator
xDarlene brings over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She was most recently the Chief Administrative Officer at a top-tier executive compensation and pension consulting firm and has also worked as a Project Coordinator at a large global executive search firm.
She brings with her many years of experience providing executive-level support at the CEO and board levels in financial services.
Darlene’s strong administrative, communication, and interpersonal skills support the firm’s clients and candidates as they navigate the executive search process, while ensuring excellence in client delivery.
Advisory Board
Massey Henry also leverages the experience and expertise of our advisory board, made up of distinguished leaders in financial services and the public sector.
George Cooke
Chair of the Board of Directors of OMERS Administration Corporation
xGeorge Cooke
Chair of the Board of Directors of OMERS Administration Corporation
George L. Cooke is Chair of the Board of Directors of OMERS Administration Corporation. He began serving as Chair on October 1, 2013. As Chair, Mr. Cooke also serves as ex officio (non-voting) member on the Board’s Audit & Actuarial, Governance & Risk, Human Resources, Investment, and Appeals Committees. Mr. Cooke is also a member of the AC/SC Joint Council.
In 2012, Mr. Cooke retired after a tenure of more than 20 years as the CEO and a Director of The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, one of Canada’s oldest and largest general insurance companies. During that time, he served as both an Executive Vice President and Director of E-L Financial Corporation (The Dominion’s parent).
Mr. Cooke has also served as a Director and Chair of The Insurance Bureau of Canada, Director of The Facility Association, and Director and Chair of the Property and Casualty Insurance Corporation. Other past positions include Director of Empire Life Insurance Company, Director of Atomic Energy Canada Limited, Director of Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Director of Hydro One, Board Chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation and Governor, Curling Canada.
Mr. Cooke enjoys a profound interest in public policy and, earlier in his career, was a Special Advisor on Policy to the Honourable Robert F. Nixon, Ontario's former Deputy Premier and Treasurer. In 2018, he and two colleagues completed a report for Ontario's Minister of Finance on financial services regulation, which led to the creation of The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA).
Mr. Cooke has a MBA and an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from Queens University. He is the recipient of an Honourary Doctor of Laws Degree (LLD) from Assumption University in Windsor, Ontario. He also was awarded an HCIP (Honourary Chartered Insurance Professional) designation by the Insurance Institute of Canada.
Mr. Cooke is a former Director and President of the Empire Club of Canada. He serves as a member of the Dean of Arts and Sciences Advisory Council, Queen’s University. He also has been involved with a number of not-for-profit organizations including Loran Scholars Foundation (where he continues to be a mentor) and Spinal Cord Injury Ontario (SCI). His work with SCI Ontario helped him earn the Ken Langford Honourary Lifetime Membership. In 2014, he was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame.
Eric Wetlaufer
Board Director, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario and the TMX Group
xEric Wetlaufer
Board Director, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario and the TMX Group
Mr. Wetlaufer has over 35 years of experience as an institutional investor. Most recently, he was responsible for leading the CPP Investment Board’s Public Market Investments department, investing over CAD$200 billion globally in publicly traded assets and related derivatives. Prior to that, he held executive roles in the investment management industry, including Group Chief Investment Officer, International at Fidelity Investments, Chief Investment Officer at Putnam Investments and Managing Director at Cadence Capital Management.
Mr. Wetlaufer provides counsel as a director, advisor, and investor to a range of large public to smaller private companies, with a focus on technology and financial sectors. He serves on the Board of Directors of the TMX Group (Toronto), Investment Management Corporation of Ontario, Niyogin Fintech (Mumbai) and Enterra Solutions (Princeton, NJ). He has also served on the Board of the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and is past president of the CFA Society, Boston.
Sharon Pel
Chair of the Board of Trustees, OPTrust
xSharon Pel
Chair of the Board of Trustees, OPTrust
Sharon Pel was appointed Chair of OPTrust’s Board of Trustees, effective November 3, 2020. Ms. Pel was first named to the Board by the Government of Ontario in February 2017 and previously served in the role of Vice-Chair. She has more than 35 years’ experience as a strategic business advisor, with extensive expertise in governance, securities regulatory and policy matters, and corporate, commercial and securities law. Previously, Ms. Pel held the role of SVP, Group Head Legal and Business Affairs at TMX Group until 2015, where she was responsible for advising the TMX board and executive management on all aspects of its governance, operations and legal and regulatory affairs. Prior to that, she was a partner at Torys LLP. Ms. Pel currently provides consulting services through her firm, Inglewood Advisory Services.
Ms. Pel is on the Board of Canadian Feed the Children (Chair from June 2016 – November 2020) and sat on the Board of IPL Plastics Inc. from June 2018 – October 2020 (member of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee from 2018 – 2020 and the Independent Committee for the going-private transaction in 2020). She has a BA from the University of Toronto and an LLB from the University of Ottawa. She is an Institute Certified Director (ICD.D) from the Institute of Corporate Directors and holds a Certificate in Pension Law from Osgoode Hall Law School.
Johanne Brossard
Corporate Director/Trustee
xJohanne Brossard
Corporate Director/Trustee
Ms. Johanne Brossard, MBA, ICD.D, is an accomplished senior executive and corporate director with more than 30 years in the financial services industry in Canada, Europe and Japan. Ms. Brossard is currently a Corporate Director at Currency Exchange International where she is the Chair of the Governance Committee and Peoples Group. Previously, Ms. Brossard served on the boards of Infrastructure Ontario and Equitable Bank.
Her most recent role was President and CEO of Bank West, a subsidiary of Desjardins, from 2013 to 2014 and as Desjardins’ Senior Vice-President of National Online Banking Development where she was instrumental in setting and implementing the turnaround plan for Bank West and relaunched as Zag Bank. Prior to that, she served three years as President and Chief Executive Officer of ResMor Trust/Ally Canada Company, a federally regulated trust company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Ally Financial Inc. USA.
In 1996 Ms. Brossard joined ING Direct where she served in various senior level positions over a 14-year period in Amsterdam, Japan and France, and where she held the position of President and CEO of ING Bank of Canada (ING Direct Canada and its subsidiaries) from 2003 to 2008. At ING, she played a key role in the in establishing the global ING Direct digital banking model, setting a new strategic direction for retail banks in Canada, launching ING Direct France and leading the transformational plan at ING Direct Japan. Ms. Brossard received her Master of Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario and has a General Management Certificate from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France.
Bill Hatanaka
Board Chair, Ontario Health
xBill Hatanaka
Board Chair, Ontario Health
Bill Hatanaka is the Board Chair of Ontario Health. He is the former President and CEO of the OPSEU Pension Trust (OPTrust), a defined benefit pension plan, jointly sponsored by the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.
Prior to this, Mr. Hatanaka was the Group Head of Wealth Management, TD Bank Group, with responsibility for building TD’s Global Wealth and Asset Management business. He also served as the inaugural Chair of the Bank’s Diversity Leadership Council. Preceding his time at TD, Mr. Hatanaka was the Chief Operating Officer, Wealth Management, Royal Bank of Canada.
He is a former Chair of the Investment Industry Association of Canada. Mr. Hatanaka has also served on several public boards including the Toronto Montreal Exchange (TMX) and TD Ameritrade.
Originally from Bathurst, New Brunswick, he holds an MA in Global Diplomacy from the University of London, England. He has also completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program, and has received the Institute of Corporate Directors, ICD.D designation.
Mr. Hatanaka currently serves on the boards of ICE NGX Canada Ltd. and Invesco Canada. He is an Honorary Governor at York University, and an Advisor to the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.
Prior to entering the financial and public sectors, he played professional football in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Lynne Kilpatrick
Corporate Director and Senior Retail Banking Executive
xLynne Kilpatrick
Corporate Director and Senior Retail Banking Executive
Lynne is a seasoned senior executive with wide-ranging experience spanning 25+ years in Canadian financial services. She has a broad range of both strategic and operational experience and is also an experienced Board Director on both for-profit and not-for-profit boards.
Lynne started her career as a journalist, writing for both the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times of Canada. She joined BMO in 1993 in the Communications group and took on increasingly senior roles in marketing and communications, gaining her first executive post in 1999.
She left the bank in 2000 to run a Toronto-based brand strategy and design agency but was invited to return to BMO in 2004. She became SVP Retail Banking in 2005 and led sales force effectiveness, retail banking strategy, branch network planning, ATM channel strategy, client experience, digital banking, marketing and data. She was recruited to join CIBC in early 2013 as SVP Retail Banking Strategy and Planning.
In her time with CIBC, Lynne created new sales models, transformed the bank’s branch network, created a blueprint for digital banking investment and innovation, led the turnaround of client satisfaction and loyalty and crafted an updated brand strategy. She was promoted to Executive Vice President in 2017 and took on leadership of the bank’s credit card and payments business. Lynne retired from CIBC in the spring of 2020.
Lynne served as a Director on the boards of First Caribbean International Bank, OBSI (Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments) and the Canadian Marketing Association.
Clio Straram
Head, Indigenous Banking at BMO Financial Group
xClio Straram
Head, Indigenous Banking at BMO Financial Group
Clio Straram currently serves as the Head of Indigenous Banking at BMO Financial Group (BMO). Prior to joining BMO, Ms. Straram held roles at another financial institution, including in Indigenous Banking, where she was responsible for the regions of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada. She brings an established track record that includes managing on-reserve financing of infrastructure projects and First Nations-owned economic development corporations. Previously, she worked at BMO in several progressive roles, including as Manager, Business Development in the Indigenous Banking Unit.
Ms. Straram is a member of Fond du Lac First Nation in Saskatchewan, with an MBA from Simon Fraser University, and a master’s in finance from London Business School. She is active in the community and currently serves on the Boards of Directors at Metrolinx and Anishnawbe Health Toronto.
As an advisory board member to Massey Henry, Clio is keen to help facilitate key connections and drive the inclusion of Indigenous leaders in executive roles.
The Massey Henry story
Massey Henry was created to bring a fresh approach to the traditional field of executive recruitment. We have created practices and processes that are efficient and effective for clients and open and constructive for candidates.
Founder and Managing Partner Michael Henry believes in the power of networks and connections and is a fierce promoter of Canadian talent at home and abroad. His vision was to create a firm that would set a new standard for executive search in Canada and shine a spotlight on Canadian talent. He believes in the power of diversity in all its forms to create strong leadership teams and high impact boards.
Behind the Massey Henry name
No name is more synonymous with ground breakers in Canadian business and culture than the Massey family. Building on early success in agriculture and manufacturing, generations of the Massey family have put an indelible stamp on Canada’s growth and development.
The Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey, the first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada, embodied that legacy. His lifelong dedication to the cultivation of Canada’s cultural fabric led to the creation of integral institutions and programs, including the National Library of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, the CBC, Massey College and the Order of Canada.
“The age which we live in is not suited to idle complacency or to pleasant dreams of past greatness.”
The Right Honourable Vincent Massey
Inherent to Massey’s civic leadership was his unwavering belief that extraordinary accomplishments could only be realized by leveraging the strength of people’s potential and talent. This inspires Massey Henry’s commitment to developing transformational Canadian leaders for 21st century business and culture.
Massey Henry founder Michael Henry is the great grandson of Vincent Massey and a director of the Massey Foundation, whose primary purpose is to promote arts and humanities in Canada.
The Massey Network –
Connecting through excellence
The Massey family has been helping Canadian businesses and the public service sector rise to the occasion for generations. Here at Massey Henry, we’re building on that legacy by connecting inspiring leaders and high-potential executive talent with public and private organizations where they can make the greatest impact. The Massey Network brings together the best and brightest in financial services, politics and philanthropy, in Canada and among the Canadian ex-pat community.
Whether you’re a Canadian professional living abroad or within our borders, we invite you to join the Massey Network for the latest insights, opportunities and connections with fellow Canadians across the world. Get in touch with us to learn more.
Massey Henry’s culture
At Massey Henry, we lead by example and are guided by our values: trust, transparency, innovation and active engagement. We embrace agile processes that are deeply informed by our understanding of our clients and the sectors in which they operate, helping transform their organizations and select and engage key talent.
By setting the bar high, we aim to be the partner of choice and provider of world-class executive recruitment services for leading Canadian organizations.
Looking to help clients with a fresh approach to executive search?
If you’re interested in joining the Massey Henry team, check out our Careers section for the latest opportunities.