THE INFLUENCERS SERIES - Part Three - Embracing Change, Resilience & Innovation

Jay-Ann Gilfoy joined Meridian as President & CEO on January 3, 2022. She is focused on leveraging Meridian’s unique value proposition to transform the business, achieve its winning aspiration and secure its future. In collaboration with the Board and senior management, she is responsible for articulating the organization’s strategy and delivering on its purpose on helping Members and customers achieve a better life, while growing the business. Jay-Ann’s wealth of business transformation and management expertise has been cultivated over more than 20 years as a senior executive in a broad range of roles and experiences in the private and public sector, and co-operative financial services. Since 2018, Jay-Ann served as CEO of Vancity Community Investment Bank (VCIB), a nationally focused subsidiary of B.C.-based Vancity credit union. In this role, Jay-Ann brokered partnerships with the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation (CHMC) and Habitat for Humanity to help create innovative, affordable housing solutions for Canadians. She also led VCIB’s efforts to be the first bank in Canada to acquire an impact investment firm: CoPower, a leading provider of clean energy financing and investments. Prior to that, she served as Senior Vice-President of Digital Solutions and Business Technology for Vancity. While there, Jay-Ann led the development and implementation of the credit union’s technology road map. Previously, she served as Chief Transformation Officer/Chief HR Officer at Coast Capital Savings. Jay-Ann currently serves as President & CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of motusbank. Current volunteer roles include Director, ParticipACTION and Director, Innovate, Cities. Previously she has served as Vice Chair Director, Nch’Kay Development Corporation (2019-2022), Chair of the Board, BC Human Resources Association (2009- 2011), Director, BC Human Resources Association (2009-2012), and Board Director of the British Columbia Automobile Association (2021).

As President and Chief Operating Officer as of January 1, 2023, Lisa Giannone brings over 30 years of experience in the insurance brokerage industry. Lisa has been with BFL CANADA for 13 years, demonstrating inspirational leadership by successfully implementing strategic growth initiatives with client focus being the priority. Since October 2019, Lisa was serving as Regional Vice President of Eastern Canada.

She excels in strategic planning and high-level negotiations and is more recognized explicitly for being creative at finding alternative and innovative solutions with insurers and clients. In addition, she is committed to building and developing high-performing teams while ensuring our BFL culture is present in everything we do

Lisa joined BFL CANADA in December 2009 as Vice-President. She has many years of experience in Insurance Brokerage and Risk Management.  Previously, she was employed by a large international brokerage firm where she held various positions locally, regionally and nationally.

In the course of her career, she has been involved in the design of insurance and risk management programs for a number Canadian companies with international operations, as well as the development of programs for various associations and affinity groups.  She has developed an expertise in risk transfer for the mining, manufacturing, construction, forestry, and transportation sectors.

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University, with a double major in Finance and Marketing and holds the title of Associate Insurance Broker (AIB). She is also very involved in the community with organization like “La rue des femmes” and the “Concordia Centre for Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership”.

Lisa Melchior is the founder and Managing Partner of Vertu Capital, a Toronto-based technology private equity firm targeting high potential Canadian businesses. She has been a private equity investor for more than 25 years, with sector expertise in enterprise software and software enabled businesses.  Lisa has invested $1.5B in over 25 companies across North America and Europe and through multiple economic cycles.

In 2021, Lisa Melchior raised her inaugural private equity fund, Vertu Partners Fund I (“Vertu”) with the goal of supporting growth and expansion of the Canadian technology ecosystem. Vertu provides a local solution for Canadian entrepreneurs and businesses looking for an experienced private equity partner to help scale to the next level. Vertu acquired stakes in two global technology businesses, Dejero and PathFactory, and closed the successful sale of her firm’s pre-fund investment, Firmex, in the same year.

Prior to founding Vertu, Lisa was a founding team member and Managing Director at OMERS Private Equity, where she led the North American Technology group. Outside of Vertu, Lisa sits on the boards of Real Matters (REAL.TO), a leading mortgage lending technology company, as well as the CVCA.   Lisa’s investment and board experience spans numerous successful technology companies across Canada, the U.S. and U.K. including: Logibec, Matrixcare, Civica and Constellation Software.  She is also Chair of the Mentorship Program of the Canadian Women in Private Equity. Lisa earned an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Western Ontario.

Cathy and is a founding Managing Director of the Toronto office of Stanton Chase, a Top 10 global retained executive search firm, working with clients across North America. With over 30 years of broad business experience, Cathy leverages her finance and governance expertise as Global Leader of the Stanton Chase CFO Practice, specializing in CFO, Board and C-level executive recruitment and leadership assessment across all industry sectors.

As a trusted partner to many long-standing clients, Cathy advises companies ranging from entrepreneurial, private equity-backed companies to publicly traded global corporations, helping clients attract top talent and build executive leadership teams and boards that will drive growth and transformational change.

Cathy started her career with Ernst & Young in Ottawa and was awarded the CPA Fellow designation in 2017. In 2021, she was recognized among the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network (WXN) for her efforts advancing women in leadership.

She currently sits on the global Board of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) and previously as Vice-Chair on the Stanton Chase Board of Directors. A passionate advocate for diverse and inclusive leadership, Cathy is a frequent speaker and panelist on the intersect of DEI, human capital and governance.