Ernie (Erminia) Johannson

Transformation Leader | Driving Sustainable Growth and Competitive Advantage I have spent the last 30 years leading financial services, payments and wealth businesses in both Canada and the US to higher levels of performance. I have also been an active and respected industry board member and Chair, influencing responses to the rapidly changing environment of global regulatory reform, evolving payment networks, and escalating financial crimes. I am energized by collaborating with innovative companies, growth-stage organizations, and enterprises in transition that require both strategic insight and practical execution. My work covers enterprise transformation and growth acceleration based on integrated customer, AI and digital strategies coupled with team culture development, operating model effectives and balanced financial and risk management. As past Group Head, North America Personal Banking for the Bank of Montreal, I had the privilege to lead a major business transformation in a highly competitive and regulated industry facing disruption from both new entrants to the market and evolving technologies.  I am recognized for delivering industry-leading revenue growth, market share gains, and more than doubling customer loyalty. I value and enable high performance cultures – aligning and empowering teams for world class employee engagement while delivering against ambition business goals. I integrate strategy and execution, creating sustainable competitive advantage through high-performing sales forces, digital and AI innovation, award-winning technology, products and marketing. I am an analytical business leader known for designing and executing business strategies grounded in deep customer insights and financial rigor.  I optimize investment returns through capital allocation strategies, business divestitures and continual efficiency programs to fuel strategic high return growth activities. I have successfully integrated new business acquisitions to address strategic growth opportunities as well as divested of non-core business operations to fuel core strategy. I am known as a practical, results-driven colleague grounded in strategic clarity, customer centricity and in the belief that high performing teams can make the impossible, possible. Throughout my career, I have seen the power of strategic clarity, alignment and empowerment of talented teams to achieve bold ambitions regardless of the challenges that may exist.