FINANCIAL SERVICES
Geoff moved from technology to financial services following his early career work on systems and databases with the BC Government. His decision to join Scotiabank was based on its industry leading training programs coupled with its worldwide presence through branch and correspondent bank locations. Geoff embraced the learning opportunities at BNS to develop the fundamental understanding he has used in many subsequent engagements working on improving the value, and mitigating the risks, involved in financial intermediation, arbitrage, equity markets, consumer credit, and investment portfolios for business, personal and private banking clients.
After a brief break to take on retail management, Geoff returned to financial services by joining Investors Group - again because of their internationally recognized programs to train and develop professional financial planners. He was among the earliest in Canada to earn his Chartered Financial Planner (CFP) designation, and to become one of the youngest Division Managers in the company. These were also the initial days of computerized client information management and financial planning software, and with his technology background he embraced the opportunity, working with the training and development of his team to have the first fully computerized division in the country.
Although working full time, Geoff saw the importance of better integration of business practices, training, development, personnel management and technologies, so he decided to go back to school. He did that by taking on a full-time executive MBA course load at Simon Fraser University to broaden his understanding of cognitive learning and behaviour principles, and where he developed and validated the foundation of much of his later and current methodologies, tools and inspired learning programs.
Recognizing that financial planning needed to become a more accessible and disciplined profession, Geoff joined CIBC while undertaking a full time MBA program at Simon Fraser University. Leadership at the bank saw a fit for his academic focus on professional competency development in a new role as a national sales effectiveness manager, working with teams on client focused measurement, management, training and development of professional sales solutions. His initial project was on the team that launched Debit Cards nationally, a role that enabled him to apply his understanding of the banking fundamental of fractioning with his experience in client needs analysis and consumer behaviour, ensuring Debit’s highly profitable success. Davidson was then asked to apply hs expertise in sales, relationship management, technology and consumer segmentation expertise in more senior roles, first with the launch of the bank's financial planning company, and then the launch of the bank's insurance subsidiary. His responsibilities at those firms included development of the initial sales, service and support process, salesforce automation, and advancement of the bank's financial planning and customer relationship management software applications.
Geoff has had the pleasure of taking the learning, tools and programs he created in these roles to deliver leading edge solutions at many other banks, insurance companies, investment firms, and businesses spanning everything from manufacturing and logistics to transportation and retail.
