New York, United States, April 2026 – The Conference Board has appointed Gillian Riley to lead its operations in Canada, effective April 6. The Conference Board’s history in Canada began in 1954, and is well known as a non-profit think tank and business membership organization.
A distinguished executive in financial services, Gillian made a significant impact throughout her three decades at Scotiabank, where she championed innovation, drove growth, and created social impact. She is known for driving systemic change and building ecosystems for economic growth.
During Gillian’s tenure at Scotiabank, she led Tangerine Bank—Canada’s top digital bank—as President and CEO, guiding it to expand its range of products and achieving top rankings in customer satisfaction. She also held senior roles at Scotiabank in Commercial, Retail, and Wealth Management.
As part of her commitment to economic empowerment, in 2018 Gillian launched the Scotiabank Women Initiative. The groundbreaking program bridges systemic gaps in access to capital, education, and mentorship for women in business. Since its inception, the initiative has engaged over 40,000 women and has expanded to international markets.
Gillian is an accomplished board director, currently serving on boards in both Canada and the UK. Her roles include positions with Nationwide Building Society, a major financial services provider in the UK; Roynat Capital, where she acts as Chair; St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation and Huron University. Additionally, Gillian serves as a Senior Advisor at Bain & Company in the US, offering guidance to private equity and financial services clients. She has been recognized twice among Canada’s Top 100 Women for her leadership.
“Gillian’s leadership and deep understanding of Canada’s corporate landscape uniquely position us to deliver trusted insights for what’s ahead® to the region’s business community,” said Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board.
“As Canada’s leaders confront increasingly complex challenges, The Conference Board will equip them with unmatched insights for strengthening both their companies and communities. I’m excited to join this exceptional team and be part of this impactful work,” said Gillian Riley.
Gillian holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Hartford and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Western Ontario, Canada.
As previously announced, The Conference Board is resuming operations in Canada.
About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead®. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States.
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