Janice FukakusaERIN ELDER
With increasing numbers of immigrants arriving every year from Asia, the Caribbean and other parts of the world, Canada's urban demographic makeup is undergoing a profound shift. Marina Jimenez talks with seven emerging leaders from this new demographic, and their thoughts on immigration, philanthropy, success and influence.
Janice Fukakusa is the Chief Administrative Officer and CFO of the Royal Bank of Canada, Canada's largest financial institution, and one of the bank's key leaders through the 2008-2009 financial crisis. She is considered a potential successor to CEO Gordon Nixon, which puts her in the running to become the first female CEO of a major chartered bank.
Why and when did you move to Canada?
My grandparents immigrated to Canada. I'm a third generation Japanese-Canadian.
What are the barriers people from diverse backgrounds face in becoming leaders?
Traditionally, companies have not been pro-active in recognizing the value in having a diverse work force. I think that companies should look to how we have approached diversity at RBC. Our CEO, Gord Nixon, chairs our Diversity Leadership Committee. We did research a few years ago, which found that if we fully employ newcomers, at their level of education and paid equal to Canadians, personal income increases by $13-billion a year - that's the equivalent of gaining 400,000 more workers in a year.
Who are your personal heroes?
My parents. My mother was moved inland in British Columbia when World War II started and my father was sent to a labour camp in Northern Ontario. They met and married in Thunder Bay and moved to Toronto, where they started their own business. My dad had a strong work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and a dedication to creating his own success.