Angela Gilson, Managing Director, Head of GWO, U.S., Scotiabank, won Excellence in Operations at Markets Media Group’s 2024 Women in Finance (U.S.) Awards.

What have been the main drivers of your success?

I’m motivated by the idea of doing more, which has served me well as I navigate my career. I genuinely enjoy working in large corporations, and specifically in operations, where I can build teams and manage them through the inevitable changes in our industry.

I recently took on a new role at Scotiabank building out our operations and servicing capability for a new business. It is a large-scale program of work and a key new business for the Bank, and I am excited for the challenge.

My mentors have also pushed me into roles that challenged me and pushed me out of my comfort zone. I have had some excellent mentors and sponsors in my career who have helped guide me. My first mentor was my father, who worked in banking for 35 years and absolutely had a big impact on my career.

Apart from him, I find that my managers become great mentors. I had one direct manager and one current senior manager help guide my career at different points in time. I enjoy mentoring others myself, and similarly, I find that I am more successful as a mentor with people in operations or related functions.

Tell us about a passion you have outside the business.

I come from a large family and have spent much of my life traveling, living in numerous cities and countries, including in the U.S. the Middle East, the U.K. and Germany. My frequent visits to various parts of Africa, both for work and for pleasure, have made it one of my favorite places to travel. I would recommend to anyone to spend time there. My travel has certainly given me a deep appreciation and understanding of different cultures both at work and in my personal life.

When I’m not working, I enjoy leaving the city with my 8-year-old puggle and exploring the outdoors together.

What’s something you’re really proud of and why?

I take great pride in the various teams I have managed over the years. I have continued to keep in touch with many team members throughout the years. As I reflect on what we have accomplished collectively, I am blown away.

What are the current operations trends?

The operations world is always evolving, and our regulatory environment and the changes to business products consistently create opportunities for improvement. Automation is a key area of focus for all operations areas, as we strive towards Straight Through Processing.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the capital markets industry continues to adopt AI and how firms will leverage AI to service clients faster and more efficiently. Currently, we’re seeing use cases in areas like trade confirmations, but I expect that there will be more innovation in the middle office.

What progress still needs to be made, in terms of financial firms adopting advocacy of Women in Finance?

It would be wonderful to continue to see women in senior positions. Scotiabank is the only firm where I have worked for a senior woman who also reported to another senior woman. This is a rarity in my career, and it would be fantastic to see it become more common across the finance industry.