We often mistakenly believe that the most powerful and meaningful words in finance-related vocabulary are masculine, or that they have masculine connotations (Ambition, Success, Growth). But that isn’t the case; they’re actually feminine.. Our idea was simple and efficient: we relied on the strength of these feminine words to emphasize the value and importance of women within the financial world. This offensive has a double objective: On the one hand, it aims to position the AFFQ as an essential and dynamic leader as regards the professional success of women in finance, from the beginning to the end of their careers. And on the other hand, addressing the financial milieu specifically, it aims to highlight the fact that women are a factor in the success of the world of finance as a whole.
For its members, the AFFQ is an established, dynamic network offering tools and development opportunities to further their careers and success both at home and abroad. We act as a catalyst for talent, bringing together and encouraging highly skilled women. We do this by supporting the appointment of qualified women to boards of directors of large public and private organizations, developing services such as our mentoring program, and strongly promoting networking among our members by offering activities tailored to their interests and encouraging women to actively contribute to the economic growth of Québec.
For the business community, the AFFQ offers a pool of talent and specialized expertise to organizations seeking to hire women who are financial administrators and experienced professionals.
For governments and the media, the AFFQ is an invaluable reference tool providing access to the views of high-level women in finance on issues surrounding the economy and finance in Québec.
Our members
AFFQ members are professional women who work in financial institutions, accounting or legal firms, large corporations or consulting firms. With a focus on promoting the next generation, the Association also welcomes young, ambitious professional women enthusiastic about furthering their careers. All of our members are leaders in their own right, sharing a high level of financial expertise and a desire to get involved.
The AFFQ follows governance principles and practices that reflect competence, integrity and rigour. This applies to all levels of management of the Association, from the Board of Directors and Executive Committee to the management team and staff.
The members of the Board of Directors as well as our permanent staff all have many years of experience and have been selected based on the relevance of their backgrounds and the added value their skills and respective networks bring to the Association and its members. AFFQ board members are elected for mandates of two years.
The various AFFQ working committees all contribute to the Association's reputation and success by carrying out the mandates assigned to them. The committees meet monthly, collaborating closely with the AFFQ management team and regularly reporting on their progress to the Board of Directors.
If you are interested in volunteering on one of our committees, we invite you to contact a member of the Association staff.
The Membership and Member Services Committee is co-chaired by one board member and ia member of the AFFQ. The committee is comprised of volunteer members. It is responsible for making recommendations to the Board of Directors on the following issues:
The Membership And Member Services Committee is responsible for guiding new members and deploying the recruitment activities put forward by the Board.
The Member Services Committee, which is responsible for presenting the advantages that the AFFQ offers members and non-members, notably serves as an advisory committee for various large-scale projects that have an impact on many other Association initiatives.
From time to time, this committee may be called upon to approve content and conduct preliminary work and discussions before recommendations are presented to the Executive Committee.
The Career 4.0 Committee aims to encourage, promote, and support women on their career paths.
Objectives:
The Professional Development and Advancement Committee is responsible for planning stimulating, innovating and highly relevant events with an aim to:
This committee is primarily responsible for planning special events that provide our members with an international perspective of the world of finance.
The Special Events Committee also organizes group trips in Quebec, Canada and the U.S.
As its name suggests, the Women on Boards Committee promotes and supports the selection of accomplished professional women to sit as board members of private, public and parapublic companies and organizations, including in the government sector. As part of its mandate, this committee:
In fulfilling its mission to promote the talent and expertise of women as company board members, the AFFQ has developed solid partnerships with major players in the industry, such as the Institute of Corporate Directors, Collège des administrateurs de sociétés, Financial Women's Association of New York, and Bénévoles d'affaires organization.
The Gala Les Talentueuses Committee is responsible for organizing the annual AFFQ recognition evening. This high-profile event, attended annually by more than 600 guests, recognizes and celebrates excellence among our members and the next generation of women in finance.
The mandate of the Next Generation (NG) Committee is to create networking opportunities for members 34 and younger through a wide range of events and conferences. These activities aim to enable members to begin developing a solid business network early in their careers and to build on these relationships to further their achievements and extend their reach as professionals. The initiatives also focus on providing participants with tools to help propel their careers by honing their professional, personal and interpersonal skills.
Also, the NG Committee forges links with other financial associations to expand the networks of its members.
Finally, the activities conducted by the NG Committee are designed not just for professional women in finance but also for female university students pursuing a degree in finance.
Le comité rayonnement provincial sera responsable de promouvoir l'avancement professionnel des femmes en finances du Québec et de leur rayonnement par le biais de l’association à l’échelle provincial.
Pour ce faire, le comité:
Partner Program
To be associated with a unique network of financial professionals.
The AFFQ benefits greatly from the support it receives from the following partners. We warmly thank these partners for the invaluable help they provide in enabling us to fulfil our mission, realize our ambitions and conduct our activities.
Desjardins Group welcomes the contribution of women in finance and we believe the next generation of women in this field deserves our full support and cooperation. We are proud to partner with the Association des femmes en finance du Québec at their annual gala, where we will be awarding two Desjardins Career Scholarships to students based on their academic achievements and community involvement. We want to help these young women as they prepare for a promising career. At Desjardins, we believe that promoting gender equality in key positions helps build a better society
Royal Bank of Canada is Canada’s largest bank, and one of the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North America’s leading diversified financial services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management services, insurance, investor services and capital markets products and services on a global basis. We employ approximately 79,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 42 other countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com.
RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2013, we contributed more than $104 million to causes worldwide, including donations and community investments of more than $69 million and $35 million in sponsorships. Learn more at www.rbc.com/community-sustainability.
At Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), we invest constructively to generate sustainable returns over the long term. As a global investment group managing funds for public retirement and insurance plans, we work alongside our partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. We are active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at June 30, 2021 CDPQ’s net assets total CAD 390 billion. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.
In addition to benefiting from the constructive contribution of the Board of Directors and each committee, Dana Ades Landy, Chair of the AFFQ, also relies on the sound advice provided by the President's Circle, particularly in matters concerning the Association's development and orientation. True ambassadors of the AFFQ, the women who form the President's Circle enrich the organization with their vision and network of contacts.
National Bank of Canada is an integrated provider of financial services to retail, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. It operates in three business segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management and Financial Markets. National Bank offers a complete range of services: banking and investment solutions, securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management.
National Bank is the leading bank in Quebec and the partner of choice for small and medium-sized enterprises. It is also the sixth largest bank in Canada with branches in almost every province. Clients in the United States, Europe and other parts of the world are served through a network of representative offices, subsidiaries and partnerships. Its head office is located in Montreal and its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
National Bank is proud to be associated with the Association of Québec Women in Finance as a partner of the annual “Les Talentueuses” award ceremony, which highlights the achievements of professional women in the finance sector. By supporting the AQWF, National Bank is helping shine the spotlight on Quebec women who stand out through their exceptional performance in their sector of activity and their valuable contribution to the community.