Exceptional women in the Canadian payments industry were recognized at the Women in Payments Awards

TORONTO, Sept. 19, 2019 /CNW/ - Women in Payments recognized exceptionally talented leaders and rising stars in the payments industry at the eighth annual Women in Payments Symposium in Toronto on September 18.

The awards were presented to outstanding payments professionals, with recipients commended for their leadership, innovation, commitment to strengthening the industry and for advocating the success of women in the payments ecosystem.

"We are thrilled with this year's six incredibly talented winners. Women in Payments has been recognizing the outstanding work of payment leaders and innovators since 2014. The awards are a chance to celebrate and recognize the achievements of the women and men who pave the way for rising stars across the payments industry," said Kristy Duncan, Founder and CEO of Women in Payments. "Congratulations to all the nominees!"

The awards, across six categories, went to:

• Rising Star, Daniela Carnevale Aubry, CIBC
• Innovation, Elena Litani, nanopay
• Thought Leader, Rania Llewellyn, Scotiabank
• Advocate for Women, John Cowan, CIBC
• Inspiration, Grace Caputo, Payment Source
• Distinguished Payments Professional, Suzan Denoncourt, Ingenico

MORE ABOUT THE AWARDS AND WINNERS:

The Women in Payments Rising Star Award recognizes emerging talent in the Canadian payments industry. The award pays tribute to women who demonstrate leadership, professional excellence, and a commitment to motivating others to make a positive impact on the payments ecosystem. This year, the award was presented to Daniela Carnevale Aubry, CIBC, for her keen ability to think strategically, her collaborative leadership style, her outstanding mentorship of others, and her passion for payments.

The Women in Payments Award for Innovation is presented to a woman who has promoted payments innovation through creativity and vision. This year the award was presented to Elena Litani, nanopay, for her leadership in blockchain and national identity initiatives. She was a valuable contributor to Project Jasper, a central bank digital cash and settlement using blockchain, and was also integral to TD's innovative national identity project known as Verified.Me.

The Women in Payments Award for Thought Leader is presented to a woman who actively helps shape the future of the payments industry, through leadership in industry fora, and for actively contributing to the payments debate in the Canadian or global payments ecosystem. This year, the award was presented to Rania Llewellyn, Scotiabank, for her outstanding work driving the country's payments modernization across multiple industry fora, as well as her leadership in driving Scotiabank's digital transformation. Rania has also been a leader in supporting newcomers to Canada, through her support for mentoring programs as well as helping to establish dedicated banking programs.

The Women in Payments Award for Advocate for Women goes to a man or a woman who actively contributes to the advancement and development of women, and publicly celebrates the work and accomplishments of women in the workplace. This year, the award was presented to John Cowan, CIBC, who is known as a very strong proponent of female talent, and as a passionate advocate for gender-balanced leadership and workplace inclusion.

The Women in Payments Award for Inspiration goes to a woman who inspires people to reach great heights of performance and success. She drives vision, exudes positivity, and inspires greatness and growth in others. This year, the award was presented to Grace Caputo, Payment Source, for her ability to deliver what she commits to, ability to inspire her team to follow her vision, and her passion for mentoring and passing her hard-won knowledge and experience on to others.

The Women in Payments Award for Distinguished Payments Professional is a lifetime achievement award that recognizes a woman who is an acknowledged trendsetter, role model, and a strong contributor to the overall positive image of the industry. This year, this award was presented to Suzan Denoncourt, Ingenico, for her outstanding leadership in creating new business models, building strategic partnerships, and driving world-class new solutions in payments and secure identity. Her expertise garners the respect of the industry, and her input is regularly sought by government officials and industry bodies. Suzan is a strong advocate for mentorship, supporting a number of internal and external mentorship initiatives. Suzan's leadership and tireless dedication to driving payments innovation throughout her career exemplify the qualities of a distinguished payments professional.

See a full list of all the nominees here.

About Women in Payments
With symposiums in the UK, Canada, the USA, Australia, and Singapore, Women in Payments was founded by Kristy Duncan in 2012 to facilitate career development, payment systems education, and community building for women working across the global payments ecosystem. Symposiums provide a platform for women payments professionals to demonstrate and hone their leadership and expertise in various roles, including keynote presentations, executive panel discussions, and breakout sessions.

SOURCE Women in Payments

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