Scotiabank Group Head and Chief Financial Officer Sean McGuckin will take a leave of absence to attend to an illness in the family. Senior Vice President and Chief Accountant Rajagopal (Raj) Viswanathan will step in as acting chief financial officer, effective immediately.

In addition, the bank has made the following structural changes to the Finance team:

  • Charles Emond, currently managing director and co-head, Global Investment Banking has been promoted to executive vice president, Finance and will report to Viswanathan.
  • Chadwick Westlake, currently senior vice president, Structural Cost Transformation and Lean will become senior vice president, Structural Cost Management and Canadian Banking Finance and will also report to Viswanathan.

“Our thoughts are with Sean and his family at this time,” said Brian Porter, president and CEO at Scotiabank. “During his absence, the board and management at Scotiabank have the utmost confidence in Raj Viswanathan to steward the bank’s financial, accounting and reporting needs.”