Paule Gauthier, CPA, CA, LL.M, TEP
Vice-President, High Net Worth Planning Services, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Paule specializes in tax and estate planning for ultra-high-net-worth families.
Her guidance supports clients in their relationships with their external professional advisors, with whom she frequently interacts.
Paule has a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from l’École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) and a Master’s degree in Tax Law from the Montreal University. She has completed the Securities Dealers Course from the Canadian Securities Institute.
As a Chartered Professional Accountant, Paule has more than 30 years of experience in tax and estate planning consulting, in CA firms as well as in life insurance and securities dealer companies. Paule is a frequent lecturer at annual conferences and technical seminars of l’Association de planification fiscale et financière and other professional associations and an active writer of reference papers on tax and estate planning topics.
Paule is a member of the executive committee of STEP Montreal and is regularly involved in various committees of the Association de planification fiscale et successorale. Paule is a member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec, the l’Association de planification fiscale et successorale, the Canadian Tax Foundation, the International Fiscal Association and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
Nathalie Fisette-Caza, MBA, F.Pl., M.Tax, TEP
Vice-President, High Net Worth Planning Services, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Nathalie specializes in tax and estate planning for ultra-high-net-worth families.
As a Vice President, High Net Worth Planning Services, Nathalie, together with your primary RBC advisor, helps you explore succession, tax, retirement and estate planning issues you face as a high-net-worth client.
Nathalie has a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and a Master’s degree in Tax from the University of Sherbrooke. She has also completed a Master in Business Administration from Laval University and a Bachelor degree in international commerce from l’École Supérieure de Commerce (ESC) in Poitiers, France. She is a Certified Financial Planner and has completed the Securities Dealers Course from the Canadian Securities Institute.
Nathalie has more than 20 years of experience in tax, charity and estate planning consulting. Nathalie regularly gives lectures at the Association de planification fiscale et financière (APFF) annual conferences and technical seminars, as well as at other professional association events, and is an active writer of articles on topics related to tax, charity and estate planning.
Nathalie is an active member of the executive committee of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (Quebec branch). She is also a member of the Association de planification fiscale et financière, the Institut Québécois de planification financière (IQPF) and the Canadian Tax Foundation (CTF).
Erin Lesser, LL.B, J.D., TEP
Will & Estate Consultant, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Erin Lesser is a Quebec-based lawyer who joined the RBC Family Services Office as a Will and Estate Consultant in January of 2023. Prior to joining RBC, she gained more than six years of experience in the fields of taxation and estate planning through working at a boutique, tax-focused Montreal law firm and then a mid-sized accounting firm. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Concordia University and then completed both her civil law degree and juris doctor at the University of Montreal. She also obtained her Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP) diploma in 2020, and is currently working to complete the CPA Canada In-Depth Taxation course. Erin is committed to providing clients with practical, creative and appropriate solutions for their estate planning needs. Not only has Erin practiced in estate planning and various other areas of taxation, she also has experience in Will and mandate drafting, estate administration and international estate concerns. As a result, she is able to guide clients towards a tax-efficient estate plan in addition to addressing any particular needs or wishes clients may have regarding their estate. Active in the legal community, Erin is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation’s Young Practitioner’s Committee, she is the acting second vicepresident of the Lord Reading Law Society and is a member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners. She is also a volunteer mentor to McGill and Concordia university students considering a career in law.
Mathieu Audy, MBA, F.Pl., TEP, D.Tax
Financial Planning Specialist, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Mathieu holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Université Laval. Passionate about the financial planning field, Mathieu completed a specialized graduate diploma in Tax (D. Tax) from Université du Québec à Montréal. He is also a qualified Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) and a Financial Planner (F.Pl.) duly registered under the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP).
Prior to joining RBC Wealth Management, Mathieu was a manager of the financial services branch in a Canadian securities firm where he provided sophisticated wealth management planning to high-net-worth individuals.
As a Financial Planning Specialist at RBC Family Office Services, Mathieu works jointly with your advisor to prepare and present your comprehensive Compass Financial Plan.
Stéphane began his career in the financial services industry in 1997 as a Financial Security Advisor. Intent on helping his peers succeed, he was promoted to a management role in 1999. Over the years, he has taken on ever-increasing responsibilities. Specializing in estate planning solutions, Stéphane is proficient at proposing and implementing innovative and effective tax solutions in response to a variety of wealth management needs. He designs personalized, insurance-based solutions, both for individuals and corporations, to help increase their net value, reduce the tax burden and protect wealth by relying on insurance solutions including life, living benefits and life annuity products. Stéphane is also able to assist you in setting up your policies to ensure that your wealth is transferred to your heirs according to your wishes.
As a Will and Estate Advisor for the Quebec Region, Frédéric provides estate settlement strategies and solutions that centre on understanding and addressing the unique needs of each client. He works collaboratively with clients, their families and trusted professionals in order to develop personalized multi-generational estate plans incorporating Wills, testamentary and inter vivos trusts, and protection mandates. Through this process, Frédéric helps families protect their legacy and facilitates its smooth transfer to the next generation.
Frédéric’s technical expertise complements his skill set in managing the complexities of family dynamics. He brings a compassionate, expert perspective that is welcomed by families who may be struggling with the difficult decisions that often accompany estate planning, whether it’s protecting an heir with a disability, providing for children from a previous union, minimizing family conflict or dealing with beneficiaries or assets that are situated outside of Canada.
Fully bilingual, Frédéric holds a Bachelor of Laws from the Université de Sherbrooke—he is a member of the Quebec Bar and practiced law for four years. Frédéric has continued to deepen his knowledge and expertise with key industry designations, such as the Trust and Estate Practitioner designation (TEP), and as a member of the Canadian division of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). In addition to his industry experience and background, Frédéric obtained his accreditation from the Institut québécois de la planification financière (IQPF) and served as a financial planner with RBC