Team Biographies

Coming from one of the major global accounting firms, Yat-Sze brings a broad range of experience to her role as a Financial Planning Specialist. In her previous role as a senior tax manager, she spent many years working with private companies, high-net-worth individuals, trusts, and partnerships. Her work included tax minimization through appropriate tax planning (corporate and personal, including estate planning) and corporate restructuring.

Yat-Sze is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA). She completed her Bachelor of Commerce at the University of British Columbia and has completed all three levels of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants’ In-Depth Tax Course. She has also completed the Advanced Tax Course for Owner-Managed Businesses.

As a Financial Planning Specialist, Yat-Sze’s role is to work with and support your advisor in preparing and presenting your Compass Financial Plan and to identify and assess any related financial and tax planning concerns you might have.

Melissa obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Simon Fraser University in 1999 and earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Victoria in 2007. She was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 2008.

Prior to joining RBC Wealth Management, Melissa practiced law in Vancouver and specialized in estate planning and estate administration as well as small business corporate and commercial matters. Melissa assisted clients with a range of estate planning matters including drafting Wills, Powers of Attorney and Representation Agreements as well as matters related to the administration of an estate, including applications for Letters Probate and Letters of Administration. Melissa also assisted clients with matters relating to a variety of corporate transactions including incorporations, corporate reorganizations, corporate financing, share and asset purchase and sale transactions as well as the drafting of various corporate commercial documents including shareholder agreements and partnership agreements.

Melissa is a member of the Canadian Bar Association Wills and Trusts Section (Vancouver).

Melissa’s role with RBC Wealth Management is to work with you and your advisor to review and/or structure your Will, estate and trust matters to ensure that your plan is organized in an effective and tax-efficient manner.

An experienced insurance and estate planning professional, Sean specializes in providing succession and estate planning strategies for business owners and affluent families. Sean works closely with you and your professional advisors to develop and implement tax-efficient strategies that are optimized to meet your wealth management goals.

A Chartered Professional Accountant and Certified Public Accountant (Delaware), Sean holds an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at The University of Western Ontario. Sean is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, the Estate Planning Council of Vancouver, and the Canadian Tax Foundation.

Away from the office, Sean and his wife Jacqui enjoy outdoor pursuits, motorcycle touring, and finding new destinations to explore on their travels.