HNW Planning Specialists
Coady Cormier, BBA (Fin), LL.B, TEP
Vice-President, High Net Worth Planning Services, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Coady’s expertise includes tax and estate planning for business owners, professionals, executives, retirees and individuals with U.S. issues. He also assists individuals facing significant financial events (for example, sale of business, financial windfall, retirement, severing residential ties with Canada, etc.).
For more than 20 years, Coady has assisted high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families with their complex planning needs. Coady is a tax lawyer, and he has occupied his current planning role at RBC since 2008. In providing planning information to clients, Coady frequently communicates with their external professional advisors.
Coady’s educational background includes a law degree from Dalhousie University as well as the completion of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada’s) In-Depth Tax Course (Levels I, II and III) and the CPA Canada’s Tax Issues for the Owner-Managed Business Course. He is a member of both the Canadian Tax Foundation and the Canadian Bar Association (Alberta Branch (South)) Tax Specialist Section. Also, Coady was called to the Bar in Alberta and Ontario. Further, in addition to his finance degree from Bishop’s University and the completion of the Canadian Securities Course, Coady is a registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).
Sara M. Johnson, ESQ, Ph.D., TEP, CFP, LL.M. (US Law), JD
Vice President, High Net Worth Planning Services— International Estate, Art and Digital Legacy Planning, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Sara specializes in international estate planning, art collection and digital legacy planning for UHNW families in developing their wealth and legacy plans. Her guidance supports clients in their relationships with their external professional advisors, with whom she frequently interacts.
Sara has two decades of professional experience in complex estate and trust administration and planning; business succession; cross-border tax planning (STEP Advanced Certificate in Cross-Border Estates); family governance (STEP Advanced Certificate on family enterprise advising); art collection management and art estates planning (“Art as Global Business” Certificate, the Sotheby’s Institute of Art and European Institute of Sustainability, “Art Disruption,” NFTs and tokenization of Art, legal and tax planning); as well as, Digital Assets Inventory and estate management. She is a graduate of Masters in US Law at George Mason University and was called to the California State Bar in 2021. Sara achieved her Ph.D. in International Management (Behavioural Finance and Law) at the International School of Management in France, as well as completed the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, National Committee on Accreditation at UBC Peter A. Allard School of Law.
Sara is an active member of the following groups and institutions:
American Bar Association (ABA) in Chicago, US
California Lawyers Association CLA Trust and Estate, and IP Chapters in Los Angeles, US
Beverley Hills Bar Association in Los Angeles, US
International Bar Association (IBA) in London, UK; Technology Law Committee, Art, Cultural and Heritage Committee, IP and Entertainment Committee
Fellow of the European Law Institute in Vienna, Austria; Model Rules on Succession of Digital assets SIG; Access to Digital Assets SIG, and Model Rules on Algorithmic Contracts SIG
STEP Canada; the STEP Cross-Border Estates SIG
The Institute of Art and Law in London, UK
Art Lawyers Association (ALA) in London, UK
Professional Advisors to the International Art Market (PAIAM) in New York City, US
Alumnus of the of Harvard Law School, HarvardX, Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society
Third Space Life Charity in the Okanagan
She lectures the fall/winter seminars on International Business Law, Business Succession, Trust, International Arbitration and
M&A at ISEG, MBA course in Paris, France. She is also a visiting lecturer of Blockchain and NFTs at UCLA Law school. Sara is fluent in Italian and English and has working knowledge of French and Spanish.
Sara works closely with your RBC advisor to identify strategies and solutions on structuring your affairs in a manner that addresses your overall wealth planning needs, which you would then discuss and implement with your accountant or lawyer.
Business Owner Specialists
Darren Bank, CPA, CA, TEP
Vice President, Business Owner Specialist, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
As a Business Owner Specialist, High Net Worth Planning Services, Darren, together with your primary RBC advisor, helps you explore succession, tax, retirement and estate planning issues you face as a business owner.
Prior to joining RBC, Darren was a tax partner with a national accounting and advisory firm where he focused on providing tax planning services to high net worth families and shareholders of privately held businesses. Darren guided clients through many of the complex personal and corporate issues faced by high net worth families and business owners by developing strategies for wealth preservation and tax minimization, the transfer of wealth to the next generation, and estate and succession planning.
Darren, together with your primary RBC advisor, helps you explore succession, tax, retirement and estate planning issues you face as a high net worth client. Darren specializes in tax and estate planning for business owners and high net worth families.
Darren is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant and has completed the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants In-Depth Tax Course,
the Corporate Reorganization Course and the Tax Planning for the Owner Manager Course. Darren is a TEP designated member of STEP (The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and is a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation. Darren is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
Faisal Jamal, CPA, CA
Vice President, Business Owner Specialist, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
As a Business Owner Specialist, High Net Worth Planning Services, Faisal, together with your primary RBC advisor, helps you explore succession, tax, retirement and estate planning issues you face as a business owner.
Faisal specializes in tax and estate planning for high net worth families.
Prior to joining RBC, Faisal was a tax senior manager with a mid-size accounting and advisory firm, as well as with a multi-national accounting firm. Faisal’s expertise includes tax and estate planning for high net worth individuals and families, professionals, and business owners.
Faisal is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and his educational background includes the completion of the CICA’s in-depth tax course (Level I, II and III), a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Victoria, and a Masters of Professional Accounting from the University of Saskatchewan. He is also a member of the Canadian Tax Foundation.
Will & Estate Consultants
Avideh Parent, LL.B, TEP
Vice President and Will & Estate Consultant, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Avideh Parent is an experienced lawyer with a strong commitment to educating people on the importance of estate planning. Avideh is a frequent presenter on Wills and Estates for organizations such as the Legal Education Society of Alberta, the City of Edmonton, Next Step Continuing Education, and the Edmonton Community Foundation. Avideh also has been featured on Global TV, Shaw TV, and various financial education websites.
Avideh received her undergraduate degree from Carleton University and went to Law School at the University of Alberta. In 2001 she was called to the Alberta Bar and is a member of the Law Society of Alberta. Avideh holds the Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation, granted through the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Prior to joining RBC in 2012, she devoted her law practice to Wills, Estate Planning, and Estate Administration.
Avideh is also very active in the Latin dance community, and enjoys travelling the world to perform and compete with her husband in salsa dance competitions.
Avideh has been a member of the following organizations:
- Wills & Estates Subsection of the Canadian Bar Association;
- Elder Law Subsection of the Canadian Bar Association;
- Edmonton Estate Planning Council;
- Oliver Centre Board of Directors.
Victoria Schneider, JD, TEP
Vice President and Will & Estate Consultant, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Vickie (Victoria) Schneider obtained both her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Calgary. Vickie is a member of the Law Society of Alberta.
Prior to joining RBC, Vickie practiced law at a national law firm where she advised clients on estate planning and tax matters including Wills, trusts, enduring powers of attorney and personal directives. Vickie also has experience with estate administration and charity matters.
Vickie is a Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Calgary Branch Committee member.
Estate Planning Specialists
Enjoy, preserve and enhance your wealth.
For 40 years, David has enjoyed collaborating with affluent clients to help them discover the possibilities within their wealth. Sometimes clients can be overwhelmed with the complexity of how best to enjoy, preserve and enhance their wealth - but by working with David, they have achieved much greater peace of mind.
David partners with clients' external advisors and RBC Wealth Management's planning professionals to deliver fully integrated wealth planning strategies. He is passionate about philanthropy: "I relish showing clients how they can create significance with their wealth for the charitable causes they want to support - during their lifetime and upon their passing – while still achieving their other wealth goals." David has a reputation with clients and advisors of being respectful, credible and reliable.
Financial Planning Specialists
Arun is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA). He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta and has completed CPA Canada's In-Depth Tax Course.
Prior to joining RBC, Arun was a tax manager with a large international public accounting firm. His professional focus is in the areas of personal and corporate tax compliance, corporate reorganizations and tax planning, personal tax planning, as well as trust and estate planning for high-net-worth individuals and family-owned businesses.
As a Financial Planning Specialist, Arun’s role is to work with and support your advisor in preparing and presenting your Compass Financial Plan, as well as, to identify and assess any related financial, tax, and retirement planning concerns you may have.
Monika Zarzycki, BBA, CPA, CA, CFP
Financial Planning Specialist, Family Office Services, RBC Wealth Management
Monika is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). She received her Bachelor of Business Administration (major Accounting) from Mount Royal University and completed all three levels of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants’ In-Depth Tax Course.
Prior to joining RBC, Monika was employed as a tax manager at one of the major global public accounting firms where she specialized in accounting, tax planning and compliance services for individuals, owner-managed and corporate clients.
Monika’s primary role at RBC is to work together with advisors in preparing and presenting comprehensive Compass Financial Plans.