RBC partners

As a Senior Trust Advisor, Susan Macdonald serves clients throughout Western Ontario and is located in the Hamilton office. With a career focused on client relationships, she is dedicated to her clients and provides a personalized service tailored to their specific needs. She provides a wealth of knowledge relating to trusts and their administration. Susan has continued to deepen her knowledge and expertise with key industry designations such as Member, Trust Institute (MTI) and Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designations.

Susan works with individuals, families and businesses to provide customized estate, trust and incapacity solutions. Whether it is helping someone to settle an estate, establishing a trust to ensure the successful transfer of family assets, or arranging to assist with the administration and responsibilities for a power of attorney, Susan can help.

With more than 20 years of industry experience, Susan brings to each client the necessary skill set to provide both the technical expertise as well as the genuine understanding of the emotional complexities that underlie these issues. Susan understands that no two clients are the same and so together with her RBC Royal Trust partners she can find the solution that’s right for you.

Ariel graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Business Administration in 1992, and from the Faculty of Law in 1994 where he served on the editorial board of the Law Review.

He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1996. Prior to joining RBC, Ariel spent 5 years teaching Real Estate Law and Estate Law at La Cité Collégiale in Ottawa. For the previous 12 years, Ariel held several positions at a major trust company, culminating in the role of Trust Manager.

Ariel is a member in good standing of the Law Society of Upper Canada, and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (Canadian chapter). His significant practical experience in estate planning and administration allows him to offer valuable guidance during the creation of your estate plan.

It's yours. It is your life, your family, your business, your legacy. With that in mind, Annett's core belief is to "Appreciate the little things in life." This allows her to connect to what matters most for each client and their unique situation.

Collaborating with client's trusted advisors, Annett works with affluent families, professionals and business owners to implement tax efficient strategies that help to achieve their wealth management objectives. Her ability to simplify the complexity of these solutions bring clients understanding and peace of mind that the recommendations will help them achieve their goals.

For over 20 years, Annett has specialized in estate planning within the financial industry, where her reputation of working relentlessly and endlessly on behalf of clients has made her a sought after advisor. Her natural ability to build trust and earn respect is part of the personal warmth she brings to her work. After all, it is your life, your family, your business, your legacy.

Steven completed his Bachelor of Business Administration at York University in 1989 and subsequently completed the CICA In-Depth Tax course. He has also achieved the advanced designations of Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

During his time as a tax and financial practitioner with several professional service firms, Steven specialized in Canadian, U.S. and cross-border personal income taxation, and provided planning and preparation services to clients. He also has professional experience with the RBC Tax Advisory Group and RBC Dexia, where he provided tax advice to various business units within RBC.

As an experienced practitioner in financial matters, Steven has written or contributed to many research articles, industry publications, training materials and client presentations.

Steven’s role as a Financial Planning Specialist is to work with, and support, your advisor in preparing and presenting comprehensive financial planning solutions.

As a Private Banker with RBC Wealth Management, Breanne provides comprehensive wealth management and financing strategies to high-net-worth individuals, business owners, professionals and their families.

Breanne has over 10 years of experience in financial services, in various roles related to Wealth Management, Financial Planning, and Personal and Business banking and lending. She has a deep understanding of complex client needs and business acumen, and expertise in the successful integration of various financial services into a customer-centric strategy. She draws on her extensive experience to advise on a number of issues that affect clients, including day-to-day banking, lending and wealth management. As needed, she partners with talented specialists from across RBC to provide a complete range of complimentary services, including financial planning, estate and tax planning, business owner planning and investment management.

To ensure personalized service and attention to detail, Breanne and her team work with a relatively small number of clients. This approach helps the team simplify their client's lives, while delivering responsive integrated financial solutions.

Breanne is an avid motorcyclist and artist, and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities with her husband, step-son and two dogs.

Breanne holds a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation, Mutual Funds License, MSc in Mathematics from Wilfrid Laurier University, and BSc in Mathematics and Fine Arts and BEd from Nipissing University

As a Premier Banking Advisor for Sudbury and Northern Ontario, Francine McLean works as a single point of contact providing banking and credit solutions for select clients of RBC Dominion Securities and their families. Partnering with Investment Advisors across the region, she provides personalized service and tailored advice to help clients save time and efficiently manage their day-to-day banking and credit solutions.

With over 29 years of experience in the financial industry with Royal Bank of Canada, Francine is well respected by both her clients and peers alike. Prior to her current role, Francine held various roles at RBC, giving her a wide scope of knowledge in banking advice. The most noteworthy of these roles is her 14 years of service as a Financial Advisor, for which she received many prestigious recognitions.

Clients appreciate Francine's extensive experience and efficiency as a banking and advisory professional. She also has the ability to service clients in English or French as she is fluent in both languages.

Born in Elliot Lake and raised in Spanish, Ontario, Francine moved to Sudbury, where she now lives with her husband & children. Committed to giving back to her community, Francine loves volunteering regularly, as well as playing volleyball and refereeing hockey.

As a Premier Banking Advisor, Nancy Sirkka provides banking and credit solutions to select high net worth individuals and their families. Partnering with Investment Advisors in Sudbury and Northern Ontario to provide personalized service and tailored advice, to help clients efficiently and effectively manage their day-to day banking needs.

With over 30 years in the financial industry with RBC, Nancy is well respected by both her clients and peers alike. Prior to her current role, Nancy held various roles at RBC, giving her a wide scope of knowledge in banking advice. She draws on 20 years of experience within RBC as a Banking Advisor and Financial Advisor in retail banking which she received several awards and designations.

Nancy is very focused on delivering the ultimate client experience for her clients and building long term valued relationships.

Nancy was born and raised in Sudbury where she now lives with her two daughters. She volunteers for several activities and for different foundations in partnership with RBC.

Teresa Anastasopoulos is a Private Client Insurance Specialist. Through a personalized risk assessment approach, she provides tailored insurance solutions to protect your client’s wealth, possessions and lifestyle.

Teresa has over 26 years of industry experience. Prior to joining RBC, she was a trusted Account Executive at brokerages such as Gallagher and Jones DesLauriers. Teresa holds a Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) and Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker (CAIB) designation with the Insurance Institute of Canada.

Teresa is proud to represent RBC Private Insurance and is passionate about providing best in class service. Together with her team, she will work with your client to protect what matters most.

With 21 years of experience within the financial services industry, and completion of a Registered Pension Associate Designation, Chantal brings the expertise required to provide specialized advice that will optimize the benefits to you and your employees. Working directly with you, your HR department or your payroll personnel, Chantal will build a tailored solution that meets the goals and objectives of your organization as well as the needs of your employees. Once Chantal understands your specific requirements to customize your company’s Group Savings program solution, she will support and guide you through the development and implementation process.

Kathy is an experienced Group Benefits professional with over 20 years of experience in the Group Benefits industry.

Kathy started her career working for a large Canadian Insurance carrier for 10 years where she developed and maintained relationships with Plan Advisors and Plan Sponsors. In this role, she continuously assessed the evolving needs of clients and introduced services and product solutions to meet those needs over time. For close to 6 years, Kathy worked as a Senior Benefits Consultant for a large Canadian consulting firm where she was responsible for managing, servicing and providing quality benefits consulting services for small to medium sized clients and association partnerships.

More recently, Kathy owned her owned Brokerage, KAPPA Group Benefits, where she supported her clients by delivering exceptional client service that included the on-going management of the employee benefits program. Kathy’s main focus was to advise clients on a competitive program that would ultimately lead to higher employee appreciation and company loyalty while remaining affordable and sustainable.

Robyn, together with your primary RBC advisor, helps you explore succession, tax, retirement and estate planning issues you face as a high-net-worth client.

Prior to joining RBC, Robyn acquired her expertise in estates, trusts and succession planning in both private practice and with a major trust company, practicing law in Toronto for 8 years with an emphasis on trusts, estates, succession, planning for incapacity and charities law, and as a will and estate consultant for a well-known Canadian trust company. In 2001, Robyn joined RBC, assisting clients with their overall tax and estate planning, and in 2011, assumed her present position, specializing in assisting high-net-worth clients with their succession, tax, retirement and estate planning.

Robyn obtained her law degree from Osgoode Hall in 1991, and she was called to the Bar in Ontario in 1993. She has completed her in-depth tax courses, levels 1 and 2, as well as the Advanced Tax Issues for the Owner Managed Business Course and the Corporate Reorganizations Course. She has co-authored two books, “Drafting Wills in Ontario: A Lawyer’s Practical Guide” and “Drafting Wills in Canada: A Lawyer’s Practical Guide”.

In addition, Robyn was an instructor at the Estate and Trust Bar Admission Course at the Law Society of Upper Canada.She is an active member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has obtained the STEP Advanced Certificate in Family Business Advising.

Madison specializes in tax and estate planning for high net worth and ultra-high net worth families.

Prior to joining RBC, she spent almost 10 years in public accounting and specialized in developing and implementing tax planning strategies for international artists, private business owners and ultra-high net worth families with a strong focus on international business succession and estate planning, Canadian domestic post-mortem tax planning, foreign affiliate reorganizations and tax dispute resolution.

Madison is proficient in both Cantonese and Mandarin. Madison is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and holds a Master of Management and Professional Accounting (MMPA) degree from the University of Toronto. She has completed the CPA Canada’s In-Depth Tax Course and Indirect Tax Course. Madison is also a Session Leader and a Facilitator for CPA Ontario’s Professional Education Program and CPA In-depth Tax Course.

As a Business Owner Specialist, High Net Worth Planning Services, Bobby, together with your primary RBC advisor, helps you explore succession, tax, retirement and estate planning issues you face as a business owner.

Bobby has over 15 years of experience working with owners of privately held businesses to help them develop business succession, tax and estate planning solutions tailored to their goals and objectives. Prior to joining High Net Worth Planning Services, Bobby provided tax, retirement, estate and financial planning advice to RBC advisors and their clients. He has written articles on various topics including determining the value of a business, farm succession planning, tax planning and retirement planning.

Prior to joining RBC, Bobby was a Vice President at a boutique business valuation firm in Toronto where he worked with business owners to help them determine the value of their business for divestitures, litigation, tax and estate planning purposes. He also worked with owners to help them identify the value drivers of their business.

Bobby is a Chartered Business Valuator, a Chartered Professional Accountant and has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto. He has also completed all three levels of the CPA In-Depth Tax Course.

Prashant has assisted high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families with tax, estate and retirement issues since 1992.

His guidance supports clients in their relationships with their external professional advisors, with whom he frequently interacts.

His expertise includes tax and estate planning for executives, business owners, retirees, sports professionals and individuals with U.S. issues. He also assists individuals facing significant financial events (sale of business, financial windfall, retirement, job loss, moving to Canada, leaving Canada, etc.)

Prior to joining RBC in 1999, Prashant honed his expertise by working as a Canadian and U.S. tax specialist for two of the big four accounting firms in downtown Toronto.

Prashant is a Certified Financial Planner, Associate of the Society of Actuaries and member of both the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and Canadian Tax Foundation.