The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization has appointed Helena Gottschling, the former chief human resources officer at RBC, as an independent director to its board of directors.
Gottschling’s appointment became effective July 2. She replaces Janet Woodruff, who resigned from the CIRO board after serving on both CIRO’s inaugural board and the board of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada, a CIRO predecessor organization.
At RBC, Gottschling handled global human resources responsibilities for more than 86,000 employees until her retirement in 2022. She was a member of RBC’s Group Executive team, which set the bank’s overall strategic direction.
Since retiring, Gottschling has worked in the not-for-profit sector. She serves as chair of Breakthrough T1D, formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and sits on the board of Plan International Canada.
Extensive HR background brings new perspective
“Helena is a distinguished and trusted leader with a proven track record of inspiring teams and leading meaningful organizational transformation,” said Miranda Hubbs, chair of the CIRO board. “On behalf of the Board, I extend a warm welcome to Ms. Gottschling, whose world-class, global credentials in human resources bring a unique perspective to the CIRO Board.”
CIRO President and CEO Andrew Kriegler highlighted Gottschling’s human resources expertise as valuable to the organization’s continued growth.
“CIRO is thrilled to welcome Helena to the board,” said Kriegler. “Her expertise in talent management, leadership development, enterprise learning and organizational effectiveness are invaluable to CIRO’s continued success. I also want to wish Janet the very the best in the next chapter.”
Board transition acknowledges departing member’s service
The board transition comes as CIRO recognizes Woodruff’s contributions to the organization and its predecessor.
“On behalf of the CIRO Board, I would like to thank Janet for her many years of service and her contributions to the board,” said Hubbs.
CIRO serves as Canada’s national self-regulatory organization, overseeing investment dealers, mutual fund dealers and trading activity on the country’s debt and equity marketplaces. The organization focuses on investor protection, consistent regulation and building trust in financial regulation.
