Bank of Butterfield appoints Sonia Baxendale to its board

The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son has appointed Sonia Baxendale to its board as an independent director.

Baxendale is currently the president and chief executive officer of the Global Risk Institute, a think tank and consultancy that provides thought leadership and actionable insights on emerging risks within the global financial services industry.

She serves on the boards of Foresters Financial, Laurentian Bank of Canada, and RSA Insurance Group, and is the chair of the board of SickKids Foundation and a member of the board of trustees for Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children.

The appointment coincides with the departure of Leslie Godridge, who is stepping down from the board to pursue other opportunities.

Baxendale has a background in retail banking and wealth management and has held senior leadership roles within Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). She spent six years as senior executive vice president and president of retail banking and wealth management, with responsibility for 28,000 employees serving 11 million clients in Canada, among other senior positions at the bank.

Prior to joining CIBC, Baxendale held progressively senior positions with Saatchi & Saatchi and American Express Canada.

Michael Collins, Butterfield’s chairman and chief executive officer, said: “As the CEO of GRI, [Baxendale] brings additional useful insight of emerging risk factors affecting the global financial services industry. Her perspective will be invaluable to Butterfield as we continue to pursue growth and build sustainable value for shareholders as the world’s leading independent offshore bank and trust company.”