Canadian Lenders Summit
The #1 lending conference in Canada
Join over 800 executives from the consumer, business, and automotive credit sectors, including the CEOs of Canada’s largest banks and fintechs.
Where: 100 Queens Quay E., Toronto.
When: October 20th, 2025 from 8:30am – 5pm.
See last year’s sold out event.
Speakers Include ...
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Daniel Eberhard CEO -
Chadwick Westlake CEO -
Patrick Ens President -
Michael McGhee SVP & Head, TD Auto Finance -
John Kontos SVP & Head Auto Finance -
Daniel Rethazy SVP Lending -
Adil Hassam Head of Community Banking -
David Gens CEO -
Malik Yacoubi CEO -
Justin Herlick CEO | Founder -
Eric Walker VP, Retail Risk Credit Strategy -
Kevin Vankampen SVP, Business Banking
Sponsors
Agenda
8:00 - 6:00
Breakfast & Registration
Grab your lanyard and a coffee and start networking!
Don’t forget to download the Finance Events mobile app to book meetings with other attendees in the networking room. The CLA will donate $25 for every meeting to Sinai Health Foundation.
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Sponsored by Co-operators
Canada’s Challenger Bank: A Fireside Chat with the CEO of Equitable
Join newly appointed EQB President & CEO Chadwick Westlake for a fireside chat on his vision for Canada’s challenger bank. From his pivotal role as CFO – driving acquisitions, integrations, and funding innovations – to now leading EQB into its next phase of growth, Chadwick will share insights on strategy, culture, and innovation in a changing banking landscape.
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Tal Schwartz
General Partner
North Exit Ventures
Moderator -
Chadwick Westlake
CEO
EQ Bank
Speaker
How to Automate Your Underwriting Workflow
Explore how automation, AI, and human judgement are weaving together to make underwriting faster, more accurate, and scalable. This session dives into balancing efficiency with risk management for smarter, data-driven loan approvals.
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Hamid Akbari
CEO
Blanc Labs
Moderator -
Maik Taro Wehmeyer
CEO
Taktile
Speaker -
Matt Browning
President
Trust Science
Speaker -
Tyler Haynes
Sr. Director Global Pre-Sales
Decisions
Speaker
New Rules of the Road: How Auto Finance is Adapting
Vehicles aren’t just modes of transport – they’re data-rich assets and customer touchpoints. Explore what’s next in auto lending – from usage-based credit to real-time underwriting, and how it’s reshaping the path to purchase.
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D’Arcy Delamere
EVP, Fintech
Dealertrack
Moderator -
Michael McGhee
SVP & Head, TD Auto Finance
TD
Speaker -
John Kontos
SVP & Head Auto Finance
Scotiabank
Speaker -
Andy Kuyper
Head of Partnerships & Secured Lending
TransUnion
Speaker
Morning Schmooze
Business Lending Through Challenging Markets
In an uncertain economic environment, how are lenders adapting their strategies and offerings to support business financing?
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Adil Hassam
Head of Community Banking
BDC
Moderator -
Mike Cussen
VP of Product Group
RBC
Speaker -
Kevin Vankampen
SVP, Business Banking
Meridian Credit Union
Speaker -
Booker Cornea
AVP, Market Relations
FNBC
Speaker
Building a Bank: A Fireside Chat with the Founder of KOHO
KOHO has gone from a scrappy startup to one of Canada’s most recognized fintech brands, reshaping how consumers think about everyday banking. In this candid conversation, KOHO’s founder shares the inside story – raising capital, navigating regulation, building trust with customers, and competing with the Big Five. Expect unfiltered lessons on scaling a challenger bank in Canada’s unique financial landscape
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Kevin Carmichael
Editor-at-Large
The Logic
Moderator -
Daniel Eberhard
CEO
KOHO
Speaker
Fraud Inc: Preventing Fraud in the Age of AI
Fraud is evolving – so must your defense. This session dives into emerging fraud types, AI-driven detection tech, and strategies for layered protection that preserves customer trust without disrupting the experience.
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Sue-Ling Yip
Partner, Financial Crimes
KPMG
Moderator -
Bill Johnston
SVP Product & Innovation
Equifax
Speaker -
Amit Sadhu
SVP Risk
RBC
Speaker -
Daniel Rethazy
SVP Lending
CIBC
Speaker
Finding Funding: Capital Market Strategies for Originators
Whether it’s securitization, credit facilities, or flow-through structures, the capital markets are rich with options. Gain clarity on how Canadian lenders are leveraging each tool to optimize funding costs and manage balance-sheet risk.
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Karanjit Bhugra
MD Co-Head Capital Markets
Echelon
Moderator -
David Gens
CEO
Merchant Growth
Speaker -
Nur Khan
Managing Director
SAF Group
Speaker -
Keith Lam
Director
BC Partners
Speaker
Network Lunch
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Sponsored by Securian Canada
Scaling with Ease: A Fireside Chat with goeasy’s President
Patrick Ens will discuss how the firm plans to widen access to responsible credit while keeping a cool head on risk. Expect insights on regulation, technology and customer trust—and a candid look at what it takes to scale Canada’s dominant non-prime lender.
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Gary Schwartz
President | CEO
Canadian Lenders Association
Moderator -
Patrick Ens
President
easyfinancial
Speaker
Home Truths: Reimagining Mortgage Lending in 2025+
Mortgage lending is standing at the intersection of tech innovation and regulatory pressure. Join senior stakeholders as they share how digital workflows, affordability tools, and inclusive credit practices are rebuilding home finance for today’s market.
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D.J. Lynde
Partner, Financial Services
McCarthy Tétrault
Moderator -
Justin Herlick
CEO
Pine
Speaker -
Malik Yacoubi
CEO
Nesto
Speaker -
Aled ab lorwerth
Deputy Chief Economist
CMHC
Speaker
Swipe Right: How to Scale a Card Program
Cards are evolving faster than ever – from revolving credit to BNPL hybrids. This panel examines product design, user behavior, risk mitigation, and how to capture loyalty (and margin) in a crowded card market.
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Allison Walsh
VP Payments Product
Peoples Group
Speaker -
Richard Goyder
VP Lending
Neo Financial
Speaker -
Cato Pastoll
CEO
Loop
Speaker -
Julie Kobryn
Director, Product
Equifax
Moderator
Afternoon Schmooze
From Data to Dollars: Next-Gen Credit Modelling
Traditional credit scores are dead. Welcome to a world where alternative data, AI, and predictive analytics redefine creditworthiness. This panel unwraps implementation tips, pitfalls, and success stories that can help lenders digitally transform their risk engines.
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Brent Reynolds
CEO | Founder
Payson
Moderator -
Samantha Simpson
Analytics Lead
Payson
Speaker -
Jason Appel
CRO
goeasy
Speaker -
Eric Walker
VP, Retail Risk Credit Strategy
RBC
Speaker
Funding the 99.7%: How to Fix SMB Finance
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Jean Dauvin
Partner, Financial Services
Monitor Deloitte
Speaker -
Ketan Bhole
Partner, Financial Services
Monitor Deloitte
Speaker
Cocktail Reception
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Sponsored by Defi Solutions
Details
Date
October 20th, 2025
Time
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Venue
The Quay, 100 Queens Quay E 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario
