Après TFS - Vanessa Yeung '92
In our latest edition of Après TFS, we sit down with Vanessa Yeung, class of 1992 grad and Chief Data Analytics Officer at BMO.
TFS: Please describe the path you took after TFS.
VANESSA YEUNG: After graduating from TFS, I attended Western University, intending to double major in Politics and French. However, I was accepted to law school after three years and left with a BA in Politics. I chose UBC for law school because I wanted to go out West but returned to Toronto to complete my final year at U of T through a one-year exchange. After that, I became a corporate lawyer and practiced on Bay Street for 15 years.
To be honest, I always knew law wasn’t what I wanted to do forever. But I’m glad I did it, because so many of the skills I rely on today come from my training as a lawyer.
After the birth of my second child, I left private practice and moved in-house at BMO. I spent two years in the Legal department, then left law altogether. I first led the Financial Investigations Unit in the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) department, managing a large team investigating financial crime.
I spent a total of 4 years in AML in various roles. I developed an offshore staff augmentation program, managed robotics, data, and automation teams and oversaw technology projects. After AML, I moved to a project-based role where I Ied a team of data scientists building risk models for the Commercial Bank. That work gained internal attention, and I was hand-picked to work on another short-term but enterprise-wide project with a trusted advisor to the CEO. I parlayed that stint into my current role as Chief Data and Analytics Officer (CDAO) for Wealth, which is an executive role at BMO.
I’m proud of my non-linear career path. I never imagined I’d end up in data. My current role didn’t even exist when I graduated from law school. My strategy has been to stay open to new opportunities and avoid saying no: when doors open, walk through them.
TFS: What does a typical day look like for you?
VANESSA YEUNG: As CDAO, I head a team of approximately 100 people. We provide data, analytics, automation, and AI support for our Wealth businesses. My day-to-day often feels like I’m a Chief Whack-a-Mole, dealing with a lot of issue escalations.
A sizeable portion of my day is in meetings, where I provide perspective, make decisions, or help unblock issues. I also spend a lot of time communicating with my direct reports, in a coaching capacity, helping them resolve challenges.
I meet regularly with my stakeholders. My role is very horizontal, and I view my stakeholders as partners and collaborators. I like to think of my function as providing a key service for them, so stakeholder management is a big part of my job.
My favourite part of my job is executing on the transformational agenda I have set for our team. We are a few months into our data modernization initiative, and I am so excited by this work. I am very much a big-picture thinker. I have a strong vision for where I want things to go, and I couple that vision with strong execution capabilities. I also dedicate time to learning about AI and read broadly to stay informed.
TFS: What gives you the most satisfaction in your work?
VANESSA YEUNG: For me, it is two things. I have had many roles at the bank, and if you look at my career, there is a pattern: I like work that has a beginning, middle, and end. “Business as usual” roles do not energize me for long. Leading a transformational agenda does. I need something ambitious to tackle. Having a vision and moving an organization towards it—that is what keeps me engaged.
The second is coaching other people. While I have always played the role of a coach and leader, more recently, I have been quite intentional about this. I now understand that a key part of my job is to develop other leaders. The expression “a rising tide lifts all ships” is so true, and I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing how coaching can drive better performance and improve people’s job experiences.
TFS: How has French language and bilingualism impacted your career?
VANESSA YEUNG: I don’t use French daily, but it absolutely comes in handy. My son, Matthew ’25, who started in JK, just graduated from TFS, and over the years, I was happy to have parent-teacher interviews conducted in French. I also use my French when I travel.
In university, I had a summer job as a Customs Officer at the airport. Being bilingual helped land that job and I used my French daily speaking to passengers as they cleared customs.
TFS: What skills or lessons from TFS do you find yourself applying most often in your work?
VANESSA YEUNG: TFS taught me how to grind! There are times in life when you do not want to tackle a certain task, but you put your head down and do it anyway. Persistence coupled with resilience are great skills to have and I honed these skills at TFS.
TFS also taught me how to think. The Theory of Knowledge (TOK) class was incredibly impactful. It pushed me to think critically, consider multiple perspectives, and challenge assumptions. In many ways, TOK was more influential than my undergraduate courses and was certainly foundational to my law school studies.
In sum, TFS taught me both discipline and intellectual flexibility.
TFS: What was your most memorable experience at TFS?
VANESSA YEUNG: I have so many! I remember struggling with hurdles in Mme Oder’s class. Later, seeing my son excel in her Phys Ed class was especially satisfying. Trekking to Glendon College for swimming and enjoying Hamida’s food truck before the cafeteria existed are also fond memories.
I organized a fashion show at TFS, which stands out as one of my favourite memories. I had always wanted to be a fashion designer, so I thought, why not organize a show? To this day, when I hear B-52’s “Love Shack,” it always reminds me of my fashion show. I still remember the sense of accomplishment when it all came together. I never became a designer, but I still love fashion, and that experience from TFS stays with me.
TFS: What advice would you give to current students?
VANESSA YEUNG: The advice I would give to current students is the same I gave to Matthew, who just graduated: Start building your network now. Doing well academically is important, but it is not enough. Relationships matter.
Second, do not underestimate soft skills like leadership, effective communication, adaptability, and resilience. As AI becomes a greater disruptor in the workplace, human skills are becoming increasingly critical. Find experiences at school that will help you develop your soft skills.
I would also encourage students to be open-minded about career paths. It is more likely today than ever that one or more pivots will occur in your career and that is okay. Finally, know that the road to “career success” can take many different forms and it is a marathon, not a sprint.
TFS: What do you wish you had known while at TFS that could have better prepared you for life after graduation?
VANESSA YEUNG: I wish I knew that I had to own my own professional development. I was not prepared for that. In fact, if anything, at TFS there is so much student support and that support continues into university. But as you get into the “real world,” you are on your own.
Additionally, while grades continue to matter in university, your reputation, relationships and soft skills will matter more over time. Having a good reputation that precedes you helps you (and your resume) stand out in a crowd. Having a large network comes in handy for many reasons, and it starts with your TFS friends. Stay in touch with them! Finally, when I hire, I look closely at a candidate’s soft skills, such as their communication and leadership skills, and examples of their resilience and adaptability. Technical skills are table stakes. But someone with strong soft skills and technical ability is a unicorn.
