News Releases

VICTORIA, BC, September 18, 2008 – BMO Harris Private Banking announces the recent hiring of Nigel Hawkins as Vice President and Market Manager for Vancouver Island. Hawkins is an accomplished leader with over 20 years experience in wealth management and private banking; most recently with Coutts & Co, a premier private bank within the Royal Bank of Scotland group, serving high net worth clients in the Thames Valley region of England.

While Hawkins's career has seen him develop new business lines and grow global sales and distribution of asset management funds for a financial institution with offices in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the Americas, it is Canada that he has chosen with his wife and daughters for their permanent home.

In announcing Nigel Hawkins's appointment, Diana Reid, Vice-President and Managing Director for BC, said, “We at BMO are thrilled to have Nigel lead our Vancouver Island team of skilled and highly qualified professionals who are capable of delivering the kind of dedicated and specialized services that are required by this unique customer segment. He brings a global perspective on a broad range of financial and wealth management matters that will be of great value to our clients.”

BMO Harris Private Banking, with five offices in BC, including Victoria, addresses the increasingly more complex financial requirements of clients by offering products, services and advice in a wide variety of disciplines such as banking, investment management, estate and trust services, as well as other specialty services, such as philanthropic advisory, and succession planning.

One such specialty service, that has been well received in British Columbia since its launch in 2005, is enCircle, a unique wealth management service designed specifically for affluent Canadians in their senior years and their adult children, who as their main caregivers are often busy with their own careers and families.

“We believe that the enCircle service, delivered through dedicated enCircle Advisors, has set the standard for providing independent and fulfilled lives for our seniors and peace of mind for their families,” said Diana Reid. “This financial and lifestyle service assists with time-consuming tasks, such as the payment of bills, investment management, estate planning, the co-ordination of filing of tax returns, applying for travel insurance, travel banking and home and health care education.”

In addition to numerous financial qualifications, Nigel Hawkins is a mechanical engineer. He is eager to become involved in the Greater Victoria community, matching his interests in philanthropy with the appropriate organizations.

BMO Harris Private Banking, a member of BMO Financial Group, serves the needs of affluent clients and their families; helping them with a wide range of complex financial issues. Modeled on the highly-regarded private banking business of Harris Bank, BMO's Chicago-based U.S. subsidiary, which has been managing money for clients for more than 100 years, the opening of the office signals a confidence in market opportunities to serve the needs of the region's affluent citizens.

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