Ilyse Smith

Background

About Ilyse Smith

I am a seasoned executive and leader with a passion for driving impact – through culture and people, powerful communications, strategy, operations, and stakeholder relationships. A big picture thinker and natural collaborator, I understand how to align the pieces, and roll up my sleeves to deliver results. Having honed my skills through management roles in an integrated communications agency, I have also been an independent consultant solving client problems around strategic priorities, messaging, personal branding, thought leadership and insights, and worked in a large corporation. I followed my passion for aligning culture and strategy to Scotiabank to refresh the bank’s purpose, and shape an integrated strategic framework linking purpose to mission, strategy and values. I worked enterprise wide with thought leaders in HR, Risk, Strategy and Communications across the Bank to enable a customer-focused, high performance culture where we can continue to help customers and employees thrive. Described by clients and colleagues as a “go to professional. story teller, problem solver and team builder…with an ability to bring people together,” “one of the most talented people I have ever worked with in my 30+ years,” combining “sound judgement with communications skills and creative flair,” “and a really great person to boot.” “I couldn’t have imagined trying to change an industry without her.” I build high performance teams that drive organizational goals. I am insatiably curious, and motivated by a good problem, great people, and driving results.