Anita Sands
Encyclopedia
Dr. Anita M. Sands is an Irish
businesswoman, academic and speaker, resident in the United States
. Appointed in 2007 as the youngest ever senior vice-president at the Royal Bank of Canada
, she moved in September 2008 to Citibank
in New York
as a Managing Director and Head of Transformation Management at Citibank
, leaving in April 2009. After working as a transformation consultant to several organizations, she was then appointed as Group Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer for UBS Wealth Management Americas in 2010.
A Fulbright and O'Reilly Scholar, she was a member of the Board of the Ireland Fund
of Canada, has been an advisor to the Toronto Board of Trade
, and served with a number of other bodies. She was also invited by the Taoiseach
(Prime Minister) of Ireland to participate in the Global Irish Economic Forum in 2009 and again in 2011.
, County Louth
, Ireland
, the daughter of Con and Imelda Sands. The family residence is in the small village of Sandpit
, 4 miles north of Drogheda, close to Termonfeckin
and Clogherhead
.
She studied Physics and Applied Maths at Queen's University Belfast, achieving first class honours at undergraduate level, and then a Ph.D. in Atomic and Molecular Physics.
As one of the early beneficiaries of the O'Reilly Foundation
's Scholarship Programme, and as a Fulbright Scholar, she then studied for a Masters in Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University
, Pittsburgh, graduating with highest distinction, and becoming Executive Director of the university's Software Industry Center. Supported by a Sloan Foundation research fellowship, Sands was also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Munk Center for International Studies at the University of Toronto
.
, Canada's fifth largest general bank, in Toronto
, and later worked in treasury research.
She then joined the even larger Royal Bank of Canada, also based in Toronto, and was promoted to senior vice-president in late 2007, the youngest ever SVP at RBC. Sands' role was Head of Innovation and Process Design, with responsibility for innovation, research, consulting, six sigma
and business process re-engineering. She also sat on the enterprise strategy and other committees, chaired the innovation council and led some of the bank's Web 2.0
initiatives.
In September 2008, she was appointed as a Managing Director, and Head of Transformation Management, at Citigroup, which she left in April 2009 subsequently returning to Toronto.
Sands has received several industry recognitions for her innovative approaches to banking. In 2008, she was named one of the “Elite 8” by Bank Systems and Technology, an award recognizing the eight most innovative executives in the NA financial services industry. She was named by Registered Rep magazine as one of 2012 “The TEN to Watch” for “orchestrating the massive undertaking of transforming, upgrading and generally reshaping the technology platform at UBS Wealth Management Americas (WMA)" .
In 2009, Sands worked on a study for The Ireland Funds
, with the head of the Funds and a senior researcher, resulting in a joint publication "A Comparative Review of International Diaspora Studies." . She was also invited by the Taoiseach
(Prime Minister) of Ireland to participate in the Global Irish Economic Forum in 2009 and again in 2011.. It was reported that "one of the most interesting interventions" at the 2011 Global Irish Economic Forum came from sands, who "highlighted the under-representation of women during the final plenary session" .
In 2011, Sands was nominated as one of the “Top Forty Under Forty” and one of the “Women of Influence” within the Irish American Community . She was also honored as one of the “Wall Street 50”, which recognizes the best and the brightest Irish and Irish-American leaders in finance
She has been a board member of Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce (of Toronto) and sat on a Toronto Board of Trade advisory committee on IT. She was also a board member of the Canadian internship organisation, CareerEdge and the Women in Captial Markets. Sands is currently a member of the New York Women's Forum. Other interests include piano playing and public speaking.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
businesswoman, academic and speaker, resident in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Appointed in 2007 as the youngest ever senior vice-president at the Royal Bank of Canada
Royal Bank of Canada
The Royal Bank of Canada or RBC Financial Group is the largest financial institution in Canada, as measured by deposits, revenues, and market capitalization. The bank serves seventeen million clients and has 80,100 employees worldwide. The company corporate headquarters are located in Toronto,...
, she moved in September 2008 to Citibank
Citibank
Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as a Managing Director and Head of Transformation Management at Citibank
Citibank
Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
, leaving in April 2009. After working as a transformation consultant to several organizations, she was then appointed as Group Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer for UBS Wealth Management Americas in 2010.
A Fulbright and O'Reilly Scholar, she was a member of the Board of the Ireland Fund
The Ireland Funds
The Ireland Funds are a global fundraising network for people of Irish ancestry and friends of Ireland, dedicated to raising funds to support programs of peace and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and community development throughout the island of Ireland...
of Canada, has been an advisor to the Toronto Board of Trade
Toronto Board of Trade
The Toronto Board of Trade is Toronto's chamber of commerce, the largest local chamber of commerce in Canada, representing more than 10,000 business and individual members with about 500,000 employees across Canada and annual revenues of more than $200 billion .It is a non-profit organization with...
, and served with a number of other bodies. She was also invited by the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
(Prime Minister) of Ireland to participate in the Global Irish Economic Forum in 2009 and again in 2011.
Life
Sands grew up near DroghedaDrogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, the daughter of Con and Imelda Sands. The family residence is in the small village of Sandpit
Sandpit, County Louth
Sandpit is a small village in the rural hinterland of Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland.-Location:Sandpit is located about four miles north of Drogheda, off the road to Termonfeckin. It lies between the M1 motorway and the coast, where there are extensive beaches and golf courses at Baltray and...
, 4 miles north of Drogheda, close to Termonfeckin
Termonfeckin
Termonfeckin or Termonfechin is a small village and townland in County Louth, Ireland. It is within the parish of the same name, and lies north-east of Drogheda. The population of the village was 653 as per census 2006.-History:...
and Clogherhead
Clogherhead
Clogherhead is a fishing village in County Louth, Ireland. Located in a picturesque natural bay on the East Coast it is bordered by the villages of Annagassan to the north and Termonfeckin to the south. with an administrative population per the 2011 Census of 3026, it is in the townlands of...
.
Academic career
Sands attended secondary school at Our Lady's College at Greenhills, near Drogheda. She sang, played violin and piano, often at services at the local Augustinian church, during both school and college years.She studied Physics and Applied Maths at Queen's University Belfast, achieving first class honours at undergraduate level, and then a Ph.D. in Atomic and Molecular Physics.
As one of the early beneficiaries of the O'Reilly Foundation
O'Reilly Foundation
The O'Reilly Foundation is a personal charitable trust set up in 1998 by media magnate, and former CEO of Heinz, Sir Anthony "Tony" O'Reilly. Its function is the funding of educational projects; the two main work areas are capital developments at Irish colleges and an annual post-graduate...
's Scholarship Programme, and as a Fulbright Scholar, she then studied for a Masters in Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, Pittsburgh, graduating with highest distinction, and becoming Executive Director of the university's Software Industry Center. Supported by a Sloan Foundation research fellowship, Sands was also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Munk Center for International Studies at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
Business career
Sands began her banking career in 2004, handling derivatives analysis at Canadian Imperial Bank of CommerceCanadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is one of Canada's chartered banks, fifth largest by deposits. The bank is headquartered at Commerce Court in Toronto, Ontario. CIBC's Institution Number is 010, and its SWIFT code is CIBCCATT....
, Canada's fifth largest general bank, in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and later worked in treasury research.
She then joined the even larger Royal Bank of Canada, also based in Toronto, and was promoted to senior vice-president in late 2007, the youngest ever SVP at RBC. Sands' role was Head of Innovation and Process Design, with responsibility for innovation, research, consulting, six sigma
Six Sigma
Six Sigma is a business management strategy originally developed by Motorola, USA in 1986. , it is widely used in many sectors of industry.Six Sigma seeks to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in manufacturing and...
and business process re-engineering. She also sat on the enterprise strategy and other committees, chaired the innovation council and led some of the bank's Web 2.0
Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...
initiatives.
In September 2008, she was appointed as a Managing Director, and Head of Transformation Management, at Citigroup, which she left in April 2009 subsequently returning to Toronto.
Sands has received several industry recognitions for her innovative approaches to banking. In 2008, she was named one of the “Elite 8” by Bank Systems and Technology, an award recognizing the eight most innovative executives in the NA financial services industry. She was named by Registered Rep magazine as one of 2012 “The TEN to Watch” for “orchestrating the massive undertaking of transforming, upgrading and generally reshaping the technology platform at UBS Wealth Management Americas (WMA)" .
In 2009, Sands worked on a study for The Ireland Funds
The Ireland Funds
The Ireland Funds are a global fundraising network for people of Irish ancestry and friends of Ireland, dedicated to raising funds to support programs of peace and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and community development throughout the island of Ireland...
, with the head of the Funds and a senior researcher, resulting in a joint publication "A Comparative Review of International Diaspora Studies." . She was also invited by the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
(Prime Minister) of Ireland to participate in the Global Irish Economic Forum in 2009 and again in 2011.. It was reported that "one of the most interesting interventions" at the 2011 Global Irish Economic Forum came from sands, who "highlighted the under-representation of women during the final plenary session" .
In 2011, Sands was nominated as one of the “Top Forty Under Forty” and one of the “Women of Influence” within the Irish American Community . She was also honored as one of the “Wall Street 50”, which recognizes the best and the brightest Irish and Irish-American leaders in finance
Voluntary work and interests
Sands was a member of the board at the Ireland Fund of Canada and Women in Capital Markets. She has served as a board member of the Ireland Park Foundation (dedicated to building a Canadian memorial to Irish immigrants who fled the Great Famine), serving as a volunteer coordinator, and contributing over 30,000 dollars.She has been a board member of Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce (of Toronto) and sat on a Toronto Board of Trade advisory committee on IT. She was also a board member of the Canadian internship organisation, CareerEdge and the Women in Captial Markets. Sands is currently a member of the New York Women's Forum. Other interests include piano playing and public speaking.