Colleen Johnston named Canada's CFO of the year.

• Author: Ladd, Scott
• Position: CFO Interview

Over her years in corporate finance, Colleen Johnston has been widely recognized for innovative leadership, helping steer her organization--Toronto-Dominion Bank--through the rough channels of the great recession and serving as one of the key tacticians in TD's aggressive expansion into the United States.

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For those efforts and other achievements, Johnston earned a new accolade: Canada's CFO of the Year for 2012. The CFO award is bestowed annually by Financial Executives International Canada (FEI Canada), PwC and Robert Half International. It recognizes superior executives who bring insight, leadership, direction--and distinction--to their finance roles.

"This is a wonderful honor, and I'm thrilled to have been selected," says Johnston, who also serves as TD's Group Head of Finance. She was presented with the award at a ceremony in Toronto on May 3.

In selecting Johnston, her peers praised her record of leadership, financial innovation and professional achievement. Michael Conway, chief executive and national president of FEI Canada, cited her "outstanding fiscal performance in a complex business environment." She is member of FEI Canada's Toronto Chapter.

"She truly epitomizes the modern CFO by applying a strategic approach to the opportunities and challenges that arise while making significant contributions to her community," Conway continued. "This makes her one of Canada's top financial leaders."

Johnston was chosen by an independent committee chaired by Peter Dey, chairman of Paradigm Capital, and composed of some of Canada's most prominent business leaders. The committee listed vision and leadership, superior corporate reporting and performance, social responsibility, innovation and managing business complexity as key selection determinants. Award candidates from a wide range of business sectors were nominated by CEOs, members of boards of directors, financial analysts and other senior executives.

Gino Scapillati, PwC's national managing partner for Markets, pointed to Johnston's "passion and integrity" as other important factors that contributed to her being chosen. "We applaud her on her remarkable achievements and positioning her company for continued success," he said.

Finance within the Changing Environment

Johnston joined TD in March 2004 as executive vice president of Finance Operations, after 15 years with Scotiabank in a number of senior finance roles. In November 2005, she was appointed to TD's top...