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Barb Mason retiring as CHRO at Scotiabank, Jenny Poulos tapped to take over top role

Barb Mason, group head and chief human resources officer (CHRO) for Scotiabank, has announced her intention to retire from the bank at the end of the year, capping a career that spanned 41 years.

“On behalf of all Scotiabankers, I would like to congratulate Barb on an impressive four-decade career with the Bank and thank her for her invaluable guidance and partnership as an integral part of our Senior Leadership Team,” said Scott Thomson, president and CEO for Scotiabank. “Barb has brought her endless passion and energy to leadership roles across Retail, Marketing, Wealth Management, Real Estate, and as our Group Head and CHRO.”

Thomson said Mason has been a “devoted champion” of the employee and client experience at the bank.

“She led our workplace transformation to an activity-based working model for thousands of our colleagues, enhancing productivity, flexibility and collaboration,” he said. “Thanks to Barb’s efforts, our Bank is consistently recognized as a top employer globally for a leading employee value proposition that is anchored in culture, employee wellbeing, and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

As Mason prepares to leave, the bank has appointed Jenny Poulos as deputy CHRO, effective Oct. 2, 2023. She will assume the role of CHRO on Dec. 4, 2023, joining the senior leadership team.

Poulos is a seasoned HR and financial services leader, with more than 34 years of experience at RBC, where she was most recently SVP, talent services, and has assumed progressively senior roles in retail and HR.

“I am pleased to have Jenny join the Bank as our CHRO, bringing more than three decades of Retail and HR leadership experience to help us build on our momentum as a top employer in Canada and across our international markets,” said Thomson. “I look forward to working closely with her as we continue to focus on driving exceptional client and employee experiences as part of our refreshed enterprise strategy.”