Anna Kalinina moved to Montreal in 1998 from her native Russia and, not able to speak the local language, had to learn French straight away. Thankfully she met numerous people who were keen to help her embed into her new Canadian way of life. “That experience created a real desire in me to pay back and accept anyone with a different background and experience. We are all unique and have a unique skill set.”
Anna joined Wells Fargo in 2016 when Wells Fargo acquired her business unit, Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF), from GE Capital. She is currently a Strategy Leader for CDF and the Chair of the Canada Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) council - the first International D&I council formed outside of the US. Earlier, Anna had enjoyed a varied career at GE, HSBC and Tyco, relocating and working in numerous cities across the globe including Moscow, Paris, Florence and Montreal over the course of her 16+ years of experience within global sales, marketing and strategy.
As Anna and her team got to know Wells Fargo, they wanted to find a way they could connect with their new colleagues across Canada. “We wanted to pioneer something that brought people together and allowed us to learn and connect and celebrate with each other,” Anna said. With that in mind, they launched the Canada D&I Council.
“It’s been 2 years of the council now and something is always happening. We have held numerous panels, focusing on women in leadership as well as generations. We’ve partnered with some external organisations that promote women in the workplace and black Canadians in the finance industry. We also partnered with Indspire, an organisation that invests in Indigenous youth to help them achieve their highest potential. And as part of this partnership, I, along with other Wells Fargo colleagues participate in ‘Rivers to Success’ - a mentoring program that matches Wells Fargo employees with post-secondary Indigenous students who are preparing to graduate and start their careers,” said Anna.
Most recently, team members launched a new chapter of the PRIDE Team Member Network in Canada and a Veterans network is next on our list. “What differentiates Wells Fargo is a genuine approach on how we live and breathe our company values. The five values are so relatable and so true to me, too. Diversity and Inclusion is one of company’s key values, and our leaders are committed to making Wells Fargo a truly inclusive and diverse workplace. I could not be more proud of the work that Wells Fargo does with its customers and team members!”
Beyond her involvement with the Council, Anna sees lots of opportunity for her professional development at Wells Fargo. Her business unit has recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of serving customers in Canada, and Anna led the comprehensive anniversary project. She is part of a team working towards creating a more agile organization where Wells Fargo can better leverage capabilities, relationships and talent and become a more client-centric business. “This will create some exciting career opportunities for team members to increase the breadth and scope of their responsibilities.”
“Wells Fargo is a formidable organization with a strong vision and core values. With its scale it also represents numerous career opportunities for team members. And with a diverse and inclusive culture being at the forefront, we welcome team members with different experiences and backgrounds. We recognize the benefits that diversity brings to the organization.”
“I would advise anyone considering joining Wells Fargo to be your true self, embrace diversity, promote inclusiveness and have unyielding integrity in serving your customers. If this is what you exemplify then Wells Fargo is the place for you.”
Watch our video of Team Members in Toronto. Learn more about the company vision and values or search for open vacancies.