Barb Mason, EVP, marketing, sales & service, Scotiabank, Toronto

When Barb Mason took over the top post at the bank, its marketing efforts essentially consisted of posters and print brochures. Today, Scotiabank’s ‘Richer than you think’ series of ads and services have helped redefine how banks reach out to their clients while offering financial services tailor-made to people’s lifestyles.

And that brand personality is being extended into the sponsorship realm. In March, the bank signed on as title sponsor of Toronto’s Nuit Blanche, an idea born in Paris that will turn the streets of the city into an all-night exploration of art, exhibitions and performances on the weekend of Sept. 30. The Scotiabank Giller Prize is another of its key sponsorship efforts.

Within the bank she’s also creating a better experience, helping to introduce its employee recognition program, Applause.

Beyond the boardroom:

* She’s a board member with the Toronto Board of Trade and Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House.