Profile
“I will continue to empower and encourage my staff to perform at their best as I have done for the last decade. I will continue to advocate for my clients, embracing new technology and being open to business and industry changes”
Ken Dixon,
Dixon Insurance Services
Gillian Kunza brings a creative and fresh approach to her role as CEO of Designed Wealth Management. With 15 years of experience in the investment industry, she has held senior roles, including chief executive officer (her current role), chief financial officer, and chief compliance officer.
A champion of transparency, as co-founder of Designed Wealth Management, Kunza leads the mission to collaborate with advisors, dealer head offices, and staff in a way that the wealth management industry hasn’t seen before. In an industry that focuses on the trust and partnership that advisors have with clients, Designed Wealth Management is committed to bringing that same trust and partnership to its advisors.
Kunza is a Chartered Professional Accountant and serves on the CPA Ontario Council. She also serves on the Ontario Regional Council for the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), and is vice chair of CIRO’s Conduct, Compliance & Legal Advisory committee.
She holds her Bachelor of Business Administration from Trent University and will graduate with her Master’s of Business Administration from the Rotman School of Management in 2024. She also holds designations such as Chartered Investment Manager and Fellow of CSI.
Kunza has a range of talents, including acting, opera singing, music production, and cross-country skiing.
150 King Street West, Toronto, ON, M5H 1J9
705 482 7646
gkunza@designedsecurities.ca
linkedin.com/in/gkunza/
designedwealthmanagement.ca
Gillian Kunza
Chief Executive Officer
Designed Wealth Management
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Special Report
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Bio
Milestones
Profile
Read on
Special Report
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Bio
Milestones
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Special Report
Home
Bio
Milestones
“To be able to give back to the community is rewarding and fulfilling. I am honoured to be in a position where I can raise funds for those less fortunate and in need”
Ken Dixon,
Dixon Insurance Services
2010-2012
2020
2024
2012
1991–present
Earned her Certified Management Accountant designation in 2010 and her Chartered Professional Accounting designation in 2012, working in the independent wealth management space in a variety of roles since 2010
2010–
2012
Co-founded Designed Securities (where she is currently CEO) and Designed Investment, which together now operate as Canada’s first dual-registered investment dealer (as of March 2023)
2020
Part of the 2024 MBA graduating class at the Rotman School of Management, and has been elected to serve on the Ontario CPA Council
2024
2012: FP Canada Fellow Distinction
2021 and 2022: Mississauga News Best Financial Planning Services and Best Financial Advisor
2022 and 2023: 5-Star Advisor Award Ontario
2012
1991–2019: Worked in various firms providing financial planning and education
2019: Founded Holjevac Financial Group to continue to provide financial planning and education services
2020, 2021, and 2022: Finalist for WP IFSE Institute Award for Financial Literacy Champion
2022 and 2023: MoneySense Trusted Advisor
2023: Excellence Award for WP Female Trailblazer
1991–
present
Assistant Vice President and Senior Broker at MJ Hall & Company since 2018
Present
Milestones
Aug 2022
Milestones
Sept 2021
Feb 2022
Apr 2022
Jul 2022
Aug
2022
Suncorp Bank introduces Solar Home Bonus offer for customers who are choosing renewable energy for their homes
Sept 2021
Month-on-month market share growth commences
Feb 2022
Suncorp Bank wins the Canstar award for most outstanding value in investment loans
Apr 2022
Suncorp Bank wins Money Magazine’s Bank of the Year and Business Bank of the Year awards for the fifth year in a row
Jul 2022
Suncorp Bank’s turnaround times are the lowest they have ever been. The lender becomes Australia’s first certified carbon neutral bank for both its operation and transaction services
Aug 2022
Milestones
adopting Conquest as the firm’s financial planning software
having more than 70% of investment assets on their cutting-edge Discretionary investment platform
And she adds, “We will continue to focus on leveraging technology in order to create more time that can be spent on client relationships, and the things that technology does not do well.”
Since graduating from the University of Calgary, Derlago has earned the professional designations:
Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
Academy of Financial Divorce Specialists (AFDS)
Chartered Investment Manager (CIM)
Being a woman in a male-dominated industry has been an opportunity that she has leveraged to her advantage by approaching and dealing with clients naturally.
“It has allowed me to build deep, meaningful bonds with clients, which becomes critical when clients are going through major life events. Because there are so few women in senior advisor roles, I think it has presented an opportunity to stand out.”
Recalling her biggest career achievements, Derlago cites a case where she was able to remove the strain from an individual dealing with the unexpected death of a spouse. This spirit is engendered throughout her team, as Derlago leads with an intentional sense of empathy.
“When creating the best-laid plans, you always hope you will never see the worst possible outcomes, but as we all know they do happen. I am most proud of the burden we can take from a family in one of the darkest periods of their lives and know we have helped to create a situation where money will be the last thing a family has to worry about following the death of a loved one.”
Mindful of entering the wealth industry at age 23 without a clear grasp of the possibilities and options, Derlago is a keen mentor and sounding board for females new to the sector or about to enter.
“I have made a concerted effort to have more young women enter the industry, and provided opportunities with employment roles, mentoring, and exposure to the different career paths that may be available.”
Sue Derlago is a partner and senior wealth advisor with MLD Wealth Management Group at CG Wealth Management in Calgary.
“I wake up every day grateful that I get to do this work and strive for continuous improvement in the way we provide advice and service to our clients. It’s also continuing to learn and expand my knowledge, and how I work with and lead those on my team.”
One of the markers of Derlago’s success is having clients split across three generations of the same families. Her strategic focus has enabled her to devote time to communicating with clients and building trust.
“Being supported by a strong team and having a robust technology platform has allowed me to focus my time on clients. That means looking at every client’s unique situation to help them understand how events in the world impact their specific situation.”
And this process will be continually refined as Derlago and her fellow partners have committed to two major initiatives:
adopting Conquest as the firm’s financial planning software
having more than 70% of investment assets on their cutting-edge Discretionary investment platform
And she adds, “We will continue to focus on leveraging technology in order to create more time that can be spent on client relationships, and the things that technology does not do well.”
Since graduating from the University of Calgary, Derlago has earned the professional designations:
