Kambiz Vatan-Abadi on LinkedIn: I am truly grateful and delighted to have been recognized with this award… (2024)

Thank you for all your very kind words and recognition. It's an immense honour to receive the Experiential Education Partnership Award from the Schulich School of Business - York University. This accolade reflects CI Financial collective efforts in nurturing a strong partnership with the academic environments in general, Schulich School of Business in specific, to develop the next generation of leaders. Our collaboration has been a cornerstone in bridging the gap between academic theory and practical industry application, providing students with invaluable real-world experience. We are proud of our ongoing relationship with Schulich and other major Canadian Universities and will remain dedicated to offering impactful experiential education opportunities. Once again, thank you for this remarkable honour. Let's keep pushing the boundaries of education and innovation together.

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The impact of AI in the financial industry is expanding exponentially, bringing about a fundamental shift in the way we manage, analyze, and secure financial data. From detecting fraudulent activities to enabling personalized investment strategies, AI is transforming the financial industry in unprecedented ways, offering endless possibilities for shaping the future of finance. With AI-powered applications becoming more ubiquitous in the industry, it's clear that they will soon become an integral part of all financial services. One financial services provider, , has emerged as a leader in the AI boom. The firm has topped the first-ever ranking of AI progress among banks this year. They are developing an AI-powered tool called IndexGPT, which is designed to help investors pick stocks and navigate the markets more effectively. This application provides traders and advisors with valuable insights and analysis that they wouldn't have been able to access otherwise.

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Happy Pi Day! Today, March 14 (3.14), we celebrate the never-ending number that has fascinated mathematicians for centuries. Pi Day is a great opportunity to appreciate the elegance of mathematics, regardless of whether or not you're a math enthusiast. So, why not indulge in some pie, challenge your math skills, and marvel at the wonders of numbers today? Let's all embrace our inner mathematicians and geeks and honor the significance of this day. Together, let's celebrate the magic of π and all the amazing things that math has to offer. A few years ago, I started a tradition of discovering a new and intriguing Pi application on Pi Day. For this year, I found something fascinating about the formation of stripes and spots in different animals' skin. Can you believe that the Pi number plays a significant role in the patterns of these designs? Close your eyes and imagine the stripes of a zebra or the spots of a leopard. These patterns have a specific size and spacing, and Pi is the constant that encodes them. It's incredible to think that Pi contributes to the formation of many patterns in life, including the field of biology. If you are curious about my next Pi discovery, you'll have to wait " π x 10e7" seconds!https://lnkd.in/g57B3wMn

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Peyman Pardis, Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Canada's retirement income system. I do agree with your comments and would like to add a note regarding the role and importance of the “Workplace Plans”. Canada’s retirement income system was designed to stand on three pillars: Pillar 1- Government Programs - OAS (Old Age Security), GIS (Guaranteed Income Supplement) & CPP (Canada Penson Plan)Pillar 2 – Workplace Plans – Workplace retirement plans are employment-based and sponsored by employers and unions. Registered pension plans, Group RRSP, Group TFSA, DPSP, and other group saving plans.Pillar 3 – Personal Savings – e.g. RRSP, TFSA, or non-registered savings.About 60% of working Canadians are not covered by a workplace pension/saving plan (Pillar 2). This adds pressure on Government Programs (pillar 1) and Personal Savings (Pillar 3). Studies show that only 19% of Canadians with no workspace plans are confident that they will be able to retire at their desired age, while this ratio among people who have a Workspace plan is 34%. The absence of proper and effective Workplace Plans in Canada, especially in small-to-medium-sized companies (firms with less than 500 employees where over 85% of Canadians work) raises issues of intergenerational equity, as GIS and OAS are funded through general tax revenues, which means working taxpayers may be required to pay more in taxes to support a growing number of retirees who rely on GIS and OAS for subsistence living.As per the recommendation published by "Benefits Canada", it is crucial to implement two key strategies: 1) Expanding retirement income coverage by reinforcing the Workplace Plan (pillar 2), and 2) Investing in financial literacy programs.In addition to these, I would like to suggest two more strategies:3) Emphasize the importance of obtaining Wealth Management Advice, and 4) Starting to invest as early as possible in life. These strategies can go a long way in securing a financially stable future.

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Thanks Chongyang Jia, IMBA, Dr. Minerva Cernea, PhD, International EMBA, MSc, CDI.D, and Schulich School of Business - York University and all the Tech MBA students, I wanted to express my gratitude for inviting me to your Career Development class today. It was an absolute honor and pleasure to spend time with you and share insights. What impressed me the most was the level of engagement, eagerness to learn, and attention to detail that each and every Tech MBA student displayed. Though they may think they were inspired by me, the truth is that I was the one who left feeling truly inspired by their talents, professionalism, and drive. I am confident that Canada has a brighter future ahead with these exceptional individuals entering the job market. They are sure to make a significant impact!

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To “Gen AI” or not to “Gen AI”? That is the question!As the world of artificial intelligence continues to advance, universities find themselves at a crossroads: Should we embrace or restrict the use of generative AI in our academic spaces? Generative AI has incredible potential for research, creativity, and innovation. It can help us solve complex problems, generate art, and even assist in scientific discovery. However, like any powerful tool, it comes with ethical considerations. Allowing generative AI in universities can: 1- Foster innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. 2- Open doors for ground-breaking research in various fields. 3- Prepare students for AI-driven careers. On the flip side, banning it might: 1- Address concerns about plagiarism and unethical use. 2- Protect against biases and misuse. 3- Encourage alternative, ethical AI approaches.Remember all those protests against using Calculator at schools in the 80s? Where are we standing now? Did we conclude that Calculator is an evil and harmful thing? Not really, it was just a new (but powerful) tool that our kids should learn to use responsibly, we concluded that it is our (parents' and teachers') job to teach kids how and when to use it rather than banning calculators.Banning generative AI tools in academic environments is not a strategic solution, in my opinion. I believe the key lies in responsible integration. Universities should embrace generative AI as a tool for innovation while establishing robust ethical guidelines. Let's foster a dialogue, involving educators, technologists, and policymakers, to strike the right balance. The debate continues, but it's crucial that universities lead the way in shaping AI's role in education.

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Kudos to Schulich School of Business - York University for the launch of their new and exciting #TechMBA program. I congratulate all the brilliant students who have made the decision to join this program and become the future Technology leaders in Canada and beyond. It gives me great pleasure to be a part of this program as an Advisory Council member and mentor to the students, along with Darie Urbanky from CI Financial

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I am truly grateful and humbled to have been chosen to serve on the Tech MBA Advisory Council at Schulich School of Business - York University. This is a testament to the power of collaboration between academia and industry in cultivating the next generation of tech leaders. I would like to express my gratitude to CI Financial and Schulich School of Business - York University for this incredible opportunity.https://lnkd.in/gJF24zjP

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It is undeniably true that Canada is facing productivity challenges at a national level. Our GDP per capita is continuously declining in comparison to our European and G7 counterparts. Although investing in businesses, innovation, and start-ups is absolutely required, our population demographic is the main factor causing this issue. Canada's senior population is growing rapidly, and as a result, the proportion of our adult working-age population is shrinking which is adversely impacting our GDP per capita and national Productivity index. This has led to a rise in healthcare costs, which is expected to double by 2040 (to $10,000 per person per year). There is a certain old-age dependency ratio (OADR)—the ratio of people ages 65 and over to those ages 15 to 64—that could offset the impacts of aging by growing the working-age population. This could allow for a still-rising standard of living while also ensuring the sustainability of public finances. How do we bring the OADR ratio back to its healthy zone?The solution to offset the impacts of aging and maintain a rising standard of living is to attract more skilled working-age immigrants (which is what the government is doing now). However, there is a delicacy in the execution of this policy which seems to be not well thought out. The current pace of immigration may not be sustainable due to a lack of affordable housing, it is adversely impacting the cost of housing and living and offsetting the intended positive productivity impact. In other words, without building affordable housing, opening the gate of immigration can’t assist us too much with our productivity problem. Therefore, it is essential for all levels of government to work together to increase the housing supply and ensure the sustainability of public finances.Desjardin recently published a very relevant economic study, it is a very good read:https://lnkd.in/gjxCdPZg

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