RBC appoints Gibson as permanent Chief Financial Officer
Royal Bank of Canada Appoints Katherine Gibson as Permanent CFO
In a significant move, the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has appointed Katherine Gibson as the permanent Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective immediately. Gibson has been serving as the strategic advisor and interim CFO for the past five months.
Gibson joined RBC in 2002 as a senior director of finance and has since risen through the ranks, serving as a vice president in RBC's wealth-management unit. Before her appointment as interim CFO in April, she held the position of RBC's controller.
The appointment comes at a crucial time for RBC, as the bank is shuffling its leadership team and splitting its largest division, personal and commercial banking, into two units. Gibson will oversee finance for all businesses and functions at RBC, managing taxation, corporate treasury, investor relations, performance management, corporate development, enterprise financial planning, analysis, and reporting.
RBC's CEO, Dave McKay, praised Gibson as an outstanding senior executive with global financial insights and leadership capabilities. Gibson is a respected and experienced leader at RBC, having served the bank for over two decades.
The appointment of Gibson presumably puts more distance between the bank and its legal battle with her predecessor, Nadine Ahn, who was dismissed as CFO on April 5. Ahn's dismissal was due to an "undisclosed close personal relationship" with a treasury executive at the bank. Ken Mason, the treasury executive mentioned, was also fired from RBC in April.
As of August 2025, there is no publicly available detailed information on the current status or any settlement details regarding the legal battle between RBC and Nadine Ahn or Ken Mason following Ahn’s dismissal as CFO. The most recent coverage describes internal controversy involving Nadine Ahn, a high-ranking executive at RBC, and Ken Mason, her subordinate who was rapidly promoted. The controversy originated from allegations reported to HR after they were seen together in a social setting, which triggered an investigation and subsequent fallout.
No verifiable reports or official statements have surfaced regarding a formal legal dispute or settlement between these individuals and RBC. Other search results mention unrelated RBC controversies but do not address this specific legal matter. Therefore, any specifics about the legal proceedings or settlements involving Nadine Ahn, Ken Mason, and RBC remain undisclosed to the public as of now.
RBC completed its acquisition of HSBC's Canadian retail footprint in March, marking a significant expansion for the bank. With Gibson at the helm, RBC is poised to navigate this growth and continue its strategic trajectory.
Gibson will oversee finance for all businesses and functions at RBC, including business and corporate finance. With her extensive experience at RBC and her recently confirmed permanent role, Gibson is expected to play a key part in guiding the bank's financial strategy as it continues to expand and navigate challenges.
