Senior executives at National Bank among Canada's top 100 most powerful women

Montreal, 27 November 2003 - 

Patricia Curadeau-Grou and Gisèle Desrochers, both Members of the Executive Committee of the National Bank, and E.A. (Dee) Parkinson-Marcoux, a Member of the Bank's Board of Directors, have been named among Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Toronto-based Women's Executive Network (WXN).

Ms. Curadeau-Grou and Ms. Desrochers were nominated in the Corporate Executives category, which recognizes women who hold the most senior position of any woman in Canada's largest publicly-traded and privately-owned companies. Their commitment, their sense of leadership, and their contribution to the National Bank's growth were also instrumental in earning them this distinction.

Ms. Parkinson-Marcoux was recognized in the Trailblazers category for her outstanding contribution to and involvement in the energy and natural resources sector. She is best known for leading change and for the transformation of Suncor Oil Sands Group into a highly profitable business, through changes in all aspects of the company from mining technology to improved marketing and product diversification.

Ms. Curadeau-Grou, Senior Vice-President – Risk Management, is one of the few women in Canada to hold such a position, which involves the strategic management of operational, credit and market risk for the Bank and its subsidiaries. During her tenure, she has instilled a strong corporate culture based on risk management through her team's implementation of sophisticated management systems. The National Bank now compares favourably with the major Canadian banks in terms of risk management and its achievements have been recognized by financial markets.

In addition to her duties at the Bank, Ms. Curadeau-Grou is actively involved within the community. She sits on the boards of the Diabetic Children's Foundation and the Fondation Tremblant. She is also very devoted to social and humanitarian causes, in particular the Mental Illness Foundation.

As Senior Vice-President – Human Resources and Operations, Ms. Desrochers has the dual responsibility of developing human resources policies and practices and optimizing operations at the National Bank. Known for her leadership and innovativeness, Ms. Desrochers has worked with her team to set up many programs aimed at improving the working conditions of all Bank employees. Her achievements include the implementation of a continuing education program and a highly effective internal system aimed at optimizing the Bank's operational processes.

In addition to her duties at the Bank, Ms. Desrochers is actively involved in a number of organizations such as the Institut Nazareth et Louis Braille, the Opéra de Montréal and the Fondation du Camp Musical de Lanaudière. She was also a member of the Board of Directors of CDP Capital, a subsidiary of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.

Ms. Parkinson-Marcoux has been a Director of the Bank since 2002. She brings to the Board her solid expertise in the energy, oil and natural resources sectors as well as her knowledge of Western Canadian markets. Currently a Consultant with Southern Pacific Petroleum, Ms. Parkinson-Marcoux is also a director of companies in the energy, natural resources and engineering sectors. She has held a number of positions throughout her career, including President and Chief Executive Officer of Ensyn Energy and President of CS Resources.

The "Most Powerful Women: Top 100" is an initiative of the Women's Executive Network (www.wxnetwork.com), a leading organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of executive-minded women, and the Richard Ivey School of Business, at the University of Western Ontario, which offers full-time undergraduate and graduate degree programs (MBA and PhD). The goal of this initiative is to recognize Canada's highly accomplished women.

Photos of the recipients and their biographical notes are available on request. Please contact Geneviève Morin at (514) 394-8085 for an electronic copy.

About the National Bank

National Bank of Canada is an integrated group which provides comprehensive financial services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations in its core market, while offering specialized services to its customers elsewhere in the world. The National Bank offers a full array of banking services, including corporate and investment banking. It is an active player on international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, is involved in securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management, as well as mutual fund and retirement plan management. The National Bank has more than $75 billion in assets and, together with its subsidiaries, employs over 17,000 people. The Bank's securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (NA: TSX). For more information, visit the Bank's website at www.nbc.ca.

Information (the telephone number and e-mail address provided below are for the exclusive use of journalists and other media representatives):

Denis Dubé
Director – Public Relations
National Bank of Canada
Tel.: (514) 394-8644
E-mail: denis.dube@nbc.ca