"To me, being a woman is about engaging with compassion, integrity and strength in all facets of our lives; for me, that’s as a mother, daughter, wife, sister, leader and friend."- Kam Raman, Vice President, Group Advantage at RBC.
Known for her ability to engage diverse teams, Kam Raman has been growing her career in the financial services industry over the past 20 years and has embraced the importance and value of life-long learning.
Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her business acumen, communication, collaboration, and leadership abilities. But while these are significant achievements and accomplishments, Kam’s more profound reward stems from her ability and commitment to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion for clients, employees, and the community.
As a wife and mother of two boys, Kam has always role-modelled a solid moral compass at work and within her home, with strong personal values and ethics that both her children and her peers admire.
Her mantra is surprisingly simple: “Surround yourself with good people that motivate you to be better.”
She will be the first to acknowledge that she has benefited from both the time and wisdom of mentors throughout her career and has been fortunate that these guides have afforded her the opportunity and space to learn and thrive.
Kam has experienced first-hand the value of nurturing authentic relationships, where you can grow in a safe environment that allows you to pivot and occasionally skin your knee; in doing so, embracing and reflecting on the lessons learned.
From her perspective, the most important gift women can provide other female colleagues and emerging talent is to offer them safe spaces to learn, grow and challenge themselves. When looking back on her career, Kam treasures the advice and guidance she received from trusted advisors who have been invaluable stewards and sound posts throughout her career. Some of her greatest learning moments have come from receiving feedback that may have been difficult to hear at the time but invaluable to her growth moving forward.
Never one to sit still, Kam has been an active member of her community, continually seeking ways to give back and uplift others.
Despite the countless hours she invests in various organizations and boards, she firmly believes that personal reward and satisfaction come from serving others and contributing to the greater good of society. This is why she serves on the boards of BGC Canada and DIVERSEcity, as both organizations focus on areas close to her heart – providing opportunities to children & youth and new Canadians.
Q&A
What does being a woman mean to you?
To me, being a woman is about engaging with compassion, integrity and strength in all facets of our lives; for me, that’s as a mother, daughter, wife, sister, leader and friend.
What has been your most significant achievement?
I’m proud of my educational journey, which I completed while my husband and I raised our two sons. Completing an MBA was a pivotal point in my career that paved the way for more senior roles.
Professionally, I was RBC’s first Director of Diversity and Inclusion in British Columbia, where I had the opportunity to accelerate and deepen our journey. This role proved instrumental in driving a culture of inclusion as we invested in learning how we could raise awareness and inspire action about creating spaces and fostering practices that uplift and support our employees.
What or who inspires you to do better each day?
My family. My parents have always been my heroes – their resilience in moving to a different country and re-establishing themselves makes me question the complexity of what I might see as significant challenges. I want my sons to know they can do anything they set their minds to – they inspire me to be the best role model.
What is your advice to women who wish to follow your path?
Work hard, build a strong network, discover how to help others and invest time into mentorship. My personal growth and learning from both being mentored and mentoring have been invaluable on my journey.
What is your success mantra?
Immerse your heart and mind into what’s important to you while staying true to your values. Build strong and trusting relationships that you can lean on during challenging times. Be that same support for others and spend time with those who inspire you to be better.
Photo: A Master Media
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