Interview With Toronto’s Robert Morton, Former Home Capital Executive

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Below is our recent interview with Toronto executive Rob Morton. Robert Morton is the founder and Principal of RLM Consulting, a strategy and operations consulting firm with expertise in new product development, organizational effectiveness, change management, and strategic planning. Morton has more than two decades of experience leading in the financial services industry. Most recently, he served as Chief Financial Officer at Home Capital Group Inc., where he was responsible for all aspects of financial support, treasury, strategic and capital planning/development, procurement and investor relations for both Home Capital and Home Trust.

Q: You recently branched out on your own to create RLM Consulting where you provide hands-on consulting services to clients. What prompted the change?

Robert Morton: I don’t look at it so much as a change; rather, I see RLM Consulting as an opportunity to provide over 20-plus years of knowledge in support of businesses’ biggest challenges, like performance improvement, transformation and cost reduction, among other areas. In this stage of my career, I am so pleased to be in a position to assist these organizations with their business goals and to provide the best client care possible.

Q: Describe your vision of how the financial services industry should be serving clients in today’s economy.

Robert Morton: Like most industries, the financial services sector will likely need to implement more technologies that will improve customer experience and productivity. I think we’ll see corporations incorporating digital solutions like blockchain technologies; it is inevitable that this will become a reality in the way we do business.

Q: What area is RLM Consulting innovative in?

Robert Morton: RLM Consulting provides strategic consulting services to a range of clients, including new ventures, financial services and high tech companies. We also provide consulting in strategic planning, new product development and organizational effectiveness, among other areas. In today’s business climate the need for business performance management has never been more crucial. RLM Consulting works with leaders to ensure that the right measures are implemented and that early indicators are used to identify shifts in key forecasted components.

Q: Can you discuss how leaders can effectively navigate the changing tides of technology based on your professional experience?

Robert Morton: Yes. Leaders wholeheartedly need to embrace disruption. Technology driven services are becoming ubiquitous in finance. We are looking into how blockchain and fintech are transforming business models and economic models, and how digital is becoming mainstream. Data is everywhere. It allows us to look at customer needs far more accurately. You can only do that if you have the proper capabilities. Financial services firms need to adapt to these new technologies or risk falling behind to competitors.

Q: During your tenure at State Street Bank, you mentored, trained and managed a staff of roughly 60 professionals. How is mentorship important to employee development?

Robert Morton: I am a huge advocate of training and mentorship programs within an organization. New team members should be encouraged to take advantage of the resources that the company offers, including ongoing training, excellent support staff, and a welcoming and open office environment. How an employee blends in with the company culture is not only a good sign of how they will perform, but also how long they will stay.

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