Canada's Top 100 Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 53
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( 2025 ) SPONSOR CONTENT
At RBC, employees can open multiple career doors
A
fter 15 years with Royal
Bank of Canada (RBC),
Abid Iqbal is happy to be
back where he started his
career – this time in a leadership
role.
As director of home and auto insurance at the RBC Insurance Advice
Centre in Mississauga, Ont., he’s
eager to make sure employees enjoy
the same opportunities to learn,
grow and advance their careers that
he’s had since starting there as an
advisor in 2008.
“I know how hard our advisors
work,” Iqbal says. “To provide clients
with the information and solutions
that are right for them when they
call in, you need to know and understand the products and have great
customer service and listening skills
to quickly apply that knowledge to
each client’s particular situation.
“It’s a role that taught me so much
in areas such as decision-making,
time management and how to build
meaningful relationships. They’re all
skills you can use in any line of work
and in your personal life as well.”
The learning continued as he
progressed through three different
roles, honing interpersonal skills and
acquiring additional subject matter
expertise with each step. Iqbal then
switched channels to field sales,
supporting RBC Insurance branches
as a sales effectiveness advisor for
two years before being promoted to
regional director.
Iqbal, who returned to the Advice
Centre in 2021, says that while he
always worked hard and was eager to
learn, the common thread throughout his career is how he’s been
surrounded by so many good people
who willingly provided him with the
feedback he needed, as well as plenty
of encouragement and support.
“I’ve always had great leaders who
helped set me up for success,” he
says.
“Working in different roles
helps develop new skills and
demonstrates the ability
and willingness to take on a
variety of challenges, which
ultimately opens up new
opportunities.”
— Gopal Bansal
Vice President, Talent Acquisition
Similarly, when Gopal Bansal, vice
president, talent acquisition, says
people can have a variety of careers
and meaningful experiences at RBC,
he’s walked the talk. Since joining
RBC in 2014, he’s held several roles
in communications and human
resources across Caribbean banking,
insurance and capital markets.
That’s because RBC’s size, global
reach and diversity of businesses,
from traditional and commercial
banking to the cutting edge of
high-tech innovation or knowledge
work in areas like finance, risk or
law, means it can offer a vast array of
career opportunities. And employees
don’t have to stick to just one career
path, says Bansal. RBC’s commitment to life-long learning and
development means people have the
opportunity to train for the job they
want, not just the one they have.
Bansal also encourages anyone
hesitant to take a step off the linear
path they’re on to take a fresh look at
the skill set they’ve already acquired.
Gopal Bansal, vice president, talent acquisition (left), and Abid Iqbal,
director of home and auto insurance, at RBC.
The re-examination will likely show
them that they have more transferable skills than they originally
thought.
“It opens so many more doors
when you’re willing to move horizontally or diagonally and not just
vertically,” he says. “Being curious
and pursuing diverse interests can
lead to a more fulfilling professional
experience. Working in different
roles helps develop new skills
and demonstrates the ability and
willingness to take on a variety of
challenges, which ultimately opens
up new opportunities.”
The benefits extend beyond
the individual, Bansal adds. “New
roles and challenges lead to new
perspectives which leads to bold,
innovative ways of thinking,” he says.
“In a rapidly changing world, an
adaptable workforce means RBC is
well-positioned for the future.”
Or as Iqbal puts it, “RBC is a place
to grow.” ¢
86%
20,500
of surveyed employees feel they have
the opportunity to learn new skills
skills identified through
employee skill profiles
It’s your journey.
Your career.
Make It Yours!
