BMO names new head of retail banking

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Bank of Montreal gave two of its senior executives new responsibilities for winning over customers in an increasingly digital business.

Toronto-based BMO handed Cam Fowler the title of chief strategy and operations officer, a newly created role that wraps in all of the bank’s branch and digital services. Mr. Fowler was the head of BMO’s North American personal and business banking group. That job now belongs to Erminia (Ernie) Johannson, who is currently the head of BMO’s North American personal banking and U.S. business banking teams. The promotions are effective March 1, and both Mr. Fowler and Ms. Johannson will report to BMO chief executive officer Darryl White.

In his new role, Mr. Fowler “will be responsible for a lot,” Mr. White said. It will be Mr. Fowler’s job to draw the bank’s strategy, digital operations, innovation, procurement, workplace transformation, marketing and social impact initiatives more closely together.

“The world moves so quickly and the digital agenda is so important that the premium I put on being front-footed and having a view of the future, and investing horizontally across the enterprise, I’m relying on Cam to be a huge help to me to do that,” Mr. White said.

Mr. Fowler is a 10-year veteran of BMO who has served as one of Mr. White’s key lieutenants over the last two years. On Mr. White’s first day as CEO in November, 2017, Mr. Fowler was promoted to president of North American personal and business banking, tasked with deploying new products and strategies across BMO’s Canadian and U.S. footprint.

Ms. Johannson has been in charge of U.S. personal and business banking since 2018, and has significantly boosted the bank’s American deposit base. Last year, her role expanded to include BMO’s network of bank branches in Canada. She has also held roles in credit cards, payments, marketing and risk, and was the architect of the launch of BMO’s nationwide U.S. digital bank a year ago.

“It’s so natural, because she has done virtually every job that [her new role] encompasses,” Mr. White said. Ms. Johansson will divide her time between BMO’s Toronto headquarters and its U.S. base in Chicago. David Casper, BMO’s U.S. CEO and head of North American commercial banking, will work closely with Ms. Johannson.

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