Senior Advisors. Proven Operators. Real Results.
Wanilah Advisors is a boutique advisory firm specializing in financial services. Our principals have held senior executive, Big Four partner, and board positions at financial institutions. We don’t just advise — we’ve done the work.
We work with banks, credit unions, fintechs and boards on the strategic and operational challenges that matter most: AI adoption, payments modernization, risk governance, digital transformation and growth.
Strategic Execution & Growth
Scenario planning, operating model redesign, M&A execution, business launch and scaling strategies.
Embedded Finance & Digital Transformation
AI use case execution, digital customer experience redesign, embedded banking strategy and transformation delivery.
Risk Management & Enterprise Performance
Enterprise and third-party risk, governance modernization, data analytics and KPI/KRI frameworks.
Board & Senior Executive Advisory
CEO advisory, strategic business reviews, executive team coaching and board-level governance support.
NEAL OSWALD, CPA., ICD.D Board Director · Banking Executive · Transformation and Risk Advisor Neal Oswald is a seasoned financial services executive, board director and advisor with more than 35 years of experience leading strategy, finance, risk, operations, technology and transformation across banking and financial services. Throughout his career, Neal has held senior executive positions at CIBC, Concentra Bank, Ernst & Young, PwC, Cap Gemini and EDS. He has led large-scale transformation programs, digital transformations and bank launches, operating model redesigns, risk and treasury modernization initiatives, and enterprise performance improvement programs across Canada, the UK and globally. As COO of Concentra Bank, Neal helped launch a digital banking platform, deployed agile ways of working, established centres of excellence for analytics and automation, and redesigned client and employee experiences end-to-end. He has also advised numerous fintech founders, CEOs and financial institutions on growth strategy, partnership models, operating model design and transformation execution. Today Neal works with financial institutions, credit unions, fintechs and boards on strategy design and execution, AI adoption, digital modernization, governance, operational resilience and business transformation. He is recognized for his ability to bridge strategy and execution to deliver measurable business outcomes. WHAT NEAL BRINGS ▸ C-suite and COO experience at a Canadian digital bank ▸ Big Four partnership at Ernst & Young and PwC ▸ SVP transformation leadership at CIBC across three divisions ▸ Board director experience (ICD.D) across governance, audit, finance, risk and technology committees ▸ 35+ years advising banks, credit unions and fintechs on strategy, risk, operations, data and technology ▸ Published author and conference speaker on digital banking and process transformation DESIGNATIONS ▸ ICD.D — Institute of Corporate Directors, 2021 ▸ HBA — Honours Business Administration, University of Western Ontario, 1982 ▸ CPA, CA — Chartered Professional Accountant, 1985 ▸ CFA — Chartered Financial Analyst (Retired), 1990 ▸ CMC — Certified Management Consultant (Retired), 1992 BOARD & ADVISORY POSITIONS ▸ Arthritis Society Canada — National Board, Audit & Finance Committee Chair ▸ Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) — Vice Chair, Audit & Finance; Technology & Innovation Committee (Retired) ▸ Canadian Red Cross — Technology Advisor, 2025 ▸ Ownest.AI — Advisor to the CEO, 2024–2025
NANCY CARSS Portfolio Manager · Quantitative Analyst · Financial Services Advisor Nancy Carss brings a rare combination of technical depth and financial markets expertise to Wanilah Advisors. A former Portfolio Manager and Chemical Engineer, Nancy holds an MBA and a retired CFA designation. Her background spans quantitative analysis, investment management, and financial services operations — giving Wanilah a disciplined, data-driven perspective that complements Neal's executive and transformation experience. Nancy contributes to client engagements where analytical rigor, financial modeling, and structured problem-solving are critical to delivering results. WHAT NANCY BRINGS ▸ Quantitative and analytical depth from engineering and portfolio management ▸ Investment management and capital markets experience ▸ Financial modeling and performance measurement expertise ▸ CFA-level analytical rigor applied to strategic and operational problems DESIGNATIONS ▸ MBA ▸ M.A.Sc. Chemical Engineering ▸ CFA — Chartered Financial Analyst (Retired)
We lead with analytics and insight to bring critical thinking to look at all aspects of the problem, from strategy to operations. Across finance, risk, operations, technology. We leverage an outside-in perspective (i.e. starting with the client experience) to understand the business problem and then to find practical workable solutions.
We are highly collaborative and effective at enabling difficult conversations driven by analytics based insight. We have the perspective and experience that enables us to execute real transformative change on an ETE basis.
We are a small group of experienced process, data, analytics and technology professionals who will “do the right thing”. We put your interests and success ahead of ours and live those values every day. We will do what is right for our clients even if it means making recommendations that our contrary to our short term interests. We are trusted advisors who will deliver pragmatic, practical advice and rapid ETE process transformation change execution. We have a predisposition to work collaboratively to “just get it done” for our clients and their stakeholders.
