As President and CEO of the Royal Trust Corporation of Canada and The Royal Trust Company, Leanne Kaufman is responsible for the strategy and overall management of the business which provides wealth protection and transfer solutions across generations to high-net-worth Canadian families.

Kaufman serves as a director on the Royal Trust Board, and as a member of the RBC Wealth Management Canada Operating Committee. She is a lawyer by profession and brings more than 20 years of experience, knowledge and client-centric focus to the business.

Kaufman joined RBC Royal Trust in 1999 as a Trust Officer, prior to which she was a lawyer practicing commercial litigation. Since her initial role, she has continued to provide in-depth solutions for clients and their families. As Vice-President of the Professional Practice Group, she led a team of professionals responsible for technical expertise, analysis and policy development, along with the education of the RBC Royal Trust staff at all levels. As Vice-President and Head of Indigenous Wealth, Kaufman and team were dedicated exclusively to establishing long-term planning and legacy solutions for Indigenous communities across Canada.

Kaufman earned her Bachelor of Laws from Queen’s University and a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, where she is a former Adjunct Professor.

The author of the fourth edition of The Executor’s Handbook published by CCH, Kaufman is also a contributor to the Financial Post, and a sought after contributor to numerous industry publications on the subject of estates and trusts. She is a member of the STEP Worldwide Council, of the National Institute on Ageing Advisory Board, and of Queen’s University’s Gift Planning Advisory Committee. She also serves on several sports and education boards and committees in her community.