
08/15/2025
A Fish Rots from the Head Down: Lessons for Canadian Wealth Management đđ¸
"The way Billy told it was that, if the trade made money, we all would make money â Billy, me, Chuck, the Slug, the Slug's boss, all the way up. Hell, even the CEO got paid on our Profit and Loss statement. If it went horribly wrong, the whole banking system would blow up, and we'd all lose our jobs, so who cared. That's why it was allowed. A fish rots from the head down, I guess." (p.125)
This quote from the high-wire days of global banking strikes a chord even today. While Canadian wealth management is often praised for its stability and client-centric approach, weâd be remiss not to recognize the subtle incentives and cultural cues that shape our industry, too.
When everyone wins on the way upâfrom advisor to executiveâbut accountability evaporates on the way down, cracks can form in even the soundest systems.
Are compensation structures and risk management truly aligned with our clientsâ best interests, or do we risk echoing the mistakes of the past?
Letâs continue to build a Canadian wealth management industry that learns from history, prioritizes clients, and operates with integrity from the top down.