By Surbhi Gogia,
Kshitij Bhupendra is the Regional Director and Group Lead-Business Banking in British Columbia and Yukon at Scotiabank. He leads a dynamic team of 130 professionals, serving over sixty-two thousand clients, empowering businesses to grow and succeed. His career, marked by senior leadership roles—from Manager of Personal Banking at Newton Town Centre to Branch Manager at Fraser Heights and Abbotsford —has been a testament to his ability to steer teams, clients, and organizations toward extraordinary success.
Beyond banking, Kshitij is a dedicated mentor, inspiring the next generation of leaders. Yet, for Kshitij, his main treasured accomplishment is personal: a report card from his 11-year-old daughter. In her self-assessment, she highlighted how values shape her decisions. For Kshitij, this holds special significance, as he believes that values have established his journey as a leader and a successful banker. This moment, for him, symbolizes the profound impact of leading by example.
Reflecting on his journey, Kshitij credits much of his personal and professional growth to the core values instilled in him by experienced mentors. He believes in the transformative power of four principles: care, honesty, respect, and responsibility. “These values are the foundation for making firm and fair decisions and strengthening into a genuine leader,” he says.
Born in Allahabad, India, to a family of medical professionals, Kshitij’s leadership instincts emerged early. Whether leading sports teams, debates, or school competitions, he gravitated toward leading and guiding others. At 18, he immigrated to Canada with his family. Coming from a family of medical professionals and doctors, he wanted to pursue a medical career. He completed science courses at Langara College and enrolled at the University of British Columbia. But his path shifted when he joined the YMCA at 20.
Excellence, leadership, and a passion for team dynamics characterized his early days, during which he helped raise funds for various causes. His promotion to team lead was an achievement against the odds. “I was a young new Canadian but my performance earned me the promotion,” he recalls. Even then, I felt intimidated by senior colleagues. But I was not afraid to ask questions. I sought guidance from an inspiring colleague, and his advice stayed with me. ‘When you decide, if it’s firm, caring, honest, respectful, and responsible, you’ve made the right one.’” He continued his journey at the YMCA to Business coordinator and then the Programs Director.
Banking happened to Kshitij when he was looking for investment opportunities in real estate. His realtor recognized his financial acumen and suggested a banking career. Kshitij started his career in the financial sector with a full-service brokerage and an insurance company before joining Scotiabank, where he started as a Financial Advisor.
He transitioned to banking in 2006, beginning a 19-year journey through various senior leadership roles. Witnessing his team, clients, and organization grow, maintaining work-life balance, and continued upgrading his skills have kept him dedicated to the profession for two decades.
Under his leadership, the team has achieved remarkable milestones, including doubling its size and ranking at the top. “When I joined, the BC Yukon team comprised 60 members. Now, we have over 130 advisors led by 14 team leads and associate team leads. Together, we stood behind businesses of different sizes and at divergent stages of growth in the BC Yukon region.”
In his current role, Kshitij looks after a team of advisors who work with business owners—having a deep respect for entrepreneurs and their contributions to the Canadian economy, which fuels his passion for business banking. According to him, small and medium sized businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy. In BC, they represent 90 percent of businesses, employ over 40 percent of the workforce, and account for 26 percent of Canada’s exports.
Kshitij acknowledges the challenges business owners face, including shrinking margins, rising inflation, increasing insurance and labor costs, and uncertainties because of the pandemic, political aspects, and tariff threats from the US. Despite these hurdles, he admires their resilience, resourcefulness, and willingness to take risks. “What I’ve seen from business owners—meeting them with dedication—is that the entrepreneurial spirit in BC has never been as upbeat.”
He points out that while entrepreneurs are skilled in their trades, they lack formal business training. “For example, when margins shrink, business owners must review their plans and ask, ‘What is my new business strategy?’ Invest in digital tools?’”
A recent Scotiabank study showed that businesses struggle with succession methods and digital transformation.
“Digitalization offers business owners’ powerful tools to enhance their operations, increase their reach, and secure their future, including seamless ownership transitions,” Kshitij explains.
His team of well-trained advisors reinforces business owners with investment advice, organizational decision making, digitalization strategies, and guidance on structuring credit and loans. “I have seen the entrepreneurial spirit in BC grow tenfold. Through equipping business owners with tools and guidance—their resilience and success prosper for generations to come.”
Just as with his deep understanding of his client’s needs, Kshitij has invested in fostering organizational growth. He prioritizes gender and cultural diversity, which he believes are essential for a dynamic workplace. Under his leadership, the representation of women leaders in his team has increased from 20 percent to 50 percent. As the Advisory Chair for Scotiabank’s Women Initiative, he advocates for diversity and inclusion, fostering an environment where individuals from diverse backgrounds can thrive. “The Scotiabank Women Initiative started with a $3 billion commitment and has now increased to $10 billion, helping women grow their businesses, advance their careers, and invest in their futures.”
He serves on Scotiabank’s National Diversity and Inclusion Council, reinforcing his commitment to creating an inclusive workplace. His mentorship roles with the National South Asian Network and the BC & Yukon Mentorship Program show his dedication to nurturing the next generation of leaders. “Cultural diversity is the strength of Canada. I recommend every young immigrant wanting to grow in their career to embrace opportunities beyond their ethnic group. For example, I have a South Asian leader thriving in a diverse community of downtown Vancouver, a Chinese leader working in a South Asian-dominated market, and a Black Canadian leader excelling with Asian clients in Richmond.”
He believes an opportunity uncovers strengths within challenges. Reflecting on his career progression, Kshitij acknowledges his difficulties in leading people from diverse backgrounds and those more tenured than himself. “I thought of ways to add value to being South Asian. Our culture emphasizes relationship building, and I leveraged that unique perspective as a strength. Ever since, I have focused on creating long-term, meaningful connections with clients and team members. Adopting a growth mindset and fostering genuine relationships within one’s network makes a noticeable distinction.”
Testifying on Kshitij’s exceptional relationship building skills, Dr Deepak Kaliray, one of his clients, says, “When I was considering starting my own business, Kshitij encouraged me with invaluable guidance that changed the course of my journey. His deep knowledge, client-centric advice, and unwavering integrity gave me the confidence to take the leap. Kshitij introduced me to a trusted member of his team who was able to help me finance my practice. This support was instrumental in building a solid financial foundation for my business. To this day, I continue to seek Kshitij’s advice, as his insights and dedication have been crucial to my success. His ability to build trust and prioritize his clients’ best interests is truly exceptional. I am delighted to watch his journey from a Branch Manager to heading the Business Banking Team. It is because of him that I continue to bank with and trust my friends and family with Scotiabank.”
Kshitij believes challenges and failures are unavoidable, but resilience, innovation, and a commitment to those around you help to overcome them. “Self-regulation is an essential trait all leaders should have in order to overcome obstacles.”
“Kshitij has built and fostered a diverse, collaborative team that reflects the communities we serve. Beyond his professional achievements, he is a caring husband, a committed father, and someone who genuinely cares about the well-being and success of the team. Kshitij leads with business acumen as well as compassion, making him a trusted and influential leader in our industry.”
Kirsten Reinholz, one of Kshitij’s Team Lead Business Banking, BC Region.
His advice for young professionals is to cultivate productive daily habits and routines in their personal and professional lives, while still taking the time to enjoy life’s smaller, meaningful moments.
Kshitij himself finds balance and joy with his family in South Surrey. Alongside his wife Kim, a Scotia-banker, and their daughter Krisha—he cherishes moments of togetherness. A motorcycle racing enthusiast and an avid tennis player, Kshitij’s pursuits show his dynamic personality and zest for life.
Achievements in business and contributions to one’s locality mark Kshitij’s inspiring journey, standing as a beacon of leadership and empowerment. His story inspires professionals and entrepreneurs, demonstrating the power of resilience, innovation, and a commitment to differences.
