By Sonia West
Vineet Verghese is a charismatic, strategic business leader and Vice President of Commercial Financial Services, Fraser Valley & Langley at RBC Royal Bank. He is Malayalee by heritage and was born in Charbatia, India. Growing up, he moved all over South India until he was in high school as his father’s job took him to different cities.
“My Dad is my inspiration because he successfully relocated our family and built our lives in new cities and countries, new roles and new cultures while keeping us together. His adaptability, resilience, and leadership skills inspire me even today.”
Vineet’s family moved to Dubai, U.A.E. where he finished high school. He then returned to India to study Hotel Management since he aspired to become a chef. He began his hospitality degree in Chennai, India, including an internship in Dubai. He completed his final year of undergraduate studies at EHL Swiss School of Tourism in Chur, Switzerland.
While traveling during his summer vacation, he met his wife Preeti. This chance encounter would be the start of a beautiful life they created together, made complete with a son and a daughter.
“I am blessed to have a wife who allows me the freedom to focus on building my career and serving the community through being actively involved on various boards, while she oversees our home and family.”
After graduating from hotel school, Vineet and Preeti settled down in Bengaluru and he transitioned his career from hoteling into leading sales and customer service teams at India’s booming call center industry.
After their son, Prithvi, was born, they visited Vineet’s parents in Dubai, and he ended up getting a job in banking.
“This is when my career in banking began. I continued to live and work in Dubai, and in 2007, we were blessed with our daughter, Kirtana.”
Knowing that life in the Middle East was quite transitionary, and many of their expat friends had emigrated or moved back to their home countries, Vineet and Preeti decided to leave Dubai and relocate their family.
“We wanted to provide stability and opportunities for our children. We were encouraged to consider Canada by our close friends, who had recently emigrated to the country. We moved to Vancouver in 2009 and our arrival was made extra special as the city was preparing to host the Winter Olympics.”
After moving to Canada and through networking, Vineet secured a job with RBC.
“RBC’s purpose is to help clients thrive and communities prosper. We, as employees, are encouraged to live out this value in our local communities. We are provided time and resources to volunteer and support community- minded organizations, and these grassroots-led initiatives are how our employees make a difference in our local communities.”
Giving back to his community is a value his parents instilled within Vineet and his sister. He is involved with his church and the communities he lives and works in. He also serves on the board of Millennium Relief Development Society, an extensive network of committed and innovative problem-solvers working in over 39 countries through community development and humanitarian aid.
“I serve as the Executive Co-Chair for the RBC B.C. Women’s Employee Resource Group, which strives to support women by providing meaningful opportunities to connect with mentors and resources to positively impact their professional development and wellbeing.”
Vineet measures his success by the success of those he coaches and mentors. He invests his time in helping others become better versions of themselves and impact the world around them.
“I am a weekly plasma donor at the Abbotsford Canadian Blood Services location. My family and I also support the rehabilitation of mentally challenged women at family-run shelters in Chennai, India.”
Vineet and Preeti love to travel and enjoy different cultures and cuisines. He also is an avid reader and tries to read a book each week, to help find balance and keep his mind sharp. He completed his Executive MBA at SFU’s Beedie School of Business in 2022. He has found that having a lifelong learner’s mindset is foundational to being a successful leader.
“Servant leadership is the most inspirational and effective form of leadership that I have experienced. I want to see a world where people put the growth of others before their own. I have found that being adaptable is imperative to an ever-evolving and changing world. Curiosity is key—never being satisfied with the status quo, and being ‘above the line’ is foundational to seeing positive change around us because change starts from within.”
