Cristina Popescu, Director

An accomplished financial services executive, she currently serves as Managing Director, Regulatory Compliance & Optimization - Capital Markets at National Bank of Canada, a role she has held since 2016. In this capacity, she leads a team of senior professionals overseeing regulatory compliance across capital markets front office and operations, while driving the implementation of complex regulatory initiatives. She is a trusted advisor to senior management, regularly reporting on regulatory governance and optimization strategies.

Since joining National Bank in 2004, she has built a strong leadership track record across risk and compliance functions, including serving as Senior Manager of Operational Risks, where she reported to executive committees, the Board of Directors, and regulators (OSFI), and earlier as Senior Advisor in Risk Management & Compliance for international operations.

Beyond her corporate role, she contributes actively to governance and sport development as a member of the Board of Directors of Tennis Québec, where she chairs key committees and supports strategic initiatives for high-performance tennis.

A UCLA graduate in International Economics, she is also a decorated former elite athlete. A Canadian tennis champion and international competitor, she has represented Canada on the global stage, achieved a top 5 ITF World Junior ranking, and earned multiple medals at the ITF World Masters Tennis Championships. She was both an NCAA scholarship athlete and an Academic Al-American and was also a recipient of the Executive Leaders Program by Women in Capital Markets (VersaFi).