Long before most people settle on a career, at age 14 Tricia De La Rosa knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up. “Accounting was the one area in high school that I had a passion for,” she says. “Even as a teenager, my dream was to become the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a large company one day.”
She spent over 15 years working toward that goal through roles in audit and accounting, financial analysis and reporting, corporate governance and supply chain management. In March 2014, she joined Scotiabank as the Assistant General Manager (AGM) Management Reporting, in the Finance team, and just two years later, in May 2016, she was appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Scotiabank’s Caribbean South district.
Achieving the role of CFO was both a personal milestone and a profound professional honour. It represented the fulfilment of a long‑held aspiration, shaped by years of disciplined effort, learning, and resilience, and it brought a sense of quiet pride and gratitude. The role carried significant responsibility—not only stewarding financial performance, governance, and strategy, but also earning trust as a thought partner at the executive table.
“From day one I felt at home at Scotiabank. The bank’s core values at the time of respect, integrity, passion and accountability, all aligned with who I aspired to be. I was also very fortunate to be surrounded by strong leaders who believed in my potential and supported my growth, leaders who recommended that I considered opportunities in areas outside of my comfort zone.”
Scotiabank created that safe space for her to make a lateral move to become Chief Auditor for Scotiabank’s Caribbean South & East region. Moving from CFO to Chief Auditor was a deliberate lateral transition, undertaken to broaden her leadership capabilities and deepen her enterprise‑wide perspective. The shift allowed her to strengthen her understanding of governance, risk, controls, and organizational resilience from an independent vantage point.
This strategic skill‑building step proved pivotal, equipping her with the breadth and credibility needed to progress into a more senior regional role. In her current role as Vice President, Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Anti-Terrorist Financing (ATF) and Sanctions for Scotiabank Caribbean, she brings together her financial acumen, audit discipline, and regulatory expertise to lead and influence outcomes across multiple jurisdictions.
Today, Tricia leads a team of 120+ team members, manages Compliance, AML/ATF and Sanctions risk for 20+ subsidiaries, and supports Scotiabank’s engagement with 16+ regulators in the Caribbean. “Managing remote teams across different jurisdictions in such a complex environment can be very challenging. It requires a lot of coordination, collaboration and being very intentional about priorities and areas requiring focus.”
“I try to always act as a facilitator to progress, being available for my team when they need me, empowering them and avoiding micromanagement,” she says. “I foster candid and respectful discussions, encouraging them to connect the dots and understand the big picture.”
In every role she’s held, her success has been shaped by the unwavering support of her teams. She openly acknowledges that her achievements are not individual milestones, but the result of collective effort and shared accountability. Each team brought unique perspectives, challenged her thinking, and deepened her learning, leaving a lasting impact on both outcomes and her leadership approach. Those experiences reinforced her belief that strong, empowered teams are the true drivers of sustainable success and growth.
Now when she sees other women standing where she once stood, hesitating at the edge of their own leaps, she does her best to offer them some sage advice. “Be ready and willing to put in the work, have a positive mindset, and don’t shy away from new opportunities.” She encourages them to reframe their fear, and focus on what they can control. “Recognize challenges and frame them as valuable learning opportunities rather than roadblocks.”
She also emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. Her personal “cheer squad” of family, friends and mentors believed in her when she didn’t feel ready. “Their encouragement gave me the confidence to persevere through challenges, embrace new opportunities, and remain grounded along the way”. The guidance of mentors broadened her perspective and sharpened her judgment, while the belief of loved ones spurred her on when the path felt uncertain. Together, this circle of support helped shape her resilience, values, and determination, reinforcing that no journey is walked alone.
Tricia’s career so far has not been a story about achieving one dream and stopping. It’s about achieving that dream, then asking what else is possible. She’s now focused on advancing the Caribbean’s AML program even further, aligned to Scotiabank’s enterprise goal of achieving an industry leading global AML program.
And the thread running through it all? That innate belief that Tricia’s carried with her since she was a teenager in south Trinidad & Tobago who knew she’d become CFO one day. “I have always had a strong sense that I can do anything I put my mind to, once there’s a willingness and personal commitment to put in the work.”
And with that, she’s proving she did it, and others can, too.
This article was first published in Women of Influence and is republished with permission.
