Rothenberg Wealth Management helps build a more diverse future with new scholarship at the John Molson School
“This scholarship is beyond helping one student — it’s about fostering the next generation of leaders,” says Robert Rothenberg, pictured with Maria Ioannou, BComm 94.
Robert Rothenberg knows the value of a good investment. As senior wealth advisor and senior portfolio manager at Rothenberg Wealth Management, recently acquired by Vancouver based Harbourfront Wealth Management, he has spent decades helping clients build their financial futures. But to him, success isn’t just about returns — it’s about giving back. That’s why his company has established a new scholarship at Concordia’s John Molson School of Business.
Supporting the Campaign for Concordia: Next-Gen Now, the Rothenberg Wealth Management Scholarship will provide an annual award of $4,000 to a full-time student who self-identifies as Black, Indigenous or as a person of colour. The goal is to level the playing field in finance and commerce — industries that have historically lacked diversity.
“It’s really important to us that our industry reflects the diversity of Canada,” Rothenberg says. “The country is changing every single day and if we want to reflect the nation as a whole, our industry needs to change.”
A ‘responsibility to give back’
For Rothenberg, this new initiative is personal. His firm, founded in Montreal in 1979, has thrived in the very communities that supported its growth. With offices in Montreal and Calgary, the company has long prioritized philanthropy, including through significant contributions to the Montreal General Hospital.
“The cities and people of Montreal and Calgary have been instrumental to our success,” says Rothenberg. “Without that support, we wouldn’t be where we are today, so it’s our responsibility to give back to those communities.”
Concordia connections
Fifty per cent of Rothenberg Wealth Management’s employees in Montreal are Concordia alumni, many of whom have played key roles in the firm’s success.
“The talent pool at Concordia is fantastic,” says Rothenberg. “The graduates are bright and eager, and they bring fresh perspectives that drive innovation — that’s the kind of influence we hope to see across the finance industry.”
Among the alumni who helped spearhead the John Molson scholarships were Maria Ioannou, BComm 94, and Christine Yu, BComm 23, with 28 and three years tenure at Rothenberg Wealth Management, respectively. Together, they ensured the company’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion was brought to life in a concrete way.
By supporting underrepresented students, the firm hopes to contribute to building a more diverse financial sector.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done,” Rothenberg says. “Diversity isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s also good for business.
“This scholarship is beyond helping one student — it’s about fostering the next generation of leaders.”