Our Team

Luciano Blandi is Vice President and Market Leader for Central & Eastern Ontario for BMO Private Wealth. Luciano has been a leader at BMO Private Wealth since 2011 and has over 30 years of experience in wealth management. Prior to taking on the role of Market Leader he was a Private Wealth Consultant with BMO Private Bank for 10 years, where he was responsible for working with high-net-worth families to develop an integrated financial plan in effort to aid them in realizing their life goals and aspirations. In so doing, he is a proud recipient of ten consecutive Platinum Council awards.

At BMO Private Wealth, Luciano has assembled a remarkably talented and passionate group of professionals with diverse expertise. Backed by the heritage, stability, and resources of BMO Financial Group, they are intent on being the best — and only — option in the eyes of their clients. Luciano leads a team of advisors including Investment Advisers, Trust Professionals, Senior Private Bankers, and Specialized Planners. Together they provide the highest level of financial planning, complex banking, investment management and wealth services to our Private Wealth clients.

Luciano and his wife, Rita enjoy being involved in their community are proud parents to Julian and Sofia. As a family they are heavily involved in sports and the arts.

Luciano graduated from York University with a degree in Economics and has earned a Master of Business Administration from Dalhousie University. In addition, Luciano is a Certified Financial Planner, a Canadian Investment Manager and is a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute.

Amila Akbar is the Director, Assistant Market Leader of BMO’s Private Wealth Business in the Central Ontario market. She co-leads the team’s mandate of delivering exceptional Banking, Trust and Investment Management services to successful Canadian families and business owners. Her accountability spans across 75+ Sales and Support Professionals in 4 offices along the Hwy400 corridor: Vaughan, Newmarket, Barrie and Orillia.

Amila started her career in the financial services industry with BMO in 2006 as a Customer Service Representative in her hometown of Newmarket, ON. She grew through the ranks of Retail Banking in the roles of Financial Services Coordinator and Financial Planner, Investment and Retirement Planning. In 2013, Amila joined BMO Private Banking and held Support Professional and Management roles across Platinum Banking, Investment Management and Trust & Estate Services before joining BMO Private Wealth HQ in 2018. As a Senior Manager in Client Solutions, she had a national mandate with a team supporting Business Operations across Private Banking and the brokerage business, Nesbitt Burns. In 2020, she transitioned from the business to diversify her professional repertoire and spent three years as a Human Resources Business Partner. During her time in this role, she sat at regional leadership tables as a trusted advisor to several executives across Private Wealth and Personal & Business Banking. Ultimately, Amila’s tenacity to win and passion for driving positive outcomes through exceptional client and employee experiences led her back to Private Wealth in July 2024.

Amila holds an honours Bachelor of Commerce degree with a specialization in Human Resources and Organizational Behavior, in addition to being a Certified Financial Planner®. She attributes much of her success to guidance from her mentors (personal and professional) and honours the principal of ‘paying it forward’ by actively mentoring several employees across BMOFG. A DEI advocate, she is a member of BMO’s Alliance for Women and Black Professionals Network. Named to the Central York Region Chamber of Commerce’s Top 40 Under 40, Amila’s leadership extends well beyond work and into her community where she sits on Centennial College’s Financial Services Program Advisory Committee.

Amila is the proud member of the Indo-Caribbean community, daughter to Guyanese immigrants, a wife to her ever-supporting husband, Jordan and a mother to her little guy, Callum. If you can’t find her at work, she’ll be with them or at her other ‘happy place’, the gym.

King Wong is the Branch Operations Manager of  BMO’s Private Wealth Business in the Central & Eastern Ontario market.  His Primary focus is  the GTA North territory where he has accountability   Support Professionals in 4 offices along the Hwy400 corridor: Vaughan, Newmarket, Barrie and Orillia.

King joined BMO in 2009 as an Investment Specialist with BMO InvestorLine. Over the past 15 years, he’s grown though the ranks from Assistant Manager to Manager before being promoted to lead the 5-Star team – supporting InvestorLine’ s High and Ultra-High Net Worth clientele. He then took on the role of Coaching Effectiveness Manager where he coached managers and their teams to deliver record breaking results and an exceptional client experience. Having spent over 12 years as a people leader, he is passionate about driving business success through coaching and development of people.

King holds an honours Bachelor of Arts degree, Mathematics for Commerce – Actuarial Stream from York University. He is highly accredited through the Canadian Securities Institute and has completed many courses, including the CSC, CPH, Options Licensing, Derivatives Fundamentals, Options Supervisors, Professional Financial Planning and Branch Manager Courses.

King and his wife, Aki welcomed a Corgi puppy, Cinnabun in 2024. During weekends, King enjoys exploring new restaurants, watch NBA, bowling, and snowboard in the winter.

Marisa is the Professional Support Manager of BMO's Private Wealth Business in the Central Canada Region overseeing the Private Banking Officer and the Portfolio Assistants/Associates within 3 offices : Vaughan, Barries and Kingston.

Marisa has had a successful career at BMO, where she started as a part-time Customer Service Representative, before joining the company full time once she completed her Business Degree at Ryerson University. She has held many roles within the Retail Branch network and has been in management, managing different branches with increasing complexity, to top quartile results and operational excellence, across the Greater Toronto Area, since 1999. In 2018, seeking a new opportunity, Marisa, joined BMO Insurance as a Creditor Insurance Consultant. In this role, she further developed her leadership and coaching practices to maximize sales channel effectiveness.

Marisa is a seasoned, passionate leader, focused on ensuring an exceptional customer and employee experience. She is a customer advocate and drives business results through a disciplined and human coaching approach. She has a true passion in developing people. In 2021 Marisa started a new chapter in her career by joining BMO Virtual Connect as a Leadership Development Coach, where she spent time working on the launch of the new Leadership Development Program for BMO Virtual Connect. In 2024 her passion for clients and leading a team ultimately lead her to BMO Private Wealth where she has been sharing her knowledge, coaching experiences and insights with her team.

Marisa is actively involved in her community and has taken part in many events within the North York and Vaughan which include the following: City of Vaughan Mayors Galla's, Vaughan Hospice Galla's, Junior Achievement Volunteer and BMO Volunteer Days.

Marisa is a proud mother of three boys and in her spare time loves to bake, read, travel and spend time with her family and friends.