Name: Kush Sagar

Country of origin: India

Year of arrival in Canada: 2010

How I became a Scotiabanker: Kush Sagar came to Canada from New Delhi, India, in 2010 to join his wife Harleen Mahendru, who was then a Senior Personal Banking Officer at Scotiabank. He was impressed with how employee-friendly his wife found Scotiabank, and he decided to look into the courses he needed to start a career with the Bank as well. “I went through her course books and found the content interesting,” says the former software designer. Kush a fast learner, was soon ready for his Mutual Funds exam. In Canada for a little over three months, he was thrilled when Scotiabank offered him a job.

Kush’s advice for newcomers: Kush was himself was a happy Scotiabank customer before he became a Scotiabanker. As a newcomer, he benefited from the Scotiabank StartRight® Program which offers products and services such as free day-to-day banking for one year and a  wide range of credit card options. Kush recommends the Scotiabank StartRight Program to his newcomer clients, whether they are newly landed immigrants, foreign workers. He also takes the time to explain the importance of paying the balance owed on the credit card by the due date. Kush says he believes in putting himself in his clients’ shoes. “I’m a recent newcomer myself, I tell them this is how I would do it, I personalize financial advice to their particular needs. I help them visualize their needs further down the road. Scotiabank took care of me as a client when I arrived in Canada, and now allows me to take care of my clients with great products and services.”

•  Kush Sagar is a Personal Banking Officer at the Cottrelle & McVean Branch of Scotiabank in Brampton, Ontario. He can be reached at  905-794-7092, ext. 4205.