Steve Berna   
Managing Director & Head Indigenous Relations of National Bank of Canada

 Sessions Steve is participating in:   

Steve is a CPA by trade and an alumnus of KPMG (Halifax and Victoria).

 In the 1990s, Steve transitioned from KPMG to finance, serving as CFO (1993–2000) and then CEO (2001–2008) of the BC Municipal Finance Authority (BCMFA). His duties included managing relationships with the Board of Directors, local government officials and staff, capital markets investors, rating agencies, and the banking syndicate. BCMFA borrows money in the capital markets on behalf of all cities, towns, regional districts, and other government bodies in the local government sector. 

In 2008, Steve was hired by the FNFA (First Nations Finance Authority) and tasked with creating a pooled borrowing model specifically for First Nations across Canada. The goals were to have the capital markets recognize First Nations as a level of government, to obtain investment-grade credit ratings, and to access the debenture markets at interest rates similar to those achieved by provinces within Canada. The first debenture was launched in 2014. By January 2025, the FNFA had earned three investment-grade credit ratings, surpassed $3 billion in loans, had 190 First Nations as members, and was borrowing at interest rates just 1/10th of 1% above Ontario's rate. This $3 billion in loans created over 23,000 jobs across the Canadian economy and generated pathways to equity ownership opportunities.

In January 2025, Steve transitioned to National Bank as Managing Director of Indigenous Relations, with the goals of including Indigenous communities as equity owners in large-scale resource/business opportunities and ensuring these communities are respected as a level of government for day-to-day banking services.

Several times, at the request of the World Bank, Steve has developed and presented the beneficial concepts of pooled borrowing models for developing countries. He has also taught finance courses at colleges in the Vancouver area.