Get to know Jason Enouy, SVP & CCO, Raymond James Ltd.
Read about Jason’s career path from legal to compliance, his love for Toronto and Tokyo and his guiding principles.
About Jason
Jason Enouy is the chief compliance officer for Raymond James Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Raymond James Financial and prominent full-service investment dealer in Canada. Jason lives in Toronto with his wife and daughter. Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, a “small big city” that he still enjoys visiting, Jason taught English in Hokkaido, Japan, for a year after graduating from college. He then transferred to Tokyo, where he did corporate training and eventually met his wife. Tokyo remains his second home and favorite travel destination. He highly recommends the food and range of experiences Tokyo offers, from taking in the world’s biggest city to small pleasures like walking down a quiet street or enjoying a bowl of noodles at a stand-up bar. Jason moved to Toronto to attend law school, and since then, he and his wife have grown their careers and family there. They love living in Toronto, a world-class city that Jason encourages all of his Raymond James colleagues to visit.
How did your career path lead to Raymond James?
I started my career at a large Canadian firm. While I enjoyed law, I felt a desire to get closer to industry and use my legal training in that environment. I eventually transitioned into business risk and compliance roles at both bank-owned firms and independent ones. I enjoy being part of a thriving business and helping it grow and develop by playing my part. Compliance is like “applied law” in that I can enjoy the intellectual challenge in our regulated (and cross-border) environment, while being part of the business in a way I never could in a traditional legal career path. I joined Raymond James due to the great culture of our firm, which really set it apart both in Canada and in our industry. I can’t imagine being anywhere else now, and wish I’d joined sooner!
What values or principles have guided your career?
Be alive to opportunity. I have found that being open to trying new tasks, taking on new projects and learning new domains often yields opportunities to grow or develop in unexpected ways and at unexpected times. When I started as a junior lawyer, I didn’t imagine that someday I would be leading a large department, reading a balance sheet or learning about artificial intelligence. In my experience, taking new paths has led to building new relationships and skills which, in some instances, resulted in taking on new roles. Embracing change also ensures that every day is fresh and interesting.
What is one thing you wish you had known when you were just starting out in your career?
It all works out. I believe that no career is linear and am suspicious of stories that portray them as such. All of the strongest leaders that I know have varied backgrounds, experiences and skill sets. While the value of being in a role or performing a task is not always clear, it inevitably reveals itself and we’re able to appreciate experiences and skills obtained over the course of a career in hindsight. So, take that chance, apply for that role, manage that project and figure it out – it will pay off in the long run and you’ll have more fun.
How have you balanced your responsibilities for work and your personal life?
I set personal rules for myself and do my best to follow them. For example, when I first started traveling for business, I made a rule that I would always tuck my daughter into bed and talk about her day. No matter the local time or what I am doing, I always FaceTime with her and take the time to talk without rushing and without looking at the data charges. I’ve never once regretted stepping out of a dinner or getting up in the middle of the night for those calls. I apply that principle to much of my working life, ensuring I meet all of my responsibilities while keeping family priorities in the right place. I feel Raymond James as a firm shares these values, which makes it easier as well.
Tokyo at night, featuring the Tokyo Tower