as net-zero financed emissions in their lending by 2050. A climate institute committed to understanding and managing the financial risks and opportunities related to a low-carbon transition was created and the bank signed the UN Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB). In December 2021, BMO agreed to acquire Bank of the West from BNP Paribas, with the intent of merging it with BMO Harris Bank, which would at least double BMO's total presence in the United States. BMO's acquisition of Bank of the West was completed in February 2023, and the Bank of the West brand is planned to be absorbed into the BMO brand by September 2023. In July 2022, BMO announced it would buy Calgary-based Radicle Group Inc., a prominent adviser to companies on sustainability and measuring carbon emissions, as the bank tries to meet surging demand from its clients for advice about how to navigate a global energy transition. Corporate information Operations BMO is divided into three "client groups" which serve different markets. Each of the client groups operates under multiple brand names. Personal and Commercial Client Group (retail banking), including BMO Bank of Montreal (commercial and retail banking in Canada), including BMO's MasterCard credit cards; BMO Life, a life insurance company; and the former virtual bank division mbanx BMO Harris Bank (commercial and retail banking in the United States, headquartered in Chicago) Investment Banking Group (known as BMO Capital Markets) Private Client Group (wealth management), including (full service investing in Canada): formed following 1987 acquisition of Nesbitt Thomson, then one of Canada's oldest investment houses, and the 1994 acquisition of Burns Fry, a dealer of Canadian equities and debt securities. Nesbitt Thomson and Burns Fry then merged to become BMO Nesbitt Burns. BMO InvestorLine (self-service investing in Canada) BMO Harris Investor Services (advisory services in the United States) BMO Private Banking (private banking in Canada and the United States) including Harris myCFO and Cedar Street Advisors (both affiliates of BMO Harris Bank) In 2014–2015 BMO rebranded BMO Harris Private Bank as BMO Private Bank. In October 2008, Mediacorp Canada Inc. named BMO Financial Group one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers. Notable Employees of the Month include Penche Scurtis. Governance Current members of the board of directors of BMO are: Jan Babiak, Sophie Brochu, Craig Broderick, George Cope, Christine A. Edwards, Martin S. Eichenbaum, Ronald H. Farmer, David Harquail, Linda S. Huber, Eric R. La Flèche, Lorraine Mitchelmore