Two aryl amino borinium cations derived from Cl(Mes)B-NR2 (NR2 = TMP, HMDS) faced divergent outcomes. As the HMDS-substituted one underwent methylmigration from silicon to boron transforming the putative borinium ion to a silylium ion, [Mes-B-TMP]+ can initiate cyanosilylation and catalyse hydrosilylation of ketones and aldehydes.