Executive moves this week

Each week, Advisor’s Edge summarizes notable management shifts across the financial and wealth management industry.

• Earlier this week, it was announced that Dawn Desjardins will be retiring from her role as vice president and deputy chief economist at Royal Bank of Canada, reporting to chief economist Craig Wright. Desjardins held that role for more than 12 years of the 16 years she worked for RBC. Before joining RBC, Desjardins had worked at major financial firms such as CIBC’s Wood Gundy Inc. and JP Morgan’s Toronto office. She’ll officially step down on March 31. In an emailed statement to Investment Executive, the bank said Desjardins has “played a key role in advancing the team’s research on women in the workforce and served as mentor and role model to many aspiring economists during her time at RBC.” Desjardins noted that she’s “excited to see the next generation of female economists rise through the ranks of the profession.”
• Financial Horizons Group Inc. (FGH) has announced that Chris Venn is its new head of advanced markets. Venn, who took on the role in February, was previously a Canadian partner at a U.S.-based advisor coaching company, The Legacy Companies, for nearly nine years. At FHG, the Saskatchewan-based expert will work one-on-one with advisors, with a release from the firm stating, “This new role will focus on elevating the company’s advanced markets presence and capabilities by working collaboratively with advisors aligned in that space, as well as those wishing to expand their business.”
• Dustyn Lanz, who was the CEO of Canada’s Responsible Investment Association for four years after starting at that organization in 2013, has joined Toronto-based ESG Global Advisors as a senior advisor. He started on March 14. Lanz said in a LinkedIn post that the “part-time role” will help him continue to have an impact on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) space.
• Trans-Canada Capital Inc., which has offices in Toronto and Montreal, welcomed two new members to its board of directors this week: Jim Keohane and Michel Tremblay. Keohane was formerly CEO of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) which he joined in 1999, while Tremblay was executive vice president and CIO at the Industrial Alliance (iA) Financial Group. Tremblay was on IA’s executive team from 2008 to 2019, when he retired.
• Effective May 2, The Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) will bring on Paul Mouchakkaa as senior managing director and head of real estate. He most recently led the Canadian investment management team at Toronto-based BentallGreenOak, and will succeed Micheal Dal Bello at AIMCo following Bello’s January 2022 retirement.
• Last week, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) announced a new top-level structure. Effective in April, and based on a strategic plan that runs through to 2025, the regulator made multiple changes. For example, OSFI said in its release that the Superintendent’s Office will expand and include new roles such as a formal chief of staff and senior advisor. The announcement included four appointments plus other adjustments.
• As planned in September, Maureen Jensen has officially succeeded Jim Emmerton as chair of the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI). As former head of the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), Jensen said in the fall that she was looking forward to continuing to help inspire confidence in the financial services system through the new role.

If you know of other people moves in the financial industry and/or would like us to consider your announcement, email Katie Keir at katie@newcom.ca.

Katie Keir

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Katie is special projects editor for Advisor.ca and has worked with the team since 2010. In 2012, she was named Best New Journalist by the Canadian Business Media Awards. Reach her at katie@newcom.ca.