Industry moves this week

Each week, Advisor.ca reports on notable moves across the financial industry.

• Neil Linsdell is the new head of investment strategy, private client group, with Raymond James Ltd. He has more than 20 years of industry experience, most recently with iA Financial Group where he spent more than a decade as managing director, equity research analyst and head of research. Linsdell will assist the firm’s clients and advisors with their portfolio solutions, a release said.
• iA Financial Group is making several changes to its executive committee with the planned retirements of two key executives. Jacques Potvin, EVP, chief financial officer and chief actuary, will step down from his role in August, a release said, but will stay on to assist his successor, iA veteran Éric Jobin, until the end of the year. Lilia Sham, EVP, corporate strategy and development, will retire in September, staying on as EVP and strategic advisor afterward. Pierre Miron is moving from EVP and chief transformation officer to EVP and chief growth officer for Canadian operations, while Mike Stickney, who was named EVP and chief growth officer in 2019, will focus on the company’s American operations as EVP, chief growth officer for U.S. operations, as well as co-head of acquisitions. Denis Berthiaume has been named EVP, strategy and performance, and co-head of acquisitions.
• Jon Nielsen will be joining Great-West Lifeco Inc. on Sept. 5 as chief financial officer designate  and will officially be placed in the role in the first quarter of 2024. Current CFO Garry MacNicholas will retire in the second quarter of 2024. Nielsen is the CFO of Hong Kong-based insurer FWD.
• Hemal Balsara is the new head of tax, retirement and estate planning services for individual insurance Canada at Manulife. He takes over for Florence Marino, who’s worked with Manulife for more than 30 years.
• Julie Martini is now the chief operating officer for financial industry group Advocis. She’s worked with the organization for five years, a release noted, as part of her 23-year career in both the wealth management and insurance sectors.
• Robert McCullagh was appointed chairman of the Conference for Advanced Life Underwriting, following his decades of membership and work with the organization. He’s been in the financial services industry for more than 35 years.
• Last week, the Bank of Canada announced that Rhys Mendes will be a deputy governor effective July 17. He’ll be part of the central bank’s governing council, which is in charge of setting monetary policy.

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.