Jean-Guy Desjardins returns as Fiera CEO

Only a year after stepping aside as CEO of Fiera Capital Corp., company founder Jean-Guy Desjardins is returning to the post.

Fiera said Monday that Desjardins, who moved from CEO to executive chairman last January, will take over the top job from Jean-Philippe Lemay.

“The board has concluded that as the asset management industry continues to deal with complex macroeconomic challenges, Jean-Guy Desjardins is uniquely qualified to lead Fiera Capital through this period,” said David Shaw, lead director of Fiera’s board, in a statement that also thanked Lemay for his service to the company.

Shaw said Desjardins has the “deep respect” of the company’s executive committee and that his stature in the company “will allow for a seamless transition of leadership.”

Lemay joined the Montreal-based asset manager in 2012 as a senior portfolio manager and held senior roles before becoming CEO last year.

Desjardins founded Fiera — which had $158.3 billion in assets under management as of Sept. 30 — in 2003.

The company announced other leadership changes on Monday.

• John Valentini, president and CEO of Fiera Private Markets, adds executive director to his titles and will also be responsible, along with Desjardins, for the company’s institutional and financial intermediary distribution team.
• Jean Michel, chief investment officer for public markets, adds president and executive director to his title and will now also lead Fiera’s public markets platform, including the investment solutions team.
• Peter Stock, executive vice-president and head of global private wealth, is now executive director and president of Fiera Private Wealth, leading the North American private wealth business.
• Global chief financial officer Lucas Pontillo also adds executive director to his title and responsibility for the technology functions and enterprise risk management program.
• Global chief legal officer Gabriel Castiglio is also an executive director with new responsibility for global human resources and ESG.

Fiera has formed an executive committee comprising Desjardins and the directors noted above, it said.

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