Desjardins Group today announced the appointment of Constance Lemieux to the position of senior vp, strategic planning and canadian business development. She will be succeeding Marcel Pepin, who has held this position since 2004.

Prior to her appointment, Lemieux was senior vp of institutional affairs and technology at Desjardins Financial Security.

Having started her new position on Jan. 1, 2008, Ms. Lemieux will continue to implement Desjardins Group’s Canadian business development strategy, one of the cooperative institution’s strategic priorities. She will also be responsible for developing Desjardins Group’s 2009-2011 strategic plan.

Lemieux has over 25 years of experience at Desjardins, first with the Confédération des caisses populaires et d’économie Desjardins du Québec, where she held various management positions in technology, marketing, customer service and human resources.

In 1997 she joined Desjardins Financial Security as executive vp of direct marketing and then became senior vp of e-commerce and direct distribution. In 2001 she was appointed senior vp of e-commerce and technology.

Lemieux is a board member of the Commission administrative des régimes de retraite et d’assurances (CARRA). She was a member of the Interac board from 1992 to 1997 and president from 1996 to 1997.

Desjardins Group is the largest integrated cooperative financial group in Canada, with overall assets of $147 billion, as at September 30, 2007.