A unique and democratic process to elect a new president and CEO for Desjardins Group will get under way early in the new year.
After the company’s AGM on March 29, 2008, Alban D’Amours will step down after eight years at the helm of Quebec’s largest financial institution.
At Desjardins, an electoral college of 256 persons — a group that doesn’t include the board of directors — decides upon the next person to assume the role.
The electoral college is made up of Desjardins caisse/branch delegates from the 15 Quebec regions, as well as group caisses from the Ontario region. This includes the president and CEO. The delegates are members of councils of representatives — democratic proceedings of the Fédération des caisses Desjardins, where elected officers and caisse general managers hold office.
Any member of a Desjardins caisse in Quebec or Ontario is eligible to become the new president and CEO, provided he or she has the support of 10 signatories from among the members of the electoral college, with at least two being from the greater regions in Desjardins territory in the east, centre and west of Quebec.
Annie P. Bélanger, member of the Bas-St-Laurent and Gaspésie-Iles-de-la-Madeleine
council of representatives, presides over the election committee along with seven other people councils of representatives members from Quebec and Ontario regions.
The election process begins and January and the schedule is as follows:
- nomination ballots will be available from January 7 to 28, 2008;
- nomination period will run from January 21 to 28, 2008;
- election period during which candidates will meet with members of the electoral college;
- election will occur on March 15, 2008.