2008 year in review, part 6 of 8.

There have been a number of significant moves in and out of executive suites at Canadian financial services firms and groups in 2008. Here are a few notable appointments:

Monique Leroux becomes president at Desjardins

Monique Leroux took the helm Lévis, Que.-based Desjardins Group, the dominant player in Quebec’s retail financial services arena, as president and CEO on Mar. 15. As the first female leader of a major financial services institution in Canada, Leroux says her plan is to “make Desjardins the most admired financial institution in Canada.” Previously the firm’s senior executive vice president, Leroux was elected as president and CEO after a six-week campaign involving seven other candidates, including two other women. Leroux has taken over from Alban d’Amours, who originally recruited her in 2001 to kick Desjardins’ insurance interests into high gear.

Tom Kloet takes on the integration of TMX Group Inc.

Appointed CEO of Toronto-based TMX Group. Inc. in June, Tom Kloet has begun the task of integrating the Toronto Stock Exchange Group Inc. with the Montreal Exchange Inc. Prior to joining the TMX, Kloet was a senior vice-president and chief operating officer of Chicago-based Newedge USA, LLC. from 2003 to 2008. But what made the 50-year old executive the top choice to lead the TMX through its integration was his experience as the Singapore Exchange Ltd.’s first CEO, where he merged a cash market, the Stock Exchange of Singapore, with a derivative market, the Singapore International Monetary, to become the SGX. In 2009, Kloet will be faced on achieving corporate synergy for the TMX group, as well as rolling out new technologies to create a common gateway for the group’s various markets.

Oliver Murray chairs IFIC

In late September, Oliver Murray took the reigns of Toronto-based Investment Funds Institute of Canada as chairman. Murray is also president and CEO of Toronto-based Brandes Investment Partners & Co. Replacing Robert Frances, president and CEO of Peak Financial Group of Montreal as IFIC chairman, Murray has been actively lobbying for more industry consultation on the point-of-sale disclosure framework, unveiled by the Joint Forum of Financial Regulators on Oct. 24. Murray has also been pushing for the establishment of a regular review of mutual fund regulations every three to five years. Prior to IFIC and Brandes Investment Partners, Murray was vice president of client services at 20/20 Funds Inc., a company later acquired by Toronto-based AGF Management Ltd, a position he held in the early 1990s. Previously, he acted as chief operating officer for both Toronto-based companies, Trimark Financial Corp. and Mackenzie Financial Corp.

Greg Pollock expands Advocis online

Having taken on the leadership of Toronto-based Advocis in October as its new president and CEO, Greg Pollock will focus on expanding electronic continuing education accreditation for its members. Formerly the general secretary of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association from 2001 to 2008, improving education is nothing new for Pollock. With Advocis members aging, Pollok feels that expanding online services will combat the declining membership numbers and revenue. Pollock also sat on the board of the Ontario Teachers Federation, overseeing the $100-billion Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, along with representatives of the Ontario government. Having earned his financial planning designation in the 1990s gives him the background he needs to better handle his role at OTPP, Pollock says. He also obtained the Investment Funds Institute of Canada’s officers, partners, directors certificate.

IE