Industry moves this week

Each week, Investment Executive summarizes notable shifts across the financial industry. Here’s what happened within the past couple weeks.

• Étienne Dubuc has been named executive vice-president and co-head, financial markets, with National Bank of Canada, effective Nov. 1. Dubuc will share the role with Denis Girouard, the current holder of the position. Both men have been with the bank for decades: Dubuc since 1999 and Girouard since 1990. The shift was made to allow for a smooth succession transition, a release said. Dubuc’s current role is executive vice-president, managing director and head of equities, currencies and commodities, plus co-head of risk management solutions for financial markets. There was no mention of his replacement as he transitions to senior leadership.
• Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc. recently welcomed two new advisor teams, one operating out of St. John’s, Nfld., and one in Lethbridge, Alta. In Atlantic Canada, mutual fund advisor Paul Doyle and associate Kelly Buist came from IG Wealth Management, where Doyle worked for 16 years and Buist for nearly 10 years. In Alberta, David Bennett and Dan Stimson moved Bennett Stimson Wealth Advisors from TD Wealth Private Investment Advice. That pair, whose team also includes investment associate Debby Bales and associate Robert Bedford, has worked in the industry for more than 30 years combined (Bennett for 23 and Stimson for 13).
• Paul Savage is the new head of individual insurance with Manulife Canada. He’s held the role on an interim basis since January of this year and has been with the company for 13 years, according to a release. He led the individual insurance product and pricing teams for the past seven years.
• Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. announced a rebrand, noting that its two core segments will now be CG Wealth Management and CG Capital Markets. Stuart Raftus, group CAO and president of wealth management, said in a LinkedIn post that the change symbolizes the firm’s growth and ambition.
• AGF Management Ltd. has appointed Cybele Negris to its board of directors, effective Sept. 27. A release noted that Negris, CEO and co-founder of Webnames.ca Inc., is a technology entrepreneur who’s earned a place in the Women’s Executive Network (WXN) Top 100 Hall of Fame.
• The Conseil des fonds d’investissement du Québec (CFIQ), part of the Investment Funds Institute of Canada or IFIC, has listed its board of governors for 2022–2023. The leaders of the board remain the same as a year ago, but two new members were announced: Erika Fernandez of Peak Financial Group, and Frédérick Tremblay of Desjardins Group.
• IFIC added three new directors to its board: Michael Konopaski, CEO of Designed Investments Ltd.; Robert Ruffolo, vice-president of business development with Peak Investment Services Inc.; and Oricia Smith, president of SLGI Asset Management Inc. and senior vice-president of investment solutions with Sun Life Canada.
• The Advisory Committee for persons with disabilities (DAC) has appointed six new members for two-year terms, replacing six outgoing members. The incoming group will join the seven existing members, two of whom assumed new roles this month: Sharon McCarry and Jonathan Lai are now private sector co-chair and vice-chair, respectively.
• Ashwin Pamidi was named CFO and head of corporate strategy with alternative equipment financing firm Travelers Financial Group Ltd. (based in Burnaby, B.C.) in August. He was most recently part of the senior leadership team of Vancouver-based Caterpillar equipment dealer Finning, and his industry tenure includes positions with CIBC Capital Markets, National Bank Financial and JPMorgan Chase & Co.

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.