Desjardins General Insurance Group today announced the appointment of Sylvie Paquette as president and chief operating officer, effective Nov. 3. She will replace Jude Martineau, who will retire from the P&C insurer at the end of the year.

Paquette will also be a member of Desjardins Group’s strategic management committee. Her goal is to develop Desjardins’ general insurance subsidiaries in Canada, and she will continue the implementation of Desjardins General’s strategic plan in conjunction with that of Desjardins Group.

Paquette has been with Desjardins General since 1984, where she held various positions including head of integration during the firm’s acquisition of general insurance subsidiaries of a large Canadian bank (2000-2001) and senior executive vp, corporate development, a position she has held since 2001.

Paquette has a degree in Actuarial Sciences from Université Laval, is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society, and also followed the Competition and Strategy seminar from Harvard Business School. She sits on the board of directors of the Groupement des assureurs automobiles. She is president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) – Quebec, as well as a member of the IBC Committee – Canada on Climate Change.

“We are pleased to be able to count on a manager of Ms. Paquette’s quality to face the many challenges that our general insurance subsidiaries will have to tackle in an increasingly competitive marketplace,” stated Monique Leroux, president and CEO of Desjardins Group, in a release.

Leroux has also recognized Martineau’s contribution to Desjardins General’s successes. “Mr. Martineau has achieved a remarkable 14-year mandate within Desjardins Group’s general insurance subsidiaries. I want to highlight the exceptional heritage he is leaving us. I thank him for his work, congratulate him for the successes that have been achieved, and wish him a most fulfilling retirement.”

IE