Full-service investment dealer MGI Securities Inc. has appointed David Bird as president and CEO, subject to regulatory approval. Bird has been a director of MGI since May 2007.

“MGI has recently completed a lengthy review of its operations, the result of which has been a shift in strategic thinking and focus,” says John Stevens, chairman of the board of MGI. “We are very fortunate to have someone of David Bird’s calibre and experience to lead MGI and implement the new strategy. We feel that his leadership will provide the stability that MGI needs to succeed,” Stevens adds.

Bird has over 20 years of varied experience in financing both public and private companies and proven executive skills in building and managing investment dealer operations. From 1985 to 2000, he was first executive managing director of a large, bank-owned investment dealer, in charge of their capital markets and syndication groups, and then co-founded and served as executive vp of their cross-border merchant banking program. From 2001 to 2004, Bird was a director and executive vp of capital markets of First Associates Investments Inc., where he oversaw an increase in capital markets revenues of approximately 500% in two years. Since 2004, Bird has been president of a privately held investment company.

“As a director of MGI for the last several months, I’ve come to understand the strengths of MGI, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing the company,” says Bird. “I’m very excited about this opportunity to work directly with the MGI team and, together with the support of Jovian, believe we can build a very successful company,” he says.

Bird succeeds Lewis Reford as president and CEO of MGI.

Toronto-based MGI is provides a comprehensive range of specialized services for institutional investors and wealth management solutions for individual investors. With offices in Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and London, Ont., MGI employs more than 70 retail and capital markets professionals.

MGI is a subsidiary of Jovian Capital Corp.