Governance

Our top priority is working for the people who have chosen us to protect their health and financial security. We believe it’s our responsibility to ensure wise and prudent risk management, which is overseen through:

  • Our governance program, which details the responsibilities of our Board of Directors and various committees
  • Our Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

You can learn more about our Governance Program (PDF, 130 KB) Opens in a new window..

Here is the makeup of our Board of Directors and committees, as of December 31, 2021

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Main responsibilities

  • Sets up and evaluates the governance program
  • Forms the committees needed to help fulfill its responsibilities
  • Ensures that the Company operates in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
  • Verifies the effectiveness of control mechanisms and the reliability of reports and financial results

Members

Chair

René Bégin, FCPA, FCA, ASC
Lévis, Quebec
Tax Consultant, Lemieux Nolet, Chartered Professional Accountants LLP
Director, Caisse Desjardins de Lévis

Vice-Chair

Serge Rousseau, Company Managing Director
Thetford-Mines, Québec
Director, Caisse Desjardins du Carrefour des lacs
Director, Desjardins Trust

Board Members

Doryne Bourque
Montreal, Quebec
Director, Caisse Desjardins des Technologies de l’information
Member of the Board of Directors, Fondation Dr Julien
Member of Anges Québec

Jean-François Blais, FICA, FCAS
Verdun, Quebec
Member of the Board of Directors and Member of the Audit, Investment and Risks Committee, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
Member of the Board of Directors and President of the Audit and Risk Management Committee, Loto-Québec
Member of the Board of Directors and Member of the Audit Committee, Optimum Réassurance

Claudia Champagne, PhD
Sherbrooke, Quebec
Professor of Finance, Business School, Université de Sherbrooke
Director, Caisse Desjardins des Deux-Rivières de Sherbrooke

Richard Guay, PhD MSc, MA, CFA, FRM
Montreal, Quebec
Professor of Finance, ESG-UQAM
President of the Investment Committee, HEC Pension Plan, HEC Montréal Foundation and Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
Member of the Professional Insurance Business Committee, Barreau du Québec
Member of the Investment Committee, Fondation du Grand Montréal

Isabelle Laplante, BBA
Terrebonne, Quebec
General Manager, Caisse Desjardins de Terrebonne

Patrick Ouellet, Lawyer
Quebec, Quebec
Member of the Conseil de discipline du Barreau du Québec
Owner-Pharmacist, Pharmacy Patrick Ouellet
Member of the Conseil de la Faculté de pharmacie de l’Université de Laval
Director, Caisse Desjardins de Beauport

Christine Sayegh Filgiano, CFA, ASC, C.Dir.
Westmount, Quebec
Member of the Board of Directors and Audit and Finance Committee, Avenue 31 Capital Inc.
Member of the Management Committee, Fonds de dotation de l’Université de Montréal
Director, Triovest

Michel Séguin, CHRP, PH. D.
Outremont, Quebec
Professor, École des sciences de la gestion, Université du Québec à Montréal
Director, Caisse Desjardins du Centre-Est de Montréal
President, Services Praxie inc.

Robert St-Aubin, FCPA, FCA
Repentigny, Quebec
Managing Partner, Demers Beaulne LLP

Karine Toupin, MBA, ASC
St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec
Lawyer-Entrepreneur, Delagatus
Director and Member of the Governance Committee, Caisse Desjardins de Cap-Rouge-Saint-Augustin

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Main responsibilities

  • Exercises all the powers that the Board of Directors has delegated to it
  • Oversees governance matters
  • Submits human resources policies and broad directions to the Board

Members

  • René Begin (Chair)
  • Christine Sayegh Filgiano
  • Robert St-Aubin
  • Serge Rousseau

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

Main responsibilities

  • Takes an active role in reviewing and approving the investment strategy
  • Examines and makes recommendations on investment policies
  • Puts in place monitoring and control mechanisms that ensure investments are handled in a proactive and prospective manner

Members

  • Christine Sayegh Filgiano (Chair)
  • Claudia Champagne (Observer)
  • Richard Guay
  • Isabelle Laplante

AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Main responsibilities

  • Oversees financial reporting and risk management processes
  • Ensures the efficiency and independence of the internal control, risk management and internal and external auditing processes

Members

  • Robert St-Aubin (Chair)
  • Jean-François Blais
  • Claudia Champagne

ETHICS COMMITTEE

Main responsibilities

  • Adopts and enforces the rules set out in the Company’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
  • Assesses ethical or professional conduct situations and dilemmas that are brought to its attention

Members

  • Michel Séguin (Chair)
  • Isabelle Laplante
  • Jean-François Blais (Observer)
  • Patrick Ouellet
  • Karine Toupin