John Anderson has joined Mercer in Canada as its Canadian health and benefits business leader. He also joins the Canada market leadership team as well as the North American health and benefits management team. Anderson previously held the role of business leader for health and benefits for Mercer in the U.K. and was a member of the U.K. executive team. And Ed Lee, James Wells and Sharon Vanderweff have joined Mercer Canada’s Vancouver office. Lee brings 17 years’ experience to his new role as a partner in Mercer Vancouver’s retirement team. Wells has joined the Western Canadian investment consulting team as a senior associate and has more than a decade of business development experience. Vanderwerff is a principal in the communication business and was previously based in Mercer’s Toronto office.
Ryan Bisch has joined Ontario Power Generation (OPG) as director, private markets. He will focus on the portfolio management of the infrastructure and special opportunities portfolios for the $12-billion OPG Pension Fund and the $16-billion Ontario Nuclear Funds. Bisch was previously the leader of Mercer’s Canadian alternatives practice and North American leader of its infrastructure group.
The Public Sector Pension Investment Board has appointed André Bourbonnais (above left) president and CEO, effective March 30, 2015. He has more than 20 years of experience and previously worked at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board where he was senior managing director and global head of private investments. The board has also appointed Michael P. Mueller as chair of its board of directors. He’s been a member of the board since 2006 and served as chair of the HR and compensation committee from April 2007 until June 2014.
Read: Bourbonnais to lead PSP Investments
PIMCO has promoted Alex Heron from vice-president to senior vice-president of sales and business development. He’s based in Calgary and will service retail and institutional investors across Western Canada. Heron has been with PIMCO since 2012 and has more than 18 years of investment experience.
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has made two appointments after André Bourbonnais left to become president and CEO of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board. Mark Jenkins has taken over Bourbonnais’s position as senior managing director and global head of private investments. Jenkins joined CPPIB in 2008 and was most recently managing director, head of principal investments. And Pierre Lavallée will take on a new role as senior managing director and global head of investment partnerships. He will continue in his current role as senior managing director and chief talent officer until a successor is appointed.
Read: CPPIB appoints two
Medavie Blue Cross has promoted Eric Laberge to the position of senior vice-president, group business. He has more than 20 years of experience and has previously worked at a couple of consulting firms.
Matt Lievers has joined Stem Capital as director, responsible for business development. He has previously worked for Medavie Blue Cross and Manulife.
Claude Marchessault has joined the national pension, benefits and executive compensation group of Dentons Canada LLP. He was previously head of the pension and benefits practice group for Vancouver’s Harris & Company LLP, a management-side labour and employment boutique law firm.
Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) has appointed Dale MacMaster as chief investment officer. He was previously executive vice-president, public market investments. MacMaster joined AIMCo in 1998 as senior vice-president, fixed income, after several years at Royal and Sun Alliance. He also has previous experience with fixed income products at Richardson Greenshields, Merrill Lynch and Royal Bank of Canada.
Cam MacNeish has joined Eckler’s DC practice as a senior consultant. He has more than 25 years of experience in the pension administration, pension consulting and wellness areas.
Manulife Asset Management has appointed Roger Renaud as president, Canada. He took on the new role when Manulife’s acquisition of the Canadian-based assets of Standard Life Plc closed. He was president of Standard Life Investments in Canada prior to the Manulife acquisition announcement, having held that post since 2005. And Endre Pedersen has been promoted to chief investment officer, fixed income, Asia (ex-Japan). He was previously senior managing director, Asian fixed income, and will maintain his role as manager of the Asia total return bond strategy.
Laurentian Bank of Canada president and CEO Réjean Robitaille intends to retire as president and CEO, effective Nov. 1, 2015. The process of finding a successor is currently underway.
CFA Institute has named Paul Smith as its new president and CEO. He has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the asset management industry, including more than 18 years in Asia.
Hugo Vincent has joined Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton as head of global compensation. He has more than 12 years of experience in the design and administration of pension, benefits and compensation plans. Vincent was most recently assistant vice-president, global compensation, at Laurentian Bank.
Andrew Watts has been appointed vice-president, institutional business, at Picton Mahoney Asset Management. He has nearly five years of industry experience and has previously worked for CIBC Asset Management and Manulife.
For more industry moves and appointment notices, check out People Watch.