Stephen Sigurdson Chosen as Successor
TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC
SEHK:945
TORONTO, March 12, 2014 /CNW/ - Manulife Financial today announced that
Senior Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and General Counsel
Jean-Paul (J-P.) Bisnaire will retire on December 31, 2014 after 10
years with the Company.
Donald Guloien, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "I would
like to thank J-P. for his extensive contributions to Manulife. He is a
consummate professional. His dedication to excellence, his personal
credibility and influence and his expert counsel to me and the Board
has been enormously important and will continue to benefit Manulife in
the future. He leaves us in great shape and I wish him all the very
best in his well-deserved retirement."
During his career at Manulife, he has been responsible for a number of
key functions in the Company, including internal audit, industry,
regulatory and government affairs, compliance, branding and
communications and technology. He played a key role in the integration
of John Hancock, which was, at the time, the largest cross-border
transaction in Canadian business history. He is also a member of the
Company's Executive Committee and Management Committee.
Prior to joining Manulife, Bisnaire was one of Canada's leading
securities lawyers practicing in mergers and acquisitions and corporate
finance. He was a senior corporate law partner of Davies Ward Phillips
& Vineberg LLP and a member of the firm's Management Committee.
Stephen Sigurdson, Manulife's Executive Vice President, General Counsel
Canada, will succeed Bisnaire in the role effective May 1, 2014.
Bisnaire will provide for an orderly transition and continue to be
involved in special projects. Sigurdson is a member of Manulife's
Management Committee and the Canadian Division Executive Management
Team. Within the Company's Canadian Division, Sigurdson also oversees
government relations, industry relations and compliance.
"I have enjoyed the past decade immensely, it has been a distinct
privilege to be an integral part of one of the strongest and most
forward thinking financial organizations in the world," Bisnaire said.
"I have been fortunate to work with an exceptional team at Manulife,
and I'm confident that I will be leaving them in very capable hands
with Stephen."
Sigurdson joined Manulife in 2010 and in early 2011 relocated
temporarily to Hong Kong and served as interim General Counsel for Asia
in addition to his Canadian responsibilities. Prior to joining
Manulife, Sigurdson was a partner of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in
Toronto, where he was Chair of the Business Law Department and prior to
that, a Managing Partner of the firm. While at Osler, he also spent
four years in New York as head of the firm's office there. He is a
member of the bars of Ontario and New York.
About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group
with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States.
Clients look to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and
forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial
decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and
distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management
products and services to millions of clients. We also provide asset
management services to institutional customers. Funds under management
by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were approximately C$599
billion (US$563 billion) as at December 31, 2013. The Company operates
as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock
in the United States.
Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE,
and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the
Internet at manulife.com.
SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation
