First Quebecer and second Canadian to receive the prestigious recognition
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MONTREAL, April 28, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Jean-Guy Desjardins, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Fiera Capital Corporation (TSX: FSZ) ("Fiera Capital" or the "Firm") has been honored with the Award for Professional Excellence, the highest and most prestigious distinction bestowed by the CFA Institute. He joins past winners Warren Buffett, John Bogle, Sir John Marks Templeton, Peter Bernstein and only nine others to win the award in the past 24 years.
"I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from the CFA Institute, and to join such a remarkable group of recipients," said Mr. Desjardins. "The credit goes above all to my team, whose hard work and innovation make Fiera Capital an investment leader and a benchmark in the asset management industry."
Jean-Guy Desjardins, who has held the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation since 1990, is receiving this distinction thanks to the lasting mark he has made and continues to make for the investment profession. He is the first Quebecer and the second Canadian to be selected for this prestigious award.
Mr. Desjardins began his career as a financial analyst and portfolio manager. He co-founded TAL Global Asset Management in Montreal, Quebec in 1972 and was its principal shareholder until it was purchased by a leading global financial institution in 2001. In 2003, he acquired 70% of Elantis Investment Management's assets under management and recruited most of its key professionals to create Fiera Capital.
Desjardins sat on the Bank of Canada's board of directors from 2003 to 2008, including as lead director. He also acted as Chairman of the special committee for the recruitment of the previous Governor of the Bank of Canada, Mark Carney, who is now Governor of the Bank of England.
Following over ten acquisitions in ten years, from a team of 50 to more than 450, today Fiera Capital is a leading Canadian independent portfolio manager boasting C$91 billion in assets under management. With offices in all major financial centers across North America, the Firm is successfully expanding its presence in both the US and Canada.
Mr. Desjardins will receive the Award for Professional Excellence at a CFA Society Montreal event on June 11, 2015.
About CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organization is a champion for ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal is to create an environment where investors' interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has more than 129,000 members, including 122,000 CFA charterholders, in 147 countries and territories and 144 member societies.
About CFA Society Montreal
The CFA Society Montreal is a non-profit association founded in 1950. In supporting the CFA Institute's mission, it strives to be of greatest benefit to the general public by locally promoting the highest standards of ethics, education and professional excellence in the field of finance. For more information, visit www.cfamontreal.org.
About Fiera Capital Corporation
Fiera Capital Corporation is a leading Canadian publicly-traded, independent investment firm. Fiera Capital is one of only a handful of full service, multi-product investment firms offering clients a proven top tier track record in Canadian and foreign equity and fixed income management as well as depth and expertise in asset allocation and non-traditional investments. In the U.S., asset management services are provided by Fiera Capital's U.S. subsidiaries, Bel Air Investment Advisors LLC and Wilkinson O'Grady & Co., Inc. www.fieracapital.com
SOURCE Fiera Capital Corporation
Image with caption: "Jean-Guy Desjardins, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Fiera Capital Corporation (CNW Group/Fiera Capital Corporation)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150428_C5972_PHOTO_EN_15811.jpg
Marie-Claude Frenette, Advisor, Communications, Corporation Fiera Capital, 514-9543784, mcfrenette@fieracapital.comCopyright CNW Group 2015