Jean Michel named IMCO’s Chief Investment Officer

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By Ted Liu

The Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO) has appointed Jean Michel as Chief Investment Officer. Michel will report to President and Chief Executive Officer, Bert Clark and will be based in IMCO’s Toronto office.

The appointment is effectively July 3, 2018. Michel resigned in March 2018 from Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) where he had been serving as EVP of Depositors and Total Portfolio. Before joining CDPQ in 2016, Michel was President, Air Canada Pension Investments. Prior to that, Michel held positions at the consulting firm Mercer, where he served as Team Leader for Eastern Canada and Head of Strategic Investment Research.

Michel, an Associate of the Society of Actuaries, holds a Master’s degree in Finance and a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Mathematics, both from Laval University. He is a member of the Investment Committee at the University of Montreal Pension Plan and a member of the Pension Policy Council at the C.D. Howe Institute.

photo credit: IMCO

News Release

Appointment Notice – Jean Michel

TORONTO (June 20, 2018) – The Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO) announced today that Jean Michel has been appointed Chief Investment Officer, effective July 3, 2018. He reports to President and Chief Executive Officer, Bert Clark and will be based in IMCO’s Toronto office.

Mr. Michel is the former President of Air Canada Pension Investments. In this role, he developed the investment strategy and oversaw all investment activities of Air Canada’s 14 pension plans. Under his leadership, the financial health of these plans was solidified to ensure long-term sustainability.

“Jean is an exceptional leader who brings deep investment experience to IMCO,” said Bert Clark, President and CEO. “We are building an organization that will provide public funds in Ontario with world class portfolio construction advice, access to a diverse range of public and private investment opportunities as well as high quality risk management and reporting. Jean’s extensive background makes him a clear choice to lead our investment division.”

“IMCO’s scale and mandate are exciting and I look forward to building a world-class organization that provides public sector funds in Ontario with exceptional investment management services,” said Mr. Michel. “We will operate at the forefront of thinking when it comes to investments.”

Most recently, Mr. Michel was Executive Vice-President, Depositors and Total Portfolio at la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, where he managed la Caisse’s service offering and depositors relationships, in addition to overseeing asset allocation and overall portfolio building activities. Previously, he held senior roles at Mercer, where he was Team Leader for Eastern Canada and Head of Strategic Investment Research.

Mr. Michel will lead IMCO’s investment team. He will design and oversee the firm’s global investment activities, which will include strong portfolio construction capability, a focus on better access to all asset classes and greater internalization of investment activities. He will also oversee IMCO’s pursuit of strategic partnerships.

Mr. Michel is an Associate of the Society of Actuaries and holds a Master’s degree in Finance and a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Mathematics, both from Laval University. He is a member of the Investment Committee at the University of Montreal Pension Plan and a member of the Pension Policy Council at the C.D. Howe Institute.

About the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario
The Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO) is one of Canada’s largest investment management firms with $60 billion of assets under management. Designed to serve public sector clients in Ontario, IMCO’s primary objective is to achieve long-term results that enable its institutional partners to meet their financial obligations to members and beneficiaries. The organization achieves this mandate by designing compelling and distinctive end-to-end investment solutions. IMCO’s clients include the Ontario Pension Board (OPB) and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).

Created in 2016, IMCO was established as an independent organization, operating at arm’s length from government and its institutional members, and guided by a highly experienced and professional Board of Directors. For more information, please visit www.imcoinvest.com and follow us on Twitter @imcoinvest.

For further information:
Neil Murphy
Vice President, Corporate Communications
E-mail: neil.murphy@imcoinvest.com
Tel: (416) 607-7811