Jean-Guy Desjardins, chairman and CEO of Canadian money manager Fiera Capital Corp., has three things in common with Keith Ambachtsheer, director emeritus of the Rotman International Centre for Pensions Management.
Both worked at Sun Life Financial in the early 1970s, both had an interest in modern portfolio theory, and now Mr. Desjardins joins Mr. Ambachtsheer as the only two Canadians to win the CFA Institute Award for Professional Excellence.
“This must be my year,” said Mr. Desjardins, who in December was awarded the Order of Canada, a government honor recognizing outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.
Mr. Desjardins was honored by CFA Institute “for his exemplary achievement and excellence of practice,” the institute said in a news release. He will receive the award June 11.
Along with Mr. Ambachsheer, who received the award in 2011, past winners include Warren Buffett, John Bogle and Peter Bernstein.
Mr. Desjardins, who co-founded TAL Global Asset Management in 1972 before selling his stake, created Fiera Capital in 2003 by acquiring 70% of the assets under management of Elantis Investment Management. Fiera now manages C$100 billion ($82 billion) in assets.