News Releases
BMO Financial Group today announced that Jacques Nantel, Secretary General of HEC Montréal, has joined its Advisory Council on Retirement. In addition, Mel Cappe, President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy, now chairs the Council, which is comprised of the following experts who represent a variety of disciplines: Dr. Michael Baker, Don Coxe, Allan Gregg, Elena Hoffstein, Moshe A. Milevsky and Pamela Wallin.
“On behalf of BMO, I am pleased to welcome Dr. Nantel to our Advisory Council and I thank Mel for accepting the role of Chair,” said Kris Vikmanis, Head of Retirement Market, BMO Financial Group. “BMO formed this panel of impressive Canadians last year to advise us on emerging issues related to the changing realities of retirement. Our Council looks beyond the financials of retirement, to explore issues like health and wellness, professional and career development, elder care and philanthropy to ensure we are coming up with creative ways to meet the broader needs of our clients. We look forward to the unique insights and contributions both of these distinguished members will bring to our Council.”
The Advisory Council engages in ongoing discussions with BMO and participates in BMO-sponsored initiatives and events that further client education and enhance access to relevant and useful information. BMO also leverages the Council's expertise to develop materials and solutions for clients and to help educate BMO employees about retirement-related issues. Several members have participated in BMO's podcast series, which examines a range of issues impacting Canadian boomers. The English podcasts are hosted by Ms. Wallin, a journalist for more than 30 years and the French podcasts are hosted by Suzanne Laberge, a former CBC journalist. They can be downloaded from BMO's retirement website, www.bmo.com/retirementyourway.
“I am very enthusiastic about participating with such a dynamic group and working with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds,” said Dr. Nantel. “I have been tracking consumer behaviour since the start of my career and I look forward to sharing my findings, in particular those related to the baby boomer generation, which has so marked our society in the last five decades.”
“Our role is to provide insight and guidance to BMO regarding the issues, strategies and solutions related to the ‘new retirement' that baby boomers are facing,” said Mr. Cappe. “It is extremely important for a financial institution to consider these areas in order to better understand their customers and offer solutions best suited for their needs as well as to educate its employees on various retirement and age-related issues.”
Mr. Cappe has held the position of President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy in Montreal since June 1, 2006. Before that, he spent more than 30 years in the Canadian public service, including postings as Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Deputy Minister of several departments and Clerk of the Privy Council.
Since March 2007, Jacques Nantel, Ph.D. has been Secretary General of HEC Montréal, the oldest business school in Canada and among the world's top-rated. Dr. Nantel has also taught at the school as professor of Marketing for more than 25 years. A member of the board of directors of Librairies Renaud-Bray, Groupe Pierre Belvédére and Total Media (Fondation Chagnon), he is a University Associate with RSM Richter and Léger Marketing. Dr. Nantel's work focuses mainly on the impact of new technologies on consumer behaviour and the marketing strategies of organizations.
BMO Financial Group and the New Retirement
Recognizing that retirement is changing for most Canadians, BMO Financial Group is committed to helping clients understand the new issues and challenges they face heading into retirement, while providing flexible and personalized options for mitigating them. BMO's Retirement Your Way web site, found at: www.bmo.com/retirementyourway, provides an overview of the new realities to consider in the retirement planning process, supplemented with case studies and external resources that are updated on an ongoing basis. BMO has also launched a number of income-oriented and investment products and financial management services such as the Retirement Income Management Account, BMO Progressive GICs and BMO LifeStage Plus Funds to help clients prepare for the next phase of their lives.
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