Headquarters:
150 des Commandeurs, Lévis, QC
Year founded:
1900
Number of employees:
57,530
Phone:
1 416 309 8100
Email:
dkhoury@tmhcc.com
Website:
desjardins.com
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/desjardins
“We prioritise embracing cutting-edge technologies, creative problem solving and continuous improvement to enhance our premium funding solutions and provide exceptional value to our clients”
Brett Bastow, IQumulate Premium FundinG
Denis Dubois
President and CEO, Desjardins Group
Chantal Gagné
Executive Vice-President, Life and Health Insurance President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Financial Security
Marie-Huguette Cormier
Executive Vice-President, Member/Client Experience, Cooperation, and Human Transformation
Leadership
Denis Dubois has served as president and chief executive officer of Desjardins Group since 2025. An actuary and Université Laval graduate, he has built a distinguished career at Desjardins since joining the organization in 2003. Throughout his tenure, Dubois has held senior leadership positions across property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance, wealth management, and financial security. Recognized for his expertise in strategy, risk management, and financial services, Dubois has played a key role in major acquisitions and business growth initiatives that strengthened Desjardins’ position across Canada. Dubois also contributes actively to governance and industry leadership.
President and CEO, Desjardins Group
Denis Dubois
Chantal Gagné has been a driving force at Desjardins Group since 2007, earning recognition as a strategic, collaborative leader with a strong talent for communication. Appointed executive vice-president of life and health Insurance in 2025, she also serves as president and chief operating officer of Desjardins Financial Security. Gagné oversees life and health insurance, group benefits, retirement savings, and independent distribution businesses, serving more than five million members, clients, and partners across Canada. An actuary by training, she is committed to delivering an industry-leading member and client experience. Gagné is also actively involved in industry organizations and community initiatives.
Executive Vice-President, Life and Health Insurance President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Financial Security
Chantal Gagné
Marie-Huguette Cormier is executive vice-president of human resources at Desjardins Group. She leads the development of people strategies and HR practices that support the organization’s business objectives and long-term success. A member of the Desjardins team for 35 years, Cormier is recognized for her inspiring, people-centered leadership and her ability to foster engaging, high-performing environments.
A two-time Canadian Olympian in fencing and an MBA graduate from Université Laval, Cormier is also deeply involved in sport, business, and community leadership. Since 2025, she has served as vice-chair of the Canadian Olympic Committee Board.
Executive Vice-President, Member/Client Experience, Cooperation, and Human Transformation
Marie-Huguette Cormier
Valérie Lavoie
Executive Vice-President, Property and Casualty Insurance President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins General Insurance Group
Valérie Lavoie is executive vice-president of property and casualty insurance at Desjardins and president and chief operating officer of Desjardins General Insurance Group. Since joining Desjardins in 1994, she has held a variety of strategic leadership roles, building extensive expertise in actuarial science, distribution, and insurance operations. Lavoie leads a division of more than 7,000 employees, serving 3.8 million clients across Canada. Recognized for her ability to unite teams around member and client needs, Lavoie is also an influential voice in the insurance industry and an advocate for autism awareness through her community involvement.
Executive Vice-President, Property and Casualty Insurance President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins General Insurance Group
Valérie Lavoie
Lisa Fisher
VP, Strategy and Distribution
Lisa Fisher is vice president of national strategy and distribution at Arch Insurance Canada with responsibility for engagement and expansion of distribution relationships with retail and wholesale brokers. In addition, she assists Arch with its marketing strategies across all product lines and geographies in Canada. Prior to joining Arch, Fisher spent eight years at Aon in various roles including strategic carrier engagement leader and VP treaty broker. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (hons) from Brock University, a post graduate certificate in research analytics (hons) from Humber College, and is a chartered insurance professional.
VP, Strategy and Distribution
Lisa Fisher
Stevens & Associates Lawyers is a leading and trusted employment law firm based in Sydney known for delivering high-quality legal expertise in the area of employment law and industrial relations across Australia, alongside a proven track record of effectively and swiftly resolving a variety of workplace law issues.
In the past year, the firm’s growth has been notable. It has:
• experienced a 213% growth in the number of client matters, increasing from 149 client matters in the 2022 financial year to 390 client matters in the 2023 financial year
• improved its online visibility, leading to over 50 online enquiries each month and a conversion rate of client leads of up to 40%
• significantly expanded the breadth and type of matters that it advises on day to day, which has increased the firm’s skillsets, diversity and resilience
• expanded its community outreach by collaborating with local Sydney venues for client seminars and continuing active participation in a Sydney small/family business group
Stevens & Associates Lawyers has adapted to digital trends by implementing an effective strategy with SEO and web design, resulting in a structural shift that has seen increased representation of employees where the firm previously mainly advised employers.
The firm’s recognition as a “Fast Firm” attests to its momentum in the employment law space.
“IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started”
Wayne Tower,
IQumulate Premium Funding
Christopher Gonzales
VP, Cyber and Professional Lines
Jeff Robinson
VP, Programs
Paul Meinschenk
President, Underwriting Operations
Pam Chhabra
Manager – Residential Strata
Christopher Gonzales is vice president of cyber and professional liability lead at Arch Insurance Canada. He brings nearly two decades of experience in cyber, technology E&O, and professional liability underwriting, with a strong track record of building and leading high-performing underwriting teams. Prior to joining Arch in 2025, Gonzales held senior cyber underwriting roles at AXIS Capital and previously worked with Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, Chubb, and Zurich. He holds a degree in economics from York University and maintains multiple industry designations, including FCIP, CIP, and CRM, reflecting his deep technical expertise and leadership in the Canadian insurance market.
VP, Cyber and Professional Lines
Christopher Gonzales
Jeff Robinson is vice president of programs at Arch Insurance Canada, responsible for the strategic leadership and growth of the programs portfolio. With more than 25 years of experience in commercial insurance, including senior leadership roles at Aviva Canada and Economical Insurance, Robinson brings extensive expertise in portfolio management, underwriting strategy, and broker distribution. He is known for building profitable specialty businesses and fostering strong market relationships across Canada. Robinson holds a Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation
VP, Programs
Jeff Robinson
Laura Martin puts people at the heart of her leadership, helping to embed a positive, supportive culture within her own team and across the wider business. She invests time in mentoring and developing others, creating safe spaces where colleagues feel able to speak openly, ask for support and be themselves. Martin leads with kindness and emotional intelligence, taking time to understand each individual behind the role. Her supportive and collaborative approach helps people feel valued, builds confidence and encourages colleagues to grow and thrive.
President, Underwriting Operations
Paul Meinschenk
Stephen McMillan first entered the financial services Industry when he joined GE Capital as a finance analyst in 2008, from which he progressed through roles working both onshore and offshore. From there, he moved into Pacific Premium Funding as a financial planning and analysis leader in 2012 and was a key resource in the evolution of the business, first with the successful sale to Macquarie Pacific Funding and then the following progression into IQumulate Premium Funding, where he is now the commercial manager.
As commercial manager, McMillan leads a team that is responsible for commercial analysis and business support, identifying and reporting improvement initiatives, and the securitization and treasury functions of the business.
Commercial Manager
Stephen McMillan
One culmination of these efforts has been the real-world, needs-based IQEdge solution. A one-stop online quoting tool designed for both the Australian and New Zealand markets, IQEdge delivers quotes in under 60 seconds. Plus, the solution offers quote comparison and quote versioning capabilities, enabling users to review vital historical and financial data in a single page view.
IQEdge can streamline and automate application processing, underwriting document verification and payment collection, cutting the need for manual labour and minimising processing errors. A digital “self-service” platform, IQEdge, reduces the need for customer and administrative support. Meanwhile, borrowers can access their accounts, make payments and manage their policies independently and through sales and support teams, which are always available for further assistance.
“We’ve created a quality platform that simplifies the quoting process yet amplifies the customer experience,” says Gordon. “It’s a real game changer.” IQumulate offers an online digital quoting tool to clients. The best-in-market solution enables IQumulate to tailor funding offerings to brokers that align with their prefered distribution channel.
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Award Winner
Desjardins Group
SPECIAL REPORT
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What does IQumulate have in mind for the future?
“IQumulate is on a technology journey, and we’re just getting started,” says Wayne Tower, CEO. “Through continuous engagement with our clients, partners, marketplace and industry, we will listen to the needs as they arise and position our business to be agile and respond to changes as they occur.
“Faster decision-making innovations such as AI-powered decision support systems can expedite the underwriting and approval process, leading to quicker responses to clients. This can improve client satisfaction and potentially attract more business, with the potential to allow IQumulate to capture a larger market share, whilst continuing to deliver service excellence to clients.”
“As forward-thinkers with a digital and ‘do it better’ mindset, we collectively and proactively look to learn and improve on our customer experience for our clients, paving the way for successful business outcomes for our clients and our business in the coming years ahead.
“We’re excited for the future and look forward to what’s on the horizon.”
Adam Basaldella
Manager – Claims
Ivan Verescuk
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Shaun O’Brien
Head of Underwriting
Emily Walker
Head of Strata and Development
Rex Oakman
Head of Operations and Risk
Sandy Newton
Head of Underwriting
Andrew Mitchell
Manager – NSW
Michael Prokopis
Manager – Southern Region
Pam Chhabra
Manager – Residential Strata
Jeffrey Valdivia
Manager – Commercial Strata
Adam Basaldella
Manager – Claims
An insurer built on kindness and long-term rewards
Desjardins Group has been recognized as a best insurance employer in Canada, earning a place on IBC’s Top Insurance Employers for 2026. Founded in 1900 in Lévis, QC, Desjardins describes itself as the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the leading cooperative financial institution in Canada, with more than 57,530 employees working across insurance, finance, technology, and marketing.
Beyond insurance, the group offers savings, credit, investment, and business services, helping members and clients work toward financial empowerment and community development. The group describes itself as built on values like kindness and caring, a framing that runs through how it designs pay, development, and support for its people.
Desjardins’ cooperative identity underpins everything else, putting people at the heart of every decision and offering an inclusive workplace where employees can thrive, collaborate, and help shape the future of financial services and insurance.
Leadership has reinforced that direction by fostering a culture of continuous improvement, empowering teams to develop solutions that respond to evolving client and employee needs alike.
Rewards built for the long term
Desjardins’ approach to compensation is built around fairness, equity, and long-term financial well-being rather than one-off perks. Its total rewards package includes competitive pay, a defined-benefit pension plan, flexible group insurance, wellness incentives, and performance-based recognition, alongside regular pay-equity monitoring to keep compensation free from gender-based bias.
Development follows the same approach: employees access the Desjardins Cooperative Institute, LinkedIn Learning, tuition reimbursement, paid study hours, and mentoring and coaching programs, with internal career mobility built in for those exploring insurance jobs across the group’s wider financial services business, backed by structured leadership and formal education programs.
Diversity and inclusion as a strategic priority
Desjardins positions diversity, equity, and inclusion as a core expression of its cooperative identity rather than a standalone initiative. A dedicated Respect in the Workplace Office, inclusive leadership training, and employee resource groups sit alongside pay-equity practices and targeted support for underrepresented communities.
Benefits extend into accessibility, gender affirmation, family planning, and mental health, reflecting working conditions across its insurance and financial services teams that are built to match the diversity of the workforce itself.
A feedback loop that shapes what comes next
Retention is tracked as closely as compensation. Desjardins frames employee engagement as a direct driver of long-term success, supporting it through competitive benefits, career development opportunities, flexible work arrangements, recognition programs, and an inclusive workplace culture.
Employee satisfaction is measured through performance discussions, anonymous surveys, employee panels, and digital feedback platforms, feeding directly into how the organization adjusts its benefits and policies. That feedback shapes next priorities: continued investment in leadership, digital literacy, and flexible work, plus expanding equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives and employee well-being offerings.
For an organization marking more than 125 years as an employer, the aim remains the same: build a workplace where people can grow, contribute, and feel supported at every stage of their career.
As Orion180 introduces new coverage options and deepens product offerings, it is upskilling employees to become experts in the next generation of property protection. Retention is a cornerstone of its service standards, supported by regular feedback loops, tracked engagement, and clear internal career paths that give top talent room to advance. With a rapidly growing national presence, Orion180 offers flexible and standard home insurance solutions, including FLEX and HO-3 coverage, as well as DP Landlord, flood and jewelry protection across AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, MA, MS, NC, OH, SC, and TX. Its proprietary MY180 platform serves as essential, high-impact technology for agents and insureds alike, further enhanced by smart tech innovations like the AWTOS water damage mitigation system and the PRYZMIQ home self-inspection tool. Orion180 proudly collaborates with more than 10,000 partner agents to serve 500,000 customers, safeguarding more than $150 billion in assets. Its unwavering commitment to operational excellence and exceptional agent and customer service is demonstrated by an impressive track record: 17-day average claims resolution and 5,000 five-star Google reviews. Connect with Orion180 on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TruthSocial, and YouTube, or visit www.Orion180.com to learn more.
