Industry moves: Rachel Simard moves up at Desjardins Group

Each week, we summarize notable moves across the financial industry.

• Rachel Simard has been promoted to senior vice-president, partner networks at Desjardins Group. Simard has served in several roles since joining Desjardins in 2003 as a project management and business analysis advisor. Most recently, she led the performance and network services and planning and projects teams within sales and distribution. Simard succeeds André Langlois, vice-president, independent networks sales and distribution, who is retiring after close to four decades with Desjardins Group. He will stay on until the end of the year as a strategic advisor to support the transition. In her new role, Simard will be responsible for SFL Wealth Management, Desjardins Financial Security Investments and Desjardins Financial Security Independent Network. She’ll also continue to serve as deputy head of Worldsource Acquisition Integration, a position she took on in early 2023.
• Adelaide Chiu has stepped down as vice-president and head of responsible investing with NEI Investments. John Bai, chief investment officer, has assumed her responsibilities as portfolio manager of certain NEI funds. 
• John McCartney has been promoted to senior vice-president and head of ScotiaMcLeod. He has nearly 30 years of experience with Scotiabank, most recently as senior vice-president of investor relations, and before that, managing director global head of equity capital markets. A leadership shuffle was recently announced as part of the planned retirement of executive vice-president and head of Canadian wealth management at Scotiabank, Alex Besharat.
• Celina Philpot has been named CEO of Conexus Credit Union, the new entity that will be created from the merger of three existing Saskatchewan credit unions, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Members of Conexus, Cornerstone and Synergy credit unions voted in June to merge. Philpot has served as CEO of Conexus Credit Union since September 2022 and brings three decades of experience in corporate development, operations, communications and branding at credit unions to the role.

If you know of other people moves in the financial industry and/or would like us to consider your announcement, email Alisha Hiyate at alisha.h@newcom.ca.

Alisha Hiyate

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Alisha Hiyate is managing editor with Investment Executive and Advisor.ca. She has 19 years of journalism experience covering mining and markets. Email her at alisha.h@newcom.ca.