2019-2020 Year End President's Message

Dear members,

As my first year as president of CFA Montreal comes to an end, I have to stop and reflect on everything that has taken place this year. As for all organizations in Quebec, the COVID-19 crisis and confinement measures have put our adaptation ability to the test, while allowing us to develop our agility to overcome new obstacles.

I draw a positive evaluation of the past year. 2019-2020 will have been marked by success, despite the pitfalls, with the development of three major projects. They are described in 3 letters: D, E and F for Diversity, ESG and Fintech. Themes that will remain at the heart of our activities for years to come.

The theme of diversity was put forward remarkably, thanks to our numerous initiatives linked to "Women in investment management", including the diversity event organized by the CFA Institute. We are reaping the fruits of our many actions in universities, where the number of women registering for the exam has increased by 3% over the last 3 years.

As the responsible investment movement continues to grow around the world and our association has positioned itself with the creation of an ESG committee, which brings together members from different sectors of finance in Montreal. This committee has quickly created an impressive strategic plan, developed ideas to organize events in partnership with other responsible finance associations and even advised CFA Montreal on how to improve certain ESG practices. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements...

In regards to linking our activities with the Fintech domain, I am particularly proud that our association was able to present a conference with Tim Lane, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada, during the 2^nd edition of the Rendez-vous Fintech, in February. The event drew more than 250 participants and captured the attention of media across the country!

Standing out in the local market with unique initiatives.

As per previous years, we offered a diversified and high-quality event programming that aroused great interest among our members and in the financial community. In total, the twenty in-person events produced by CFA Montreal will have attracted more than 3,600 participants and nearly 1,000 people have watched the webinars.

Last fall, we made the title shine with the renewal of our local social media advertising campaign "Finance in action" and the dissemination of the CFA Institute's international campaign, “The right question”, which highlighted some local private wealth management experts.

Incidentally, the crisis and the confinement have also enabled us to carry out special actions, such as polling our members to share their economic prospects related to the crisis. The results of the survey have been widely reported in the media. This action not only allowed us to understand your needs in times of crisis but to build a series of successful webinars.

Finally, we should not overlook the success of the January Outlook event, which shattered our participation record with 560 participants coming to listen to David Rosenberg, Stéphane Marion and Clément Gignac. This activity has become a staple in the financial community!

An exemplary commitment of volunteers to the association

Nothing that I previously described would have been possible without the presence of all our volunteers. I salute their involvement in the events and their presence on the committees. I thank all of our sponsors for offering us lasting support. More than ever, our association is proud to be able to count on the contribution of loyal partners with whom we share values ​​that are the key to our success. And, special thanks to the 3000 members who remain committed to the association year after year!

Our projects have multiplied and diversified in recent years, and the next one will be dedicated to the consolidation of a solid operational structure, to ensure the growth and sustainability of the association.

Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues from the board of directors and emphasize their commitment, which allows us to continue to innovate and stay focused on the needs of our members.

Thank you all and I look forward to seeing you again in September. Have a great summer!

The President,

Carl Robert, CFA