CPP Investments Welcomes Designation of Dean Connor as Chairperson of its Board of Directors

Succeeds Dr. Heather Munroe-Blum who retires after nine years as Chairperson

TORONTO, Oct. 6, 2023 /CNW/ - Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) is pleased to welcome Dean Connor as Chairperson of its Board of Directors, effective October 27, 2023. Mr. Connor will succeed Heather Munroe-Blum, CPP Investments' Chairperson since 2014, whose final term as Chairperson and Director expires in October.

Dr. Munroe-Blum was the third Chairperson of CPP Investments and has served on the Board since 2010. During her tenure, Dr. Munroe-Blum oversaw significant growth and development of the organization, as the CPP Fund grew to $575 billion and remained resilient through global disruptions, including the pandemic.

"I thank my fellow Directors – past and present – for the privilege of serving alongside them for the past 12 years," said Dr. Munroe-Blum. "Since its inception nearly a quarter of a century ago, CPP Investments' reputation as a Canadian success story has been hard earned. This success was built on the generations of employees, senior leaders and Directors who have all contributed their expertise and commitment as custodians in service of a truly enduring organization. It has been my tremendous privilege to serve as Chairperson of CPP Investments, and to count myself as one of many to contribute to this great institution."

Dean Connor was appointed to the Board in 2021 and has more than four decades of global experience in financial services and executive consulting. Between 2011 and 2021, Mr. Connor served as President & CEO of Sun Life Financial Inc., a leading financial services company. Prior to this, he held senior roles with Sun Life, including Head of Canadian Operations and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Connor previously had a 28-year tenure with a human resource consulting firm, where he rose to be President for the Americas, a position he held until 2006.

Mr. Connor qualified as a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. He holds an Honours Business Administration degree from the Ivey School of Business at Western University. Mr. Connor currently serves as Chair of the Board for the University Health Network in Toronto and as a member of the Ivey Advisory Board. He was named Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year for 2017, Ivey's Business Leader of the Year for 2018 and one of the Top CEOs in the World for 2019 by the Harvard Business Review.

"Dean's long history of leadership, coupled with his extensive global experience in financial services makes him ideally suited to be an effective Chairperson for CPP Investments," said Dr. Munroe-Blum. "The Board unanimously agrees that Dean's excellent reputation as a leader on our Board, his commitment to strong corporate governance and his extensive global experience will allow him to help lead the Board in its oversight duties in an exemplary fashion, helping guide CPP Investments as it grows to become a trillion-dollar fund."

"I am deeply honoured to assume the role of Chairperson and to build on Heather's outstanding leadership," said Mr. Connor. "I look forward to working closely with my fellow Directors, President & CEO John Graham, and his management team as CPP Investments continues to deliver on its purpose to provide a foundation upon which 21 million contributors and beneficiaries can build their financial security in retirement."

CPP Investments is internationally recognized as a leading example of sound pension plan management. It is independent of the Canada Pension Plan, operates at arm's length from federal and provincial governments and is guided by an independent, highly qualified, professional Board of Directors.

CPP Investments' Board of Directors comprises 12 independent, qualified professionals including individuals with proven financial ability or relevant work experience as required by the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act.

About CPP Investments

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments™) is a professional investment management organization that manages the Fund in the best interest of the more than 21 million contributors and beneficiaries of the Canada Pension Plan. In order to build diversified portfolios of assets, investments are made around the world in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City, San Francisco, São Paulo and Sydney, CPP Investments is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. CPP Investments operates in a transparent and open way, consistently demonstrating our commitment to accountability in our practices and actions.  For the past two years, CPP Investments has been recognized by the Global Pension Transparency Benchmark as one of the top three funds globally for transparency and accountability. At June 30, 2023, the Fund totalled $575 billion. For more information, please visit www.cppinvestments.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter.

SOURCE Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

Frank Switzer, Public Affairs & Communications, [email protected], T: [phone]