AGF Board Achieves Near Gender Parity

January 29, 2018

At our most recent Board of Directors meeting, we appointed two new directors and I am proud to say that we now have almost perfect gender parity with four women and five men on our Board. This is an important next step in showing our commitment to workplace diversity.

It also reflects our belief that smart corporate decision-making requires different points of view, which come from people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives working together.

Companies that have women directors and executive officers lead by example. They send a clear message that they value diversity of thought and experience.

In fact, the representation of women on our Board has set the tone for hiring practices throughout AGF. As reported in our 2016 Annual Report, we have 33% of women in executive roles.

I believe we are part of a positive change taking place throughout Canada. According to a report released by the Canadian Securities Administration (CSA) last fall 61 per cent of 660 TSX-listed companies have at least one woman on their boards, up from 49 per cent when the report was first published in 2015.

This reinforces the fact that board diversity is a growing priority for Canadian legislators and regulators. For the first time in my 30 year career at AGF, we are involved in meaningful discussions about diversity, including the Ontario Securities Commission’s (OSC) roundtable discussions about gender diversity and the CSA’s call for clear and meaningful gender diversity disclosure.

We are also members of the 30% Club Canada, an organization that encourages and supports companies, through a voluntary approach, to appoint more women at board level as well as senior management levels.

At AGF, we have always been committed to having the best people on our Board. Our Board is comprised of talented and dedicated directors with a diverse mix of expertise, skills and background. They bring new ideas, different perspectives and distinct voices to help AGF succeed.

In December we welcomed Jane Buchan and Charles Guay to our Board. Together, they bring a wealth of experience in the alternatives, institutional and retail distribution space to further support the evolution of our firm and our commitment to diversifying the business.

At AGF, we know that diverse boards are good for Canadian companies and they’re good for the Canadian economy. We look forward to championing change and improving diversity across our great industry.