Director, Legal Affairs and Corporate Secretary
Responsibilities
- Represents Desjardins Group in civil and administrative court
- Prepares contracts/agreements and negotiates business transactions
- Builds relationships with governments and regulators
- Serves as corporate secretary for Desjardins Financial Security and several of its subsidiaries
Experience
François Cholette studied law at
Université Laval and has been a member of the Quebec bar association (Barreau du Québec) since 1987. He received the bar association's medal for having maintained the
highest general average at l'École du Barreau in 1986–1987.
He started his career as a litigation lawyer in private practice for 6 years in the Quebec City region. He joined
Desjardins Group in 1993, where he currently holds the role of Senior Manager of Legal Affairs for Wealth Management
and Life and Health Insurance. He's also Corporate Secretary for Desjardins Financial Security, Life Assurance
Company, and many of its subsidiaries.
He leads a team of 36 people consisting of lawyers, paralegals, and support staff.
His team's responsibilities at Legal Affairs include:
- Legal opinion services in life and health insurance, pension plans, fiduciary products, securities, asset
management and investment
- Contract drafting and commercial transaction negotiations
- Participating in government relations files with governmental and regulatory bodies
- Legislative and regulatory monitoring
- Corporate secretariat, including board and committee governance, as well as maintaining insurer and distributor
permits
- Governance of regulatory guidelines which establish the framework of Desjardins Group's activities (bylaws,
standards, policies, directives, guides and rules)