On March 19, delegates from the Desjardins Group chose Guy Cormier to be the organization's next president and CEO.  He will take over from Monique Leroux, who has held the position since March 2008.

Youngest person to serve as president

Cormier has been with Desjardins since 1992. He started as a business account manager, rising to his current position as senior vice-president for cooperative network and personal services. Cormier is 46-years-old, and will be the youngest person to serve as president and CEO of Desjardins.

The election took place behind closed doors, and it was not revealed how many votes went to the other two candidates Robert Ouellette and Daniel Paillé; Ouellette was another internal candidate, serving as senior vice-president of Desjardins’ technology and shared services center, while Paillé is the former head of the Bloc Québécois.

Leadership style to reflect his roots

In a press conference following his election, Cormier indicated that he may take a different approach from his predecessor. "I hope to have a style that reflects my background and my roots, which are in the caisses, at the base of the movement," he said. "It will be a leadership that harkens back to these origins, and it will be a source of divergence."

Cormier will take office after Desjardins holds its annual general meeting on April 9, 2016.