Manulife Financial Corp. Wendesday announced that senior executive vice president, corporate affairs and general counsel Jean-Paul Bisnaire will retire on December 31, after 10 years with the company.
During his career at Manulife (TSX:MFC), Bisnaire has been responsible for a number of key functions in the company, including internal audit, industry, regulatory and government affairs, compliance, branding and communications and technology. He played a key role in the integration of John Hancock, which was, at the time, the largest cross-border transaction in Canadian business history. He is also a member of the company’s executive committee and management committee.
Prior to joining Manulife, Bisnaire was one of Canada’s leading securities lawyers practicing in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. He was a senior corporate law partner of Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP and a member of the firm’s management committee.
Stephen Sigurdson, Manulife’s executive vice president, general counsel Canada, will succeed Bisnaire in the role effective May 1. He is a member of Manulife’s management committee and the Canadian division executive management team. Within the company’s Canadian division, Sigurdson also oversees government relations, industry relations and compliance.
Bisnaire will provide for an orderly transition and continue to be involved in special projects.
Sigurdson joined Manulife in 2010 and in early 2011 relocated temporarily to Hong Kong and served as interim general counsel for Asia in addition to his Canadian responsibilities. Prior to joining Manulife, he was a partner of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP in Toronto, where he was chairman of the business law department and prior to that, a managing partner of the firm. He is a member of the bars of Ontario and New York.