Industry moves: New faces at Mackenzie Investments, Axis Insurance and 3iQ

Each week, we summarize notable moves across the financial industry.

• Will Danoff will be retiring at the end of the year after 40 years at Fidelity Investments Canada ULC, where he currently co-manages several Fidelity funds. His co-managers, Nidhi Gupta and Matt Drukker, who both joined Fidelity in 2008, will continue to co-manage the Fidelity Insights Strategy and Fidelity Global Growth and Value Strategy funds.
• Hatem Zarrouk has been appointed district vice-president at Mackenzie Investments. Zarrouk was previously with National Bank of Canada for two decades in various senior roles, most recently as vice-president and head of custody for its institutional business.
• Katie Pries has been appointed country executive for Northern Trust Asset Servicing in Canada. Pries joined Northern Trust in 1989 and was president and CEO of Northern Trust Canada for five years, until moving to a global corporate role heading up the firm’s financial crimes strategy in mid-2025. She will continue to hold those responsibilities in her new role. She succeeds Jeff Alexander, who has left the firm after eight months with Northern Trust.
• Scott Beckett has joined Axis Insurance as national senior vice-president and practice group leader of life, benefits and wealth. The appointment follows Axis’ acquisition of Edgewater Financial Group, Kearns Edgewater Financial Services Inc. (KEFSI) and Kearns Insurance Corp.’s group benefits portfolio. Beckett was a founding partner in Kearns Edgewater Financial Services Inc. Similarly, John Stoneman, who was a partner at KEFSI, is now vice-president, life, benefits and wealth at Axis.
• Chris Desjardins has been appointed chief technology officer at 3iQ Corp. Desjardins brings deep experience in digital assets and has co-founded several technology companies. They include Tungsten, a UAE-based virtual asset custody business for institutional clients, and crypto wallet technology startup Big Index, both of which have since been acquired.

If you know of other people moves in the financial industry and/or would like us to consider your announcement, email Alisha Hiyate at alisha.h@newcom.ca.