Industry moves: iA Private Wealth, Harbourfront, grow their ranks

Plus, retirements at RBC GAM and iA GAM, and Douglas Turnbull named FSRA chair

By: Alisha Hiyate
November 24, 2025 November 21, 2025
01:21

iStockphoto/Igor Kutyaev

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

Justin Forrest, Jonathan Bast and Braxton Lawrence have joined iA Private Wealth as senior mutual fund advisors. They bring a team of nine with them from IG Wealth Management. Wealth advisors Marielee Reddekop, Stacey Brailean, Jackson Brailean, Charlie McCrystal, Brent Paterson and Derek Boe have joined the firm from CI Assante Wealth Management, bringing a team of 12 in all to iA. Senior wealth advisors Brad Wallace, Dan Gardiner, Greg Rasmussen and Ken Lovelock have also joined the firm, moving from Manulife Wealth. And Michael Wynne has joined as a senior wealth advisor, after more than a decade with Investment Planning Counsel.
Norman Tonnies, Travis Cuthbert, Mark Jensen, Chad McLeod, Craig Robinson and Juan Cabrales have joined Harbourfront Wealth Management from Manulife Wealth, bringing a team of 22 in total.
Dan Chornous will retire from RBC Global Asset Management at the end of January. Having held the role of global chief investment officer since 2002, he’s credited as a “transformative leader” who’s helped guide the growth of the firm’s global investment management capabilities. He’ll be succeeded by Stu Kedwell, an RBC veteran of nearly 30 years, and currently managing director, senior portfolio manager and global head of equities.
Marc Gagnon will be retiring at the end of this year, after 27 years with iA Global Asset Management, where he is vice-president and portfolio manager, North American equities. In his stead, Nicolas Caron has joined the firm as VP, portfolio manager and head of Canadian equities, bringing two decades of industry experience. Caron was previously a portfolio manager at State Street, and prior to that, spent 10 years at GE, including as VP and portfolio manager.
Ali Ghiassi has stepped down as vice-president, industry affairs and government relations with Canada Life, after seven years with the firm. He did not announce his next step.
Olivier Roussy Newton has resigned as CEO and executive chair of DeFi Technologies Inc. He will stay on as a strategic advisor starting in December, while Johan Wattenström, a co-founder of the firm with Roussy Newton, has been appointed as its new CEO and executive chairman.
Douglas E. Turnbull has been appointed the next chair of Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario, starting Jan. 1. He’ll replace Joanne De Laurentiis, who was appointed as chair for a three-year term — subsequently twice extended — in 2021. Turnbull recently retired as vice-chair and country head of Morningstar DBRS Ltd. in Canada, and as deputy chair of TD Securities. He has also held senior roles at BMO Nesbitt Burns, Gordon Capital and RBC Dominion Securities.
Hai Ling has been appointed to Manulife Financial Corp.’s board of directors, as of Jan. 1. Ling is president for Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Mastercard Inc.
The Canadian Lenders Association announced its new slate of directors last month. Read the full list here.