iA Financial Group

Office address:  1080 Grande Allée West PO Box 1907, Station Terminus, Québec City, Québec G1K 7M3
Website: www.ia.ca
Year established: 1892
Company type: insurance, wealth management
Employees: over 9000
Expertise: insurance and financial services
Parent company: N.A.
CEO and key people: Denis Ricard, President and CEO
Financing status: corporation

iA Financial Group was founded in 1892 and has become one of the largest insurance and wealth management groups in Canada. Its headquarters is in Quebec, with offices in the United States.

iA Financial Group offers a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses, and institutions, including life insurance, retirement savings plans, and investment products.

History of iA Financial Group

The company started out with the birth of Alliance Nationale in 1892, then Industrial Life Insurance Company in 1905. The company’s name Industrial Alliance (now known as iA) is lifted from the names of these two firms.

Throughout the years, iA has ventured into different areas of expertise such as wealth management in 2003 and private wealth management in 2013. A big win for the company was an acquisition worth over $1 billion in the United States, securing its presence in the country.  

Back home in Canada, iA continues to expand. It has three main business segments: insurance Canada, wealth management, and US operations. The company has $207.8 billion assets under management and administration and serves over 4 million clients.

Products and Services of iA Financial Group

iA Financial Group offers a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses, and institutions. These products and services include:

• life insurance
• property and casualty insurance
• retirement savings plans
• investment products
• savings and retirement

Culture at iA Financial Group

iA Financial Group is committed to creating a workplace where employees can thrive and grow. It lists its corporate values as:

• teamwork
• high-performance environment
• continuous improvement
• respect for individuals and distributors
• service-oriented

The company has also outlined goals under its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy. Part of the strategy is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% per employee by 2025.

Under its equity, diversity, and inclusion program, iA is committed to appointing women in 40% to 60% of senior leadership positions.

As an organization, iA has pledged to fulfil 5 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: good health and well-being, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities within and among countries, sustainable cities and communities, and climate action. The company outlines its commitment under each of these SDGs, translating goals into everyday action. Case in point: the company has been carbon-neutral since 2020.

About iA Financial Group President and CEO Denis Ricard

Denis Ricard has been President and CEO of iA Financial Group since 2018. He joined the company in 1985, straight out of the Université Laval where he completed a degree in actuarial science.

Ricard has risen through the ranks at iA, starting out as an analyst. Over the years, he has held various executive roles such as Director, Vice President, COO, and President and CEO. He has spent 38 years at iA Financial Group.

Future at iA Financial Group

iA Financial Group is among the largest wealth management companies in Canada, and things can only get better. Its continued expansion within the industry and across borders is parallel to its increasing contributions to sustainability. There is no doubt: iA Financial Group will continue to leave its mark within the industry and the world.