Thomas Gagné, CFA, has been active in the Montreal financial industry for over 20 years. It was during his university studies that he became involved with various associations. Since then, his willingness to share his knowledge and know-how has only grown, leading him to become Treasurer of CFA Montréal and head of the Association's Audit Committee.
Find out more about Thomas Gagné's motivations for volunteering, and the role of Audit Committee members.
What is the CFA Montréal Audit Committee?
The Audit Committee is one of CFA Montréal's three strategic committees. Its role is to ensure the association's sound financial management and to identify any risks to which it may be exposed, in order to avoid any impediment to the successful achievement of its objectives.
In concrete terms, the members of our committee identify issues that may arise and make recommendations to the Board of Directors. We are also responsible for implementing and ensuring compliance with various policies, notably on the management of financial operations and risk management.
Since CFA Montréal promotes excellence in financial management, the committee must be extremely rigorous!
What motivated you to join this committee?
After completing my Master's degree in Finance at the Université de Sherbrooke, I moved to Montreal and started my CFA exams. Thanks to a competition, I won a scholarship offered by CFA Montréal, and that was my spark plug! That's when I decided to get closer to the association and get involved, to put my skills to good use and stay connected with my peers in the financial industry.
My path to the Board of Directors as Treasurer and head of the Audit Committee was very gradual. Prior to this committee, I had been involved in several areas of the association.
I first got involved in organizing some of the association's events before joining the committee. Career tools and eventually take over from them. Thanks to this committee, I've been able to meet finance professionals and discuss their backgrounds in order to produce articles inspiring the Montreal CFA community. This led me to become a member of the selection jury for the mentoring program, which matches future leaders in Montreal finance with seasoned professionals.
In the years that followed, an opportunity presented itself and I joined the CFA Montréal Board of Directors. I was initially responsible for the Fintech Committee, just after its creation. I had a keen interest in this committee, as it was very closely aligned with what I was doing at Desjardins, particularly in terms of partnerships and investments in fintechs. The position of Treasurer of the Association then opened up, and that's the one I've held for the past three years. I then helped to set up the Audit Committee, for which I am now responsible in my role as Treasurer.
Which initiative are you particularly proud of?
One of the Audit Committee's first mandates was to carry out a risk assessment exercise. This enabled us to start thinking about how CFA Montréal could prepare for certain issues and challenges, and then put in place actions to guard against operational and financial risks. This is an essential exercise for any major association.
For CFA Montreal, this process required that our committee members have a good understanding of the organization's dynamics, mission, objectives and strategic planning process. I'm very proud to say that today we have a robust plan, which is executed and updated every year.
I consider myself fortunate to be surrounded by members of the committee who demonstrate great rigour and, above all, a very high sense of ethics and compliance. They are invaluable collaborators who enable CFA Montréal to pursue its mission with confidence.
What would you say to people who want to get involved?
As CFA Montreal volunteers, we work with other industry professionals who share our ambition to support the association's mission. To actively contribute to this impact and to see the positive spin-offs is highly motivating. The strategic committees influence the future of the association. And I feel we're on solid ground to ensure its continued existence.
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