Company Overview

Power Corporation of Canada is a diversified international management and holding company operating primarily in the financial services, asset management, insurance, and investment sectors. The company’s core activities are conducted through controlling interests in established operating companies, with revenues largely driven by insurance premiums, asset and wealth management fees, and investment income. Its principal business lines are concentrated in life and health insurance, retirement and wealth solutions, and alternative asset management, serving individual and institutional clients.

Founded in 1925, Power Corporation of Canada evolved from a regional Canadian utility holding company into a global financial services group through decades of disciplined capital allocation and long-term ownership. The company is widely recognized for its permanent-capital investment approach, decentralized management model, and close alignment with family-controlled governance, which has enabled stability across market cycles.

Business Operations

Power Corporation’s operations are organized around major publicly traded subsidiaries and investment platforms. Its most significant holdings include Power Financial Corporation, Great-West Lifeco, and IGM Financial, which together form the backbone of its insurance and wealth management operations. Through these entities, the company generates revenue from insurance underwriting, asset management fees, advisory services, and investment returns across retail and institutional channels.

The company also holds a controlling interest in Alternative Asset Management through Power Sustainable, which focuses on sustainable investments including renewable energy infrastructure, sustainable private equity, and credit strategies. Power Corporation maintains both domestic and international operations, with controlled businesses operating independently under their own management teams while benefiting from strategic oversight and capital support at the holding company level.

Strategic Position & Investments

Power Corporation’s strategy emphasizes long-term value creation through controlling ownership, conservative balance sheet management, and reinvestment in scalable financial platforms. Growth initiatives are primarily executed through its operating subsidiaries, including expansion of retirement and wealth management offerings, digital advisory capabilities, and institutional asset management products.

The company has made significant investments in alternative assets and sustainable finance through Power Sustainable, reflecting a strategic focus on energy transition, infrastructure, and responsible investing. In addition, Power Corporation has historically supported selective acquisitions and internal platform development within its insurance and asset management businesses, while maintaining a disciplined approach to capital deployment and shareholder returns.

Geographic Footprint

Power Corporation of Canada is headquartered in Canada, with principal executive offices in Montréal, Québec. Through its subsidiaries, the company has a substantial presence across North America and Europe, including operations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and France.

Internationally, its insurance and asset management businesses serve millions of clients across multiple continents, with institutional investment exposure extending into Asia and other global markets. While the parent company itself operates primarily as a strategic holding entity, its influence is global through the geographic reach of its controlled operating companies and investment platforms.

Leadership & Governance

Power Corporation is known for a governance model that emphasizes long-term stewardship, decentralized management, and continuity of leadership. The company was founded by the Desmarais family, which continues to exercise significant influence through ownership and board representation. Strategic oversight is provided at the holding company level, while day-to-day operations are managed by the leadership teams of its subsidiaries.

Key executives include:

• Paul Desmarais Jr. – Executive Co-Chairman
• André Desmarais – Executive Co-Chairman
• Jeffrey Orr – President and Chief Executive Officer
• R. Jeffrey Orr – Director
• Darren Entwistle – Director

The leadership philosophy centers on prudent risk management, long-term capital preservation, and alignment between management, controlling shareholders, and minority investors.