Keynote Speaker

Royce Mendes, managing director, head, macro strategy, Desjardins

Royce Mendes joined Desjardins Group in 2022 as managing director and head of macro strategy. He leads a Toronto-based team responsible for forecasting and analyzing the macroeconomy and financial markets. Known for the depth of his insights and clarity of communication, Mendes is a highly regarded commentator regularly sought out by clients and the media. Before joining Desjardins, he was executive director of economics at a major Canadian bank, where he led its efforts in forecasting the Canadian economy. During this time, the team was recognized by multiple independent polling firms as the industry’s most accurate. Earlier in his career, Mendes held several roles at the Bank of Canada, including portfolio manager for Canada’s foreign exchange reserves, associate editor of the Financial System Review and principal researcher in the financial markets department. He also previously worked as an equity research analyst at a Toronto-based hedge fund.

Mendes holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Western Ontario and a master of finance degree from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. He’s also a CFA charterholder.