DC Plan Summit

February 6-8, 2019 | Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta

Wednesday, February 6, 2019:



5:00-6:00 p.m.
Mandatory speaker rehearsal
(Alberta Room)



6:00 p.m.
Opening cocktail reception/registration and welcome from Benefits Canada
(Conservatory/Cascade Rooms)



7:00 p.m.
Dinner 
(Conservatory/Cascade Rooms)

Thursday, February 7, 2019:



7:15-8:10 a.m.
Breakfast
(Vermillion Restaurant)



8:10 a.m.
Opening remarks 
(Alberta Room)



8:15-8:30 a.m.
Icebreaker 
(Alberta Room)



8:30-9:30 a.m.
The integrity conundrum
What do we know about why people give in to conflicts of interest and cheat for their own benefits? How can we use behavioural insights to reduce these tendencies and how can these insights inform the code of professional responsibility among investment and wealth professionals? Find out the answers in this session.

Speaker:
Nina Mazar, behavioural economist and co-founder, BEworks



9:30-9:50 a.m.
Leave no one behind: Why DC should try to improve “worst case” outcomes 
Recent market conditions and forward looking return expectations provide challenges for retirees and those saving for retirement. This brings the importance of managing risk in a retirement saving strategy front of mind. Although, how we define risk itself changes depending on the stage of the retirement savings journey. This session will explore how a variety of risk management techniques can be used across different stages of the retirement savings journey to try to improve outcomes and leave no one behind.

Speaker:
Ed Studd, solutions manager, US portfolio solutions, Schroders



9:50-10:15 a.m.
New era, new reality – ready to embrace the change? 
Embracing a financial wellness strategy tailored to a plan member’s personalized life goals is key, given today’s realities. What better way to improve plan member engagement than by offering a modern approach to savings that recognizes that everyone’s objectives are unique and evolve, with a focus on establishing short- and long-term goals?  Millennials may be focused on student debt or saving for their first home, while baby boomers are focused on making their money last a lifetime. Beyond broadening the scope of traditional retirement saving plans, there are numerous approaches that will serve us well in our pursuit of helping members achieve and maintain financial wellness.

Speaker:
Jean-Pascal Plamondon, national director, client relationship and investment strategies, Desjardins Insurance



10:15-10:40 a.m. 
Networking break 
(Riverview Foyer: Outside of the Alberta Room)



10:40-11:20 a.m. 
Why sustainability doesn’t always equal adequacy in DC plan design
Changes in pension plan design in recent decades have largely been driven by issues around sustainability, with a focus on affordability, volatility, liability reduction and options around pension payouts. This session will examine the missing link between contribution levels and the benefits those contributions are expected to provide — an element that isn’t often measured in terms of the adequacy of retirement income, particularly within defined contribution plan models.

Speaker:
Blair Richards, chief executive officer, Halifax Port ILA/HEA



11:20-11:45 a.m.
Encouraging members to take action in a changing workplace
New work environments and changing employee preferences mean innovative, new approaches are required to engage employees. Employee onboarding, member education and plan design all need to respond to the rapidly changing landscape.

Speaker:
Erica Hall, assistant vice-president, client relations, group retirement solutions, Manulife



11:45 a.m.-12:05 p.m. 
Investing for what comes next
Mar. 9, 2009, marked the beginning of our current market cycle, which has been the longest bull market on record. But the next decade may well look different and volatility is once again rearing its head.  DC members' loss aversion is a strong driver of behaviour and can hamper the maximization of long-term returns. This session will take stock of long-term market expectations, briefly review investor behaviour in times of market disruption and best practices to help DC members stay the course in a more challenged environment.

Speaker:
Christine Girvan, senior managing director, head of Canadian distribution, MFS Investment Management



12:05 -1:00 p.m. 
Lunch
(New Brunswick Room)



1:00-1:25 p.m.
Fine-tuning for the next generation: Making DC relevant to millennials
Starting early and contributing often are key in achieving success in a DC environment, especially for millennials who have their whole working career ahead of them. But that advice alone isn’t enough to affect change in the workforce of today and tomorrow. We need a bigger picture. One that considers competing priorities when developing meaningful retirement savings plans for millennials. Join us as we explore a refresh of tried-and-true concepts that still serve Canadians of any generation and review new strategies that can increase engagement.

Speaker:
Brady Aarssen, assistant vice-president, business development strategy, The Great-West Life Assurance Company



1:25-1:45 p.m. 
Secular and cyclical macro themes that may be affecting your target date funds
This session will focus on global macro themes that are developing, or are currently influencing, global markets. Brett Sumsion will discuss the effects of these themes on a target date strategy. He'll also go over how having the investment flexibility to navigate both secular and cyclical time horizons can improve outcomes for members.

Speaker:
Brett Sumsion, portfolio manager, Fidelity Investments



1:45-2:05 p.m. 
Investment spotlight – more details to be announced shortly



2:05-2:30 p.m.
Networking break
(Riverview Foyer: Outside of the Alberta Room)



2:30 p.m.-3:10 p.m. 
Engaging today’s workforce in DC
In a world focused on the short term, plan sponsors need to be strategic in their communications with employees about retirement planning. What works, what doesn’t and how can communications be customized to suit the different types of employees in the company? In this session, hear from plan sponsors about how they’re meeting these challenges.

Panellists:
Thak Bhola, manager, pension, investments and administration, Goodyear Canada Inc.
Stanley Diep, benefits representative, people and culture, Lululemon Athletica
Emilie Inakazu, senior manager, benefits and pension, KPMG Canada

3:10-4:10 p.m.
Group activity



4:10 p.m.
Closing remarks
(Alberta Room)



6:00 p.m. 
Cocktail reception 
(Mount Stephen Hall)



7:00 p.m.
Dinner
(Mount Stephen Hall)

Friday, February 8, 2019:

7:15-8:10 a.m.
Breakfast 
(Vermillion Restaurant)



8:10 a.m.
Opening remarks
(Alberta Room)



8:15-8:30 a.m.
Icebreaker 
(Alberta Room)



8:30-9:30 a.m.
Analog revenge: How analog products, experiences and processes are making a comeback
It’s now a cliché to announce that business and culture have moved to the digital realm. But while times have changed, the value of analog goods, ideas, and experiences has actually increased. With journalist David Sax, author of the critically acclaimed book The Revenge of Analog, you’ll discover why a return to analog might be a welcome shift—and best for business.

Speaker:
David Sax, journalist and author, The Revenge of Analog



9:30-9:55 a.m.
Small changes lead to big results
Studies in other countries have demonstrated the effectiveness of simplifying the pension enrolment process and integrating decision nudges to increase participation and savings rates. Over the past five years, a pilot project with Employment and Social Development Canada has been exploring the effectiveness of simplifying enrolment to increase participation and savings rates in Canadian group retirement plans. This presentation will highlight how this research and other nudges can be used to expand coverage and increase savings rates today. 

Speaker:
Mazen Shakeel, vice-president, market development, group retirement services, Sun Life Financial



9:55-10:20 a.m.
Networking break
(Riverview Foyer: Outside of the Alberta Room)



10:20-10:40 a.m. 
Vision forward: Communication and investments through a plan member lens  
We all want plan members to be more engaged, make better choices and acheive better outcomes but in today's complex world of DC plan oversight, it can be easy to lose sight of how the plan member views his or her plan. In this session, we examine DC plan oversight from two distinct angles; plan member communication and investment choice. Drawing on 10 years of proprietary language research, you will discover what type of communication resonates with plan members (and what doesn't) and the four key principles of credible communication. We will also discuss potential ways to gain a better alignment between how plan sponsors view investment success and how plan members do. The session will leave plan sponsors with some tangible action items and insights to help with retirement plan management.

Speaker:
Mike Tuira, vice-president, defined contribution, Invesco Canada Ltd.



10:40-11:40 a.m.
Across the pond: Comparing the pension systems of Canada, Denmark,Sweden and the Netherlands
This panel discussion will compare the multi-pillar pension systems of Canada, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. Based on research published in the International Social Security Review,* this session will examine how the pillars interact in these countries, the relative importance of each pillar, as well as the respective differences from country to country. While all pillars will be discussed, emphasis will be placed on how public plans and employer plans are entwined in each country.

Panellists:
Assia Billig, senior actuary, Canada’s Office of the Chief Actuary
Ole Beier Sørensen, independent consultant, Beier Research, former chief pension researcher, ATP



11:40 a.m.-12:10 p.m. 
Conference wrap-up 
A lot was discussed over the course of the conference, but what are some of the key learnings? This wrap-up presentation will include highlights from previous sessions and encourage employers to continue the conversation.   

Speaker:
Janice Holman, principal of investment consulting, Eckler Ltd. 



12:10 p.m.  
Closing remarks followed by lunch
(Alberta Room)



12:15 p.m.  
Lunch
(New Brunswick Room)



6:00 p.m.  
Optional pub night
(Banff Ave Brewing Co. | 101 Banff Ave. | 2nd floor | Clocktower Village Mall)

***A 15-minute walk from the hotel, or there are general buses that leave from the hotel.
***Drinks and pub-style dinner will be served.

DC Plan Summit Speakers

February 6-8, 2019
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Day One Keynote:
Nina Mazar

Nina Mazar is the co-founder of BEworks, co-originator of University of Toronto’s BEAR center (Behavioral Economics in Action at Rotman), former senior behavioural scientist of the World Bank’s behavioral insights team eMBeD in Washington, DC, as well as professor of marketing and co-director of the Susilo Institute for Ethics in the Global Economy at Questrom School of Business at Boston University. Mazar, who is currently the president elect of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making — the premier academic society for behavioral sciences, was named one of "The 40 Most Outstanding B-School Profs Under 40 In The World”. Mazar's focus on behavioural economics includes the investigation of how expectations, emotions, peers and random cues in the environment affect how we think about products, money, investments, and morality, and their implications for welfare, development, and policy. Mazar has published her research in leading academic journals like PNAS, the Journal of Marketing Research, and Psychological Sciences, and popular accounts of her work have appeared among others on NPR, BBC, in the New York Times, Financial Times, Wired, Harvard Business Review, and various NY Times bestsellers as well as in the recent documentary movie “The Honest Truth about Dishonest.” Mazar serves as behavioral economics advisor on boards of various government (e.g., of the Privy Council Office Innovation Hub for Behavioral Economics in Canada) and non-for-profit organizations (e.g., Irrational Labs in San Francisco, CA). She was previously a post-doctoral associate and lecturer in marketing at MIT Sloan School of Management and the MIT Media Lab (Dan Ariely's eRationality Group).

Day Two Keynote:
David Sax

David Sax is a journalist and analyst of major trends for consumers and wider culture. He is the author of three books, including The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter – named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times’ Chief Book Critic, Michiko Kakutani; The Tastemakers: Why We’re Crazy for Cupcakes But Fed Up with Fondue; and Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen – which won the James Beard Award for Writing and Literature. His other writing appears regularly in The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, The New Yorker’s business blog, and LA Times, and he is a regular feature on CBC Radio and NPR.

SPEAKERS:

Brady Aarssen

Brady Aarssen is the assistant vice-president of business development strategy at the Great-West Life Assurance Company. He has worked in the insurance industry for over 11 years with Great-West Life and Green Shield Canada in both the small- and large-group sectors in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. After he graduated on the Dean’s list from Western University, he obtained several financial-industry designations, most notably his certified employee benefits specialist and certified health specialist. Aarssen was recently recognized by Life Insurance and Market Research Association as one of the top 40 under 40 rising stars among insurance and retirement executives in North America in 2018. He was the first Canadian to be recognized in this way. Aarssen lives in London with his wife and two beautiful daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys hockey, golf and time near the water – lake or pool!  

Ole Beier Sørensen

Ole Beier Sørensen is a senior social security expert based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Before forming his own independent research and consultancy company Beier Research in 2017, he served as private pensions expert with the OECD and he worked for many years, among other positions, as chief of research and strategy with the Danish pension fund ATP. Beier’s analytical expertise spans social security, pension policy, private pensions and insurance, the interaction and alignment of public and private pensions, pension management, welfare and labour economics. Also, he has substantial experience in reform strategy, policy communication and policy implementation. Beier has been closely involved in numerous reform efforts and he is an acknowledged contributor to the pension debate in his own country. He has substantial international insight and experience and he has contributed to reform efforts in, among other countries, Latvia, Lithuania, Croatia and South Africa.

Assia Billig

Assia Billig is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. She completed her undergraduate studies at Moscow State University and has a doctorate in mathematics from University of Alberta. Billig is a senior actuary and director at the Office of the Chief Actuary, Canada. She is a vice-chair of the Technical Commission on Statistical, Actuarial and Financial Studies of the International Social Security Association. Billig is also the vice-chair of the Social Security Committee of the International Actuarial Association (IAA), the chair of the IAA Population Issues Working Group and a member of IAA Mortality Working Group. Billig published several papers on social security issues and speaks frequently at national/international events on topics related to retirement income systems.

Christine Girvan

Christine Girvan is head of Canadian distribution for MFS Investment Management (MFS). In her role, she is responsible for sales, relationship management and client service for MFS in Canada. She is based in Toronto. Girvan joined MFS in 2010 and served as the managing director of Canadian sales, where she oversaw business development and coordinated with the firm’s investment management, relationship management, consultant relations and marketing groups. Before that, she spent nine years at ABN AMRO Asset Investment Management Canada Ltd., subsequently Fortis, where she held the positions of chief executive officer, head of North American sales and vice-president of global investments. She was a vice-president of International Investments for Guardian Capital, Inc. for five years, worked as an equity fund manager for one year at Credit Lyonnais Asset Management in France and spent three years as a junior equity portfolio manager focused on Asian equities. Girvan graduated with honors from the University of Lyon, France, with a master’s degree in investment management and financial planning. She holds the certified European financial analyst designation from the European Federation of Financial Analyst Societies.

Erica Hall

Erica Hall is the assistant vice-president of client relations in group retirement solutions at Manulife. She first joined the company in 2001 and has held several leadership roles supporting the group retirement business. She has also managed relationships with some of Manulife’s biggest clients in the market. In her current role, Hall has overall accountability of the implementation of new group retirement clients for all market segments, which includes the development of education strategies, the delivery of education campaigns, plan management, with a focus on client satisfaction. She is also responsible for the overall service of, and amendment activity for all market segments. Hall is also responsible for the defined benefit consulting team that provides actuarial services to various clients. Reporting into Hall are the national education and financial education teams, as well as client relationship, implementation managers and the defined benefit consulting teams located across Canada. Hall graduated from the University of Western Ontario and holds a degree in history and mathematics. She also has completed the retirement plans associate designation through the certified employee benefit specialist program and the Canadian securities course.

Janice Holman

Janice Holman leads the defined contribution and financial wellness consulting group at Eckler and is a principal of the firm. Her unique professional background contributes to her expertise in all key areas affecting capital accumulation plans and promoting financial wellness. Her passion for helping companies design effective plans and providing the support members need to reach their financial goals fuels all that she does. She began her career in investments over 20 years ago as a fixed income analyst, then worked directly with members as an education and communications manager. She also spent several years with two leading insurance companies as an investment executive. With Eckler for almost 15 years, Holman has focused on helping plan sponsors design programs that achieve the best possible retirement outcomes by: guiding clients in establishing governance structures, creating and refining plan design, selecting and monitoring record keepers, and developing and adjusting investment offerings over time. Leveraging Eckler’s communication expertise, she works with clients to create compelling and engaging member communications and tools that will support members in gaining control of their finances and reaching their goals. Holman works with some of the largest Canadian organizations and is committed to the capital accumulation plan industry. She regularly contributes to industry publications and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. She graduated from Bishop’s University with a bachelor of business administration, and holds the chartered financial analyst designation (1999) and the certified financial planner designation (2010).

Jean-Pascal Plamondon

Jean-Pascal Plamondon is the national director of client relationship and investment strategies at Desjardins Insurance. In this role, he is responsible for providing overall client satisfaction by identifying innovative solutions to enhance the client experience and developing strategies to help client relationship managers successfully manage their group plans across Canada. Plamondon also oversees the evolution of the group retirement savings investment platform. He brings 17 years of industry experience, extensive experience in client relationships and consulting services, in-depth pension and investment knowledge, as well as strategic thought leadership and innovation to the table. Before joining Desjardins, Plamondon spent nearly 14 years at a global advisory company as senior consultant, director and investment leader in their Montreal and Calgary offices. Plamondon has worked with a wide variety of clients, including large multinational corporations and clients with defined contribution and defined benefit retirement plans. Plamondon has a bachelor of science in actuarial science from Université Laval and is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

Blair Richards

Blair Richards is the chief executive officer of the Halifax Port ILA/HEA. He is a previous chairman of the board of trustees for the port’s pension, health and wellness plans where his duties also involved chairing the board’s numerous subcommittees. Specializing in industrial relations, Richards holds several human resource certifications, including membership in the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (CEBS). He earned a bachelor of arts from Dalhousie University and a master of business administration from Saint Mary’s University. He is also involved in various industry associations and has served on a number of boards, councils and committees.

Margaret Rux

Margaret Rux is a principal and department head in Vanguard retirement plan client services, where she leads a team of senior relationship managers and relationship executives responsible for serving many of Vanguard's largest full-service recordkeeping clients. Rux joined Vanguard in 1987. She has spent most of her career in retirement plan client services and also has held leadership positions in Vanguard's retail and international businesses. Rux earned a bachelor of science from Ithaca College and a master of business administration from Saint Joseph’s University. She also is a certified ERISA paralegal.

Mazen Shakeel

Mazen Shakeel is the vice-president of market development for group retirement services at Sun Life Financial Canada. In this role, he leads the group retirement services (GRS) teams responsible for marketing, investments, product development and research. He develops and implements business strategies that enhance the existing business model for GRS and Sun Life Financial Canada. Shakeel also works closely with clients as the executive partner for a number of GRS client relationships. Shakeel possesses a wealth of experience in the retirement industry and a deep focus on investment solutions. In his previous role with Sun Life, he led the international investment centre, an internal consulting group supporting Sun Life businesses around the world, including GRS. Prior to joining Sun Life in 2013, Shakeel spent 24 years with a leading human resources consulting firm where he held diverse, progressive positions in client management and retirement consulting. In the latter case, he led both defined benefit and defined contribution consulting teams. Shakeel holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Toronto and is a fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries, as well as a fellow of the Society of Actuaries.

Ed Studd

Ed Studd is a solutions manager of US portfolio solutions at Schroders. He joined Schroders London in 2016 and moved to New York in 2018 to join the portfolio solutions group. He is responsible for developing and delivering solutions that address the strategic asset allocation, liability hedging and downside risk management needs of Schroders’ clients. He is also responsible for the development and ongoing management of Schroders’ Canadian target date fund strategies. Prior to Schroders, Studd was an associate at Goldman Sachs International, which involved providing strategic investment and risk management advice to UK and European pension funds. Prior to this, he was an investment consultant at Towers Watson, which involved providing advice on the structure and implementation of liability-driven investment strategies for UK pension funds. Earlier in his career he was an actuarial analyst at KPMG, which involved valuing pension liabilities, pension accounting and working on liability management exercises. Studd is a fellow of the Institute of Actuaries, holds the chartered enterprise risk analyst designation and has a bachelor of science in mathematics and economics from London School of Economics.

Brett Sumsion

Brett Sumsion is a portfolio manager on the target date team within the global asset allocation (GAA) group at Fidelity Investments. In this role, Sumsion is responsible for co-managing Fidelity’s U.S. and Canadian target date portfolios, including Fidelity ClearPath retirement portfolios and Fidelity ClearPath institutional portfolios. Prior to joining Fidelity in 2014, Sumsion worked at DuPont Capital Management, Inc., as a managing director of asset allocation from 2008 to 2013 and portfolio manager from 2005 to 2008. Previously, he worked at Strategis Financial Group, Inc., where he was chief executive officer from 2004 to 2005 and vice president of asset allocation research from 2001 to 2004. He has been in the investments industry since 2001. Sumsion earned his bachelor of arts degree in economics from Brigham Young University and his master of business administration degree in finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds the chartered financial analyst designation.

Mike Tuira

Mike Tuira joined Invesco in Nov. 2017 as vice-president of defined contribution for Invesco Canada. In this role, he is responsible for Invesco's defined contribution (DC) and investment only (IO) business in Canada. He is also a member of the Invesco North American defined contribution leadership team. Tuira began his investment career in 2002 and has held successively more senior positions in the industry. Most recently, he served as acting assistant vice-president, investment solutions, within Sun Life Financial's group retirement savings division. Prior to that, he held several other roles at Sun Life including; director of investment solutions strategy, where he focused on overall platform management and investment manager governance, as well as investment solution executive, where he worked directly with plan sponsors and group advisors in the monitoring of DC and IO investment line-ups. Tuira earned a bachelor of commerce with a minor in economics from McMaster University. He also holds the chartered financial analyst designation, as well as the chartered alternative investment analyst designation.

More information to be announced shortly.

Event Location

The 2019 DC Plan Summit will take place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta.

Visit the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel website for more information

Address:

405 Spray Ave
Banff, AB, T1L 1J4
403-762-2211

With further inquiries about event logistics, please contact Joanne Merrick, event manager.

Transportation Options

 
Please see below a list of transportation options available in Banff to assist with all your airport transfer and shuttling needs.
*Please note that all attendees are responsible for arranging their own ground transportation.

Banff Airporter
(888) 449-2901
www.banffairporter.com 

Receive a 15% discount on the Banff Airporter's scheduled service between the Calgary Airport and Banff Centre. Click www.banffairporter.com/book   Proceed through the reservation and type - DCPlan - on the final payment page to receive the discount.

Brewster Transportation
(403) 762-6700
www.brewster.ca 

For pick up at the Calgary International Airport, please report to either of our desks on the Arrivals level. Please follow the Ground Transportation signs. For Domestic arrivals, we are beside Door #5. Please be ready 10 minutes prior to pick up time.

Pacific Western 
(780) 940-1901/ (403)681-9325
John Stepovy/Dan Finley
John@corp.pwt.ca
Danf@corp.pwt.ca
http://www.pwt.ca


Rental Cars 

Hertz (at Fairmont Banff Springs) 
(403) 762-2027 
www.hertz.ca  

Avis Rent-A-Car 
(403) 762-3222 
www.avis.com  

Enterprise 
(403) 762-2688 
www.enterprise.ca  

Budget Car & Truck Rental 
(403) 226-1550 
www.budget.ca