He joined Power Corporation of Canada in 1981. During the past three decades, Mr. Desmarais has made a significant contribution to expanding Power Financial Corporation’s holdings and managing the investment portfolio of Pargesa, the Swiss holding company through which Power Financial’s European industrial investments are held.

He is a Director of many Power group companies in Canada, the United States of America and Europe.

Honors and Distinctions: Officier de l’Ordre de la Couronne of Belgium (1994), Officer of the Order of Canada (2005), Officer of the Ordre national du Québec (2009); Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur in France (2012); Doctorate honoris causa from Université Laval (2006), from the Université de Montréal (2008) and from McGill University (2012)