Nine directors at large Canadian pension funds also hold fossil fuel positions
Nine of the directors who oversee Canada’s largest pension funds also hold positions at fossil fuel companies, according to a report by Pensions and Investments.
Wide adoption of stablecoins could cause problems for Canadian banks
For Canadian banks, stablecoins could be, well, destabilizing. These value of these cryptocurrency assets is tied to the value of a traditional currency, which makes them more practical to use than volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. This year, Canadian e-commerce giant Shopify began accepting a stablecoin called USDC, but stablecoins are in a regulatory grey area in Canada, and our banking system is not prepared for their widespread adoption.
Businesses need to adapt to change to grow
For Quebec, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are an engine of economic growth. Many SMEs have grown into prosperous companies, writes Bensadoun School in Retail Management student William Bernasconi in an article for the Conseil québecois du commerce de detail. But it’s important to consider failures as well as successes.
Money lessons from Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens still ring true today
Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens is a riches to rags story. Its wealthy title character squanders his money on opportunistic ‘friends’ and grows jaded with the world.
Desautels to launch new Master of Management of Finance program in Luxembourg
McGill Desautels is partnering with the Chamber of Commerce of Luxembourg on a new Master of Management in Finance. The program will launch in 2026, and will have a blended format that combines online learning and in-person sessions on weekends or evenings. The new degree will be delivered over 20 or 24 months in Luxembourg, a major European financial centre.
Concrete policy steps could address issues with Canada’s pension system
A well-designed pension system brings enormous social and economic values to its members and to society as a whole. Unfortunately, Canada’s doesn’t stand out. A 2024 report from Mercer ranks it just 18 out of 48 countries. In thefutureeconomy.ca, Prof. Sebastien Betermier proposes three measures that could help improve it by:
Complicated crypto products recall derivatives at the centre of the global financial crisis
Cryptocurrencies are volatile, risky and lack transparency. For banks and investors alike, that’s risky. “Some like to think ‘this time it’s different’,” Prof Patrick Augustin told PaperJam.lu. But for Augustin, crypto today recalls Lehman Brothers, the financial services firm whose collapse set the global financial crisis in motion in 2008. The similarities are striking.
Global public relations firm delivers McGill course content to staff in 12-week boot camp
Being happy doesn’t just make life more enjoyable, it can help you get things done. In 2024, McGill Desautels Adjunct Lecturer Anita Nowak co-designed a course on the power of positive psychology called Happiness means business, and it is gaining traction beyond the university’s walls. The global public relations and marketing consultancy Edelman brought in Prof. Anita Nowak to teach staff course materials.
Tariff loophole fuelling Canadian warehouse sector
Tariffs drive up prices for businesses, but some companies are finding a creative loophole to avoid some US tariffs. When a company imports a tariffed good, it pays a tariff. But it doesn’t pay a tariff if the goods are only passing through on the way to a final destination. This creates an incentive for US companies to store inventory in Canada. They can park products here until they sell them, and only pay tariffs on goods that are actually bound for the US market.
Stephanie Shaw on leading global HR at Eldorado Gold
McGill MBA alumna Stephanie Shaw (MBA’10) is vice-president of human resources at Eldorado Gold, where she leads a global team supporting 5,000 employees. Based in Vancouver, Shaw is driving a new people strategy focused on inclusive leadership, employee experience and digital transformation.
Companies should provide leadership training and opportunities to Gen Z
A recent survey conducted by Deloitte found that just six per cent of Gen Z and millenial respondents cited attaining a high-level corporate position as a primary career goal. More than half said they weren’t interested in becoming middle managers. Professor Karl Moore finds these numbers surprising. “'What is leadership, and do I want to become a leader?’ is a bit more in question for this generation,” he says.
McGill Desautels finance students expand horizons with small-cap fund
Thanks to a generous donation from Montreal finance leader J.
Clarity is key when passing control of a family business to the next generation
Even the most successful family businesses often don’t withstand the march of time. Just because one generation had what the right skills and temperament to run a business doesn’t mean their grandchildren will. But the Vancouver-based chocolate maker Purdys Chocolate bucks the trend, with a third-generation leader poised to take the helm.
Emerging tech can help make business’ more resilient
Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence have the power to boost business’ efficiency, but they can also make an organizations more resilient.
Predictive analytics are one way that companies can help ensure they’re prepared for whatever comes next. Predictive analytics can turn raw data into, writes Karl Moore in Forbes.com.
