Jean-Paul Bisnaire - Board of Governors Member
Biography:
J-P. Bisnaire is Senior Executive Vice President, Business Development and General Counsel of Manulife Financial. J-P. is responsible for overseeing worldwide the functions of business development, law, compliance, internal audit, information technology, public affairs and corporate secretary. He is also a member of the Company's Executive Committee and Management Committee.
Until July 2004 he was a senior corporate law partner of Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP and a member of the firm's Management Committee. He received a B.A. in Economics from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1973 and an LL.B. from the University of Ottawa Law School in 1976. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1978. He then joined the firm and became a partner in 1980.
J-P. was one of Canada's leading securities lawyers practising in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. He acted as senior counsel for a number of large public and private companies, boards of directors and controlling shareholders that have been involved in acquisitions, divestitures, take-over bids, initial public offerings, strategic alliances, corporate reorganizations, going private transactions, spin-off transactions, corporate finance and corporate governance matters.
J-P. also serves on the board of directors of McCain Foods Limited and on the Foundation Board of St. Michael’s Hospital.
