Paul Desmaris III has extensive senior-leadership experience in the finance, fintech, healthcare and humanitarian sectors.

Paul is Chair and CEO of Sagard, an alternative asset management firm active in venture capital, private equity, private credit, real estate, healthcare royalties and private wealth. Paul took the helm of Sagard in 2016. Sagard is behind some of the largest technology success stories in Canada, such as Wealthsimple and Dialogue.

Within the Sagard ecosystem, Paul is the Executive Chair and Co-Founder of Portage and the Chair and Co-Founder of Diagram. Within the investment portfolios, he is the Chair of Wealthsimple, Novisto, and Grayhawk, and a Director of nesto.

Paul is dedicated to helping build a better business world. He is Co-Founder of the Black Wealth Club and the Indigenous Leadership Circle, where emerging Black and Indigenous leaders go to learn about creating wealth and networks giving them tools and resources that can be reinvested in their communities.

Under Paul’s leadership, Sagard has committed to a more sustainable financial system by becoming a signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment, enlisting as a CREO participant, and embarking on its journey to carbon neutrality. Paul was also Co-Chair of the Centraide (United Way) campaign in 2022 and will chair the large donors campaign for the same organisation in 2024-2027.

Paul is a Board member of the Glenbow Museum and serves as Chair of the Next Canada Emeritus Advisory Board. He was formerly a Board member of the Rideau Hall Foundation and Alpine Canada. Paul also Co-Founded Young Canadians in Finance and Co-Chaired the True Patriot Love Expedition to the magnetic North Pole.

Prior to his current role, Paul worked at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking Division, Investment Strategy Group and Special Situations Group, Imerys S.A. in supply chain management and strategy, and Great-West Lifeco Inc. in risk management. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Harvard College and holds a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD in France.