Claude Perron’s opening remarks
Virtual Méchoui, August 20th 2020
Bonjour – My name is Claude Perron, Chairman of Crystalline Management, a money management firm, founded in 1998, with a focus on arbitrage strategies.
Je vous souhaite à tous la bienvenue, quel que soit l’endroit où vous vous trouvez, dans votre sous-sol, au bureau ou peut-être même dans votre grenier!
I would like to welcome you all, some 230 + registrants, I am told; the result of the collaboration of some 7 associations. This is a testimony of the relevancy of the selected themes but mostly, the quality of our speakers and their associated organizations. Thank you all.
Allow me to take a few minutes to give you the genesis of this event and what FIAM’s mission and objectives are all about.
FIAM stand for “Forum d’investissements alternatifs de Montréal”.
The Montreal Alternative Investment Forum, was initially created to assume the organization of a very successful summer social gathering widely known today as the “Méchoui”. This event was part of a Canadian-wide initiative, launched in 2014, during my time as Deputy chairman of AIMA Canada.
This unifying event promotes exchanges between members of the financial community’s ecosystem. A key success factor has always been to secure the presence of current leaders, semi-retired former executives, the rising guard, emerging managers and a good balance of companies, including important service providers. A success factor you certainly do not want to miss.
At its 6th Edition, in August of last year, FIAM partnered with CFA Montreal to choose a laureate for FIAM AWARD OF EXCELLENCE whose career brought an exceptional contribution to its profession. Sophie Palmer, former president of CFA Montreal and Regional Director & Portfolio Manager at Jarislowsky Fraser, was the recipient.
FIAM has also started a scholarship program for CFA and CAIA aspirants in partnership with CFA Montreal and CAASA associations.
Registered as a non-profit organization, FIAM is a collaborative platform, designed to assist or initiate events with the participation of associations / organizations / institutes who share the same objectives: the development of our investing community and its competency.
This virtual event is a good example of what FIAM aim to do – bring together, in a non-competitive spirit, diverse organizations to make possible the organization of a successful event or a project that bring real value to our investing community.
In this context and in partnership with the Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec, FIAM is planning, sometime next year, the organization of an important international conference on Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, a first step toward the creation of an international AI / ML ecosystem entirely focus on Finance & Investment, an initiative that leverage on Montreal’s international reputation on the AI space.
A special thanks goes to Claire Van Wyk-Allan, head of AIMA Canada who has been an inspiration in making this event possible and Maryam Idroos, Claire’s right arm, for her invaluable assistance in the registration and logistic process.
Thank again to our partners associations, the speakers and their associated organizations and thanks to our sponsors.