Louis Gagnon promoted to Mercer US & Canada Region President
Mercer Canada CEO Louis Gagnon has been promoted to the role of US & Canada Region President, and will now be based out of Mercer’s New York headquarters. Replacing him as Canada CEO is Jaqui Parchment, formerly the Toronto Office Leader at the global human resources consulting firm.
In his new role as US & Canada Region President, Gagnon will be tasked with driving growth and innovation in the US and Canada – Mercer’s most important consulting market. He will report to Mercer Group President Martine Ferland, working with her and the Mercer Executive Leadership team to execute the firm’s global growth strategy.
A 30-year veteran of Mercer, Gagnon was Canada CEO since 2015 as well as Country Corporate Officer for Canada at parent company Marsh & McLennan since this spring. In his capacity as Mercer Canada CEO, he led the country’s 1,000+ employees in the provision of innovative solutions within the areas of health, wealth, and career. Previously, Gagnon led the Growth and Innovation function of the Global Retirement Business, generating cutting-edge wealth solutions for clients.
During his extensive career at the firm, he led the creation and growth of new offerings like the Mercer Pension Risk Exchange and the Mercer Work/Life and Financial Wellness program. Gagnon has deep consulting experience across the full range of employee benefits and human capital strategies. He holds a degree in Mathematics, Statistics, and Actuarial Science from Concordia University in Montreal.
“A thriving US and Canada region is crucial to our overall performance as a firm, and Louis’s extensive experience makes him ideal for this position,” commented Ferland. “His proven success in commercializing new solutions, inspiring colleagues, and driving profitable growth will ensure that we are bringing our innovative thinking and full capabilities to clients.”
Mercer has over 23,000 employees and revenues in excess of US$4 billion. The firm was founded in Vancouver, Canada in 1937 before becoming a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan in 1959. The HR consultancy has over 170 offices across the world, including 67 in the US and 12 in Canada.
Taking over from Gagnon as the new Canada CEO is Jaqui Parchment, formerly the leader of Mercer’s Toronto office. Parchment will report to Gagnon, and will guide Mercer’s continued growth as one of Canada’s leading HR advisory firms.
Before leading the Toronto office, Parchment headed the Canada Investments business and served as a client manager for numerous local and multinational clients. “Jaqui’s leadership, grounded in her significant experience across our business, will position our team for continued success in Canada,” said Gagnon. “Her track record of anticipating and meeting diverse client needs will ensure we continue to delight our clients with our full suite of ideas and solutions.”
In other Mercer news, Senior Partner and Client Manager Cindy Gentry was recently chosen as one of Consulting magazine’s Women Leaders in Consulting which recognize the top female executives making a significant impact in the industry. The awards will be presented on November 8 at the 12th annual gala awards dinner at The Palace in New York City.
