"We want to inspire the next generation of leaders in Canada," Paul Rolston says, "and that means supporting postsecondary education, especially in the areas of research and experiential learning."
Paul is the Managing Director and Co-head of Institutional Management at Jarislowsky, Fraser Limited (JFL)—a pre-eminent Canadian investment management company that manages capital for institutional and private clients, both in Canada and globally.
JFL Managing Director and Co-head of Institutional Management Paul Rolston. JFL was named a Top Investment Manager in The Great Canadian ESG Championship (ESG stands for environmental, social, and governance factors).
Paul says he joined JFL because of "its phenomenal reputation for investment stewardship and its philosophy of investing for the long term in high-quality companies."
This philosophy is the foundation of JFL's commitment to sustainable investing. It seeks out companies that put importance on good corporate governance, environmental stewardship, and social practices such as equity, diversity, and inclusion programs.
"I believe sustainable investing is a way for investors to potentially align their investments with their values. We look for companies that go beyond a focus on short-term profits toward long-term value creation," Paul explains.
Paul currently helps oversee the team responsible for delivering the best solutions and services to JFL's institutional clients, which includes foundations, endowments, Indigenous groups, corporations, and pension funds. In fact, Lakehead relies on JFL to manage significant portions of its investments and employee pension plan.
"We're honoured to have had a relationship with Lakehead since 1999," Paul says.
In addition to helping Lakehead through sound financial management, JFL has been a generous donor to many Lakehead initiatives and programs.
"Lakehead has been a great partner, and we wanted to give something meaningful back," Paul says.
JFL has accomplished this as a long-time sponsor of Lakehead's Thunderwolves Athletics and the Annual Alumni Golf Tournament, which raise funds for student scholarships and awards. The company has also strengthened the quality of Lakehead's business programming.
This has encompassed subsidizing students' use of the Bloomberg Terminal—a comprehensive investment and financial market platform providing data, tools, and news used by the world's investment leaders. The Bloomberg Terminal gave students real-world investing practice and increased their marketability and job prospects.
Mentorship is important to JFL, too. They participated in the March 2022 Student Sessions hosted by the Faculty of Business Administration and offered advice and guidance to students considering careers in the financial sector.
A New Gift Launches a New Era
Now, Lakehead is proud to announce that JFL will soon be changing the lives of even more Lakehead students. JFL will be making a transformative annual donation to our Faculty of Business Administration to support student programming and research and to create vibrant learning spaces that will prepare Lakehead students for the evolving business world.
"This gift will further our shared commitment to addressing current business issues, including environmental and sustainable investing," says Lakehead's Dean of Business Administration David Richards.
JFL hopes this "will give business students access to hands-on tools they wouldn't otherwise have so that they can live roles, rather than just learn about them," Paul says.
He urges students to get experience in different areas as early as possible to discover where their passion lies. He's also looking forward to seeing Lakehead students continue to flourish.
"We truly appreciate our multi-decade relationship with Lakehead," Paul says, "and we're extremely happy to support the next generation of business leaders."