On Tuesday, Vancouver-based developer Concert Properties announced that it had appointed Christine Bergeron as the company's next President and CEO.
Christine Bergeron is currently the President and CEO of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, commonly referred to as Vancity, and will remain in that role until mid-July, according to Vancity.
Bergeron joined Vancity in 2011 and has held several senior roles, including the Vice President of Impact Investing, Wealth Management and Community Real Estate. She was named CEO in 2020, and the firm's Board of Directors is expected to name an interim President and CEO in the coming weeks, according to a Vancity press release.
At Concert, Bergeron will step into the new role on September 5, 2023, according to Concert Properties, and will replace Co-Founder David Podmore, OBC, who will remain Chair of the Board.
"Christine's impressive background in corporate finance, portfolio management, deal structuring, and investments, combined with her inclusive, and collaborative leadership style, makes her the ideal person to lead Concert Properties," Podmore said. "I am confident in her ability to take us into the next phase of our growth."
According to Vancity, Bergeron's leadership helped Vancity achieve numerous milestones regarding the organization's committment to social and environmental impact, such as becoming the first financial institution in Canada to announce a net-zero financed emissions target for 2040, becoming the first financial institution in Canada to offer its members a way to estimate the CO2 emissions that come from their purchases, as well as requesting and implementing an organization-wide equity audit.
Bergeron also launched several programs to support women and black entrepreneurs, and committed the organization to the Progressive Aboriginal Relations certification program.
In 2022, she was named the winner of BC Business' Women of the Year Corporate Leader award.
"I am immensely proud of the progress we have made together towards creating a cleaner and more equitable world for our members and local communities," Bergeron said. "I am grateful for the support of the entire Vancity team throughout my time and I look forward to working alongside Vancity in continuing to build sustainable, resilient, and thriving communities."
READ: Avison Young Names Jessica Toppazzini as First Female Managing Director in Canada
Before her time at Vancity, Bergeron worked with entrepreneurs, financed innovative companies, and built financial firms, according to Concert Properties, all with a focus on cleantech, sustainability, and impact investing sectors.
"I am excited to be joining Concert Properties this September and to continue my leadership in building sustainable communities," Bergeron said. "I see a strong alignment between Concert's culture, vision and values and my own, and I am eager to apply my leadership, finance and investment experience to support Concert Properties' objective of creating resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities."
