Stephen Jarislowsky, Canadian investment pioneer, dies at 101

Canadian investment manager and philanthropist Stephen Jarislowsky has died at the age of 101. Born in Germany in 1925, Jarislowsky founded Jarislowsky Fraser & Co. in 1955, eventually growing the Montreal-based firm into one of Canada’s largest pension fund managers, overseeing approximately $40 billion in assets at the time of his departure in 2012. The firm was later acquired by Scotiabank in 2018 for $950 million.

Jarislowsky was a prominent advocate for ethical business practices, strong corporate governance, and shareholder rights. His philanthropic efforts included donating millions of dollars to establish numerous research chairs at Canadian universities in fields such as medicine, management, and the arts.

He was a Companion of the Order of Canada and received honorary degrees from 20 universities. The Institut sur la gouvernance d’organisations privées et publiques (IGOPP) honored his legacy, noting his significant contributions to the mission of governance excellence and his commitment to long-term, responsible organizational leadership.