While many countries face mounting challenges in funding retirement for their citizens, Canada’s approach has drawn global attention for its resilience and results. In this fireside chat, John Graham, President & CEO of CPP Investments, will reflect on the factors that have shaped the CPP Fund’s growth, long-term stability and success.
From its origins to its role in today’s economy, Graham will offer an inside look at how CPP Investments manages one of the world’s largest pension funds, and what drives its performance. He’ll also share his perspectives on navigating global markets, the importance of staying focused on the long term, and the challenges and opportunities ahead. This candid conversation will provide a rare glimpse into how Canada’s national pension investment manager is positioning the Fund for the decades to come.
Meet Your Speaker
John’s experience at CPP Investments has spanned the globe, having worked in our Toronto, London and Hong Kong offices. In 2008, he joined the Total Portfolio Management group (now Total Fund Management) before transitioning to Private Investments. He went on to become Managing Director and Global Head of Principal Credit Investments in 2015 and was subsequently appointed Senior Managing Director & Global Head of Credit Investments in 2018. Under his leadership, Credit Investments has grown its exposure globally and developed expertise across the entire credit spectrum. John champions the delivery of superior investment returns on behalf of generations of Canadians. He has been instrumental in shaping CPP Investments into an organization defined by growth, high performance and a spirit of collaboration In addition to sitting at the helm of CPP Investments,
John has served on the board of FCLTGlobal since 2021 and has been Chair since September 1, 2024. FCLTGlobal is a non-profit organization with a mission to focus capital on the long term to support a sustainable and prosperous economy. CPP Investments is the co-Founder of Focusing Capital on the Long Term, the joint initiative that led to the creation of FCLTGlobal in 2016. John holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He is a CFA charter holder, is the inventor on 36 patents and has published 16 peer-reviewed journal articles.
Before joining CPP Investments, he worked as a research scientist, spending nine years at Xerox Innovation Group in research and strategy roles. John also serves on the board of SickKids, Canada’s most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children’s health.
