A proud advocate of co-operative values, Rob drives Co-operators commitment to building a sustainable, financially secure, and resilient society for Canadians and our communities. He is instrumental in Co-operators evolution from a solely insurance-focused organization to a holistic financial-services provider, spanning multi-line insurance and investment products, services, and personalized advice.
Rob believes that the way to foster Canadians’ financial strength and security is to invest in communities, so they can better withstand and recover from increasingly frequent and severe climate-related events. That’s why he has overseen the investment of more than $2.6 billion – 21% of Co-operators portfolio – in impact investments that intentionally and measurably address Canada’s most-pressing environmental and social challenges. Additionally, he leads flood-resiliency efforts across the country, as a founding director and member of the Partners for Action Advisory Board, and as a board member of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction.
On the global stage, Rob is the Chair of the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF), and its charitable foundation. He also shares his unique expertise as a board member of the Canadian Co-operative Investment Fund (CCIF), and of Équité Association. And as a member of the Insurance Development Forum (IDF) Steering Committee, and the Sustainable Finance Action Council (SFAC) committee.
Rob holds a B.A. with distinction in Theoretical Mathematics and an MSc. of Applied Statistics from the University of Guelph, as well as a Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation. He lives with his family in Guelph, Ontario, where he remains a rooted and active member of the local community
Mr. Pesner is also currently serving as a Board member of Le Chateau Inc., Richmont Mines Inc. and Wi2Wi Corporation. Mr. Pesner is a CPA, CA and holds a B. Commerce from McGill University and a B. Arts degree from Concordia University.