Jacqueline Desmarais was born in Canada on September 20, 1928. After the death of her husband Paul Desmarais, Sr. in 2013, she and her four children inherited a large fortune. Mrs. Desmarais now oversees the family's wealth with her sons Paul, Jr. and Andre as trustees of the Desmarais Family Residuary Trust. The two sons are co-CEOs of Power Corp., a publicly-traded financial services company that includes Putnam Investments, Great-Life Westco, and a stake in CITIC Pacific. In 2014, the family sold 15 million subordinate voting shares of Power Corp. Mrs. Desmarais resides at the family's 75-acre estate Le Domaine Laforest in Quebec.
Jacqueline Desmarais & family is a member of Finance
Jacqueline Desmarais and her family have made a prominent mark in the Canadian finance sector. With a net worth estimated to be a staggering $5.1 billion in 2024, the Desmarais family has created a significant financial empire. Jacqueline Desmarais, along with her late husband Paul Desmarais, has built an influential legacy through their business endeavors in banking, insurance, and investment. Their wealth has been amassed over the years, and they are recognized as one of the most affluent families in Canada. The Desmarais family's success in the world of finance has solidified their reputation as influential figures in the Canadian business landscape.
Some Jacqueline Desmarais & family images
Biography/Timeline
1928
She was born Jacqueline Maranger in Sudbury, Ontario, to Ernest Marenger and Albertine Thanase, on September 20, 1928.
1953
On September 8, 1953, at Notre-de-Dame-de-Grâce, Quebec, she wed the financier Paul Desmarais (1927-2013), also a native of Sudbury.
1989
She was a long-term supporter of music and opera in Canada, and head of the guild of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra from 1989 to 1999. In 1997, she created a foundation in her name to support young opera Singers.
2011
In 2011, she received an honorary doctorate from the Université de Montréal's faculty of music.
2013
In 2013, Desmarais was named an officer of the Order of Canada. In 2016, she was awarded a Companion of Quebec's Order of Arts and Letters.
2015
According to Forbes, Desmarais had a net worth of $4.2 billion in January 2015.
2016
In 2016, Montreal's Sainte-Justine Hospital christened the Jacqueline Desmarais Pavilion.
2018
Jacqueline Desmarais died on March 3, 2018, aged 89.