Concert Properties has named Christine Bergeron to take over as its president and CEO when David Podmore steps away from those roles in September to focus on his role as board chair.

Bergeron is a well-known senior executive in the Canadian financial industry, serving as president and CEO of Vancity Group since 2020.

She has spent the past 12 years with Vancity Group in ever more senior executive positions. Bergeron is expected to remain with Vancity for several months to assist with the transition while the firm seeks a new president and CEO.

“I am very pleased to share that our board has appointed Christine Bergeron as the next president and CEO of Concert Properties, effective September 5, 2023. I will remain chair of the board, and look forward to supporting and working with Christine,” Podmore said in the announcement.

She will be replacing a man who has been a fixture in the industry for four decades. Podmore founded Concert Properties in 1989 and has headed the ever-growing, Vancouver-based company since.

Concert Properties' $9-billion portfolio

One of the largest real estate companies in Western Canada, Concert Properties has a portfolio of over $9 billion in assets.

It is the real estate investment manager for union and management pension plans and institutional investors representing over 200,000 Canadians.

Concert Properties comprises three corporate entities: Concert Real Estate Corporation, Concert Infrastructure and Concert Income Properties.

Within these organizations, it develops and manages rental apartments and seniors’ active aging communities; develops condominium homes; develops, acquires and manages commercial properties; and invests in, develops and manages public infrastructure projects across Canada.

"I am excited to be joining Concert Properties this September and to continue my leadership in building sustainable communities,” Bergeron said in the announcement.

“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.”

Bergeron's tenure at Vancity

At Vancity, Bergeron led a national organization of over 2,600 employees, $34 billion in assets plus assets under administration, and a $9 billion real estate lending portfolio.

After becoming president and CEO, she developed a new vision for the organization including strengthening the company’s commitments to the climate, Indigenous reconciliation and diversity, equality and inclusion.

She delivered record profitability for the organization in 2020 and 2021. The company also won several employee engagement and branding awards during her tenure.

“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 in the announcement. 

"I am confident in her ability to take us into the next phase of our growth.”

Prior to joining Vancity, Bergeron’s career primarily involved working with entrepreneurs, financing innovative companies and building financial firms – all focused within the cleantech, sustainability and impact investing sectors.

The recipient of several prestigious awards, Bergeron in 2022 was named Corporate Leader in the Women of the Year Awards by BC Business. 

She holds a BA in sociology from the University of Guelph, an MBA in strategic management from the University of British Columbia and a CIM designation from the Canadian Securities Institute.

Additionally, she has extensive experience serving on a number of boards, including InBC (as board chair), United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative, Aviso Wealth Inc., and CU Cumis Wealth Holdings Inc.