Former PM Stephen Harper appointed to oversee Alberta's AIMCo fund

Alberta’s government has appointed former prime minister Stephen Harper as chairman of the board of the $169-billion public-sector pension fund manager Alberta Investment Management Corp., and added deputy minister of the province’s finance ministry as a permanent director.

Mr. Harper is taking the role unpaid after Alberta’s government dismissed AIMCo's entire 10-member board of director and four senior leader, including its chief executive officer, on November 7.

The province also named four other members of the board on Wednesday. Three of them are returning less than two weeks after being dismissed: Former private equity executive Jason Montemurro, real estate investor Bob Dhillon and former Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan CEO Jim Keohane.

“We’re incredibly fortunate that Mr. Harper has agreed to take on this leadership role with AIMCo,” Ms. Smith said in a statement. “Our ambitious goal of building the Heritage Savings Trust Fund to more than $250 billion in the next 25 years requires strong governance oversight, which he will provide.”