Donald Guloien

Early life

Born in Parry Sound, Ontario in 1957, Donald Guloien lived in Sarnia, Ontario before he settled in Toronto. As a young man, he graduated from Silverthorn Collegiate Institute, a public high school in Toronto’s Markland Wood neighbourhood, and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto in 1980.

Career

Donald Guloien began his professional journey in 1977 at Household Finance Corporation of Canada as a planning analyst. After obtaining his B.Com the previous year, he joined Manulife as a research analyst in 1981. Over the next decade, Guloien rose steadily through the company’s ranks, being promoted to positions such as Project Manager, Canadian Division; Director, Insurance Marketing, U.S. Individual Business; and Marketing Vice President, U.S. Insurance Products, U.S. Individual Business. In 1990, he became Vice President, U.S. Individual Business, overseeing Manulife’s insurance and annuity operations in the United States.

From 1994 to 2001, Guloien led Manulife’s business development group. In this role, he spearheaded major initiatives that served to reshape the company, including the merger with North American Life Assurance Company, the sale of Manulife’s U.K. business interests, its conversion from a mutual life insurance company to a publicly traded stock company, and the firm’s entry into the Japanese market.

In 2001, Donald Guloien was appointed Manulife’s Chief Investment Officer, responsible for all investment operations worldwide. In carrying out this role, he helped build Manulife Asset Management into a global wealth management powerhouse, covering major areas like retail mutual funds, pensions, and endowments. He also oversaw the integration of John Hancock Financial’s investment operations in 2004, creating one of the strongest international platforms in the financial industry. His responsibilities grew once again in 2007, when he took charge of Manulife’s Asian insurance businesses, bringing the insurance company into markets like China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam.

On May 7, 2009, with the insurance industry still in the immediate aftermath of the 2007-08 global financial crisis, Donald Guloien was named President and CEO of Manulife. Under his leadership, the company stabilized amid a rocky international financial climate and returned to growth, eventually surpassing $1 trillion in assets. He proceeded to guide Manulife through several acquisitions, including the 2014 purchase of Standard Life’s Canadian operations. In 2017, after more than eight years as CEO, Donald Guloien retired.

Not long after his retirement, Guloien and his wife, Irene Boychuk, launched Guloien Capital, a venture capital firm that funds early-stage companies. Beyond business matters, he has been active in governance, education, and philanthropy, serving on the boards of the SickKids Foundation, the Banting Research Foundation, and Branksome Hall, as well as supporting the University of Toronto and other causes.

Net Worth

As of 2021, CEOWORLD Magazine estimates Donald Guloien’s net worth to be approximately $15 million.