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This has been a year of marked progress for Investors Group. Growth in our field management appointments and the expansion of our regional office network has allowed us to expand our Consultant team across the country. We continue to focus on building long-term relationships with our clients by effectively identifying and meeting their complex financial needs. This is done through sound personal financial advice combined with the delivery of a diverse range of products and services.
Building on a foundation of strength
Growth of the Investors Group Consultant network continued strong in 2005. Growth since mid-2004 is the result of improvements to our effective, successful training and support programs, which occurred in 2003 and 2004. This has resulted in six consecutive quarters of network growth.
Fundamental to this success is the attractiveness of Investors Group’s strategic approach and commitment to comprehensive, holistic financial planning. Our culture is unique and entrepreneurial, providing Consultants with the right environment to deliver personalized service and knowledgeable advice to our clients.
We further strengthened the quality of our Consultant network by increasing the depth of expertise in region offices across the country. We introduced seven new region offices and significantly increased the number of individuals in field management roles. Each office is supported by several Division Directors, who play key roles in the recruitment, training, and ongoing mentoring of new Consultants. During 2005, there was a 16% growth in field leaders associated with our region offices. By deepening our management and leadership strength in region offices, Investors Group is better able to support new and established Consultants in delivering effective financial planning advice to clients. This will also serve as a source of long-term strength.
 Investors Group continued our support to Consultants with high-quality training programs. In 2005, we introduced an improved field-based training program for new Consultants. The program takes advantage of our increased leadership strength regionally and provides new Consultants with mentorship and the ongoing support of experienced managers. In addition, Investors Group’s annual APEX conference provided advanced financial planning and practice management training to over 1,300 Consultants. The company’s commitment to training and support of Consultants is unique in the industry. The excellence of our training programs, ongoing mentorship, and field leadership have supported the growth of the Investors Group Consultant network, while improving our Consultants’ ability to deliver effective financial advice in an increasingly complex market.
Building through innovation
Investors Group has the unique ability to offer an industry-leading range of products and services to meet our clients’ diverse needs. In addition to our $51 billion in mutual fund assets, we have helped our clients establish $37 billion in insurance coverage in force and $5 billion in banking and mortgage loan balances.
Consultant and client support of the Symphony Strategic Investment Planning™ (Symphony) approach continues to grow. The Symphony planning approach enables Consultants to build optimized risk-adjusted portfolios, and provides enhanced reporting features. Net flows to the Symphony based Alto and Allegro Portfolios increased 34% year-over-year. Enhancements to Portfolio Tuner, Symphony’s portfolio rebalancing application, resulted in a significant increase in usage of the application within weeks of its launch in September 2005. Use of Symphony and Portfolio Tuner should continue to increase as Consultants embrace these productivity tools to provide enhanced portfolio management and service to clients.
Late in 2004, Investors Group introduced seven new mutual funds, including three monthly income funds, an income trust fund, and a real return bond fund, resulting in strong asset growth throughout 2005.
The company applies our experience and expertise in investment management to bring timely and innovative products to Canadian investors. With the continuing success of Investors Canadian Dividend Fund, the largest mutual fund in Canada, Investors Group announced the introduction of Investors Global Dividend Fund in late 2005. This fund is ideally suited to meet the needs of an aging population desiring equitybased income. The fund combines the benefits of a high quality, large capitalization equity fund with dividend payments, giving investors the dual advantage of income and growth. This new Global Dividend Fund draws on the strength of Investors Group’s investment management resources around the world.
The company’s holistic approach to financial planning is continuously enhanced through the evolution and expansion of our product and service offering.
Building communities
In 2005, Investors Group continued our unwavering support of the communities in which our employees, Consultants, and clients live and work. Once again, Consultants and employees have given tirelessly of their time and expertise, supporting countless local charitable organizations.
Corporately, Investors Group supports the United Way through contributions to local campaigns across Canada. As a major partner of Volunteer Canada, the company also encourages volunteerism throughout the country. In addition, Investors Group continued our support for the Canadian Association of Food Banks in 2005 through Food for Thought, a national campaign of local initiatives to raise awareness about hunger-related issues.
In 2005, Investors Group was proud to present the second annual Herbert H. Carnegie Award to Vince O’Shea, an Executive Financial Consultant in the Edmonton Southside office. This prestigious award recognizes Investors Group Consultants who demonstrate outstanding client service and extraordinary long-term community service. It is named in honour of Investor Group Consultant and Order of Canada recipient Herb Carnegie. Mr. O’Shea received this year’s award in recognition of his exceptional support of the Spinal Cord Society. Mr. O’Shea founded the Society’s 5K Walk, Run and Roll event. This year’s event attracted 400 participants and raised $210,000 to help fund the search for a cure for spinal cord injuries. In the 10 years he has championed the event, he and hundreds of volunteers have raised $572,000 for the Spinal Cord Society. Investors Group applauds Vince and is exceptionally proud of his contribution.
Investors Group is committed to corporate citizenship and building strong, enduring partnerships within our communities. We are a people company and believe sincerely that these relationships are an integral part of who we are. To support employees and their exceptional efforts across Canada, the company launched the Employees in Action initiative, which supports employees in their community involvement.
Confidence deepens
Investors Group is not only growing, we are growing stronger. With six consecutive quarters of sustained growth of the Consultant network, enhanced management strength and expertise in the field, and a proven program of training and support, the company is more confident than ever in our ability to provide valuable personal financial advice to our clients.
The active engagement of employees, the continual refinement of the financial planning process, and the expansion of our product and service offering demonstrate the company’s commitment to meet the evolving financial needs of Canadians.
Investors Group remains focused on providing Canadians with knowledgeable financial planning advice combined with high-quality products and services. The company’s commitment to building enduring relationships is strong, as is demonstrated by our partnership with Consultants, long-term relationships with clients, and support of our communities.
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