Collins Barrow Toronto launches actuarial services practice

TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2013 /CNW/ - Collins Barrow Toronto announces that a leading team of actuarial consultants, Dion Durrell, has joined the firm. This merger enhances Collins Barrow's service offering to financial and insurance institutions and trade associations.

The new actuarial services practice focuses on economic and financial value optimization for clients and their customers through the use of risk management and insurance techniques. The incoming team is highly sought after for its unique modeling capabilities, proprietary tools and technical understanding.

"With the addition of actuarial services, Collins Barrow Toronto is gaining a service line that is in high demand by Fortune 500 companies," says Harry Blum, Managing Partner of Collins Barrow Toronto. "We're also elevating our consulting practice; given the track record and skill set of this group, no other firm in Canada can match this level of service. Our clients now stand to benefit from novel capital, market and risk management structures that aren't available anywhere else."

With a focus on value creation and service excellence, the actuarial practice works closely with major financial institutions, retailers and others seeking to maximize their customer value proposition and operations in an ever changing regulatory environment. The team also assists large associations in identifying and assessing opportunities to self-insure, then leads processes to affect further cost savings and product development.

"Our actuaries have the willingness to challenge and change market norms and traditional solutions because we know we can improve on them," says Joel Cohen, partner at Collins Barrow and past CEO of Dion Durrell. "By leveraging Collins Barrow's national presence and international relationships, we have greater access, depth of knowledge and resources in both the Canadian and overseas markets. With these supports in place, I'm confident that our clients will greatly benefit from this association."

This move marks the third merger in under a year for Collins Barrow Toronto. Since December 2012, the firm has added bench strength by bringing significant enhancements to its valuation and litigation support practice and launching its restructuring and recovery practice.

"With this merger, Collins Barrow Toronto has become a full-service financial services organization," adds Blum. "We're proving that a mid-market firm can reach the top tier of the market through the addition of value-added, specialty services for non-traditional clients. There's no comparable firm in the country, let alone the city, that offers the depth and breadth of our services."

Blum promises there is more to come as Collins Barrow Toronto's ambitious growth strategy continues.

About Collins Barrow
Recognized as Canada's mid-market leader for audit, tax and advisory solutions, our association of 22 independent member firms comprises the eighth largest public accounting group nationally by revenue. Through our strong network infrastructure, shared expertise, resources and offices from coast to coast, we provide clients ranging in size from large, publicly traded companies to owner-managed and emerging businesses with a full complement of professional services across every major industry sector.

About Dion, Durrell + Associates Inc.
Dion Durrell is an employee-owned actuarial consulting and risk management firm headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1995, the firm provides actuarial, risk management and reinsurance services to a range of clients in Canada and internationally.

SOURCE: Collins Barrow National Cooperative Incorporated