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Montr&eacute;al, May 2, 2022 &ndash; <a href="https://www.optimumfinancier.com/en" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Optimum Financial Group</a> unveiled a solid financial performance at the Optimum Group Inc.&rsquo;s annual shareholders&rsquo; meeting on April&nbsp;29,&nbsp;2022.

For the third consecutive year, the Group achieves revenues over one billion Canadian dollars. For the past financial year, the return on equity reaches nearly 12.5%. Also worth noting, net premiums have increased by 17%.

Furthermore, assets under management in Canada, in the United States and in France totalize nearly 8.5&nbsp;billion Canadian dollars to December&nbsp;31,&nbsp;2021.

Despite the negative impacts of the pandemic on mortality, the life insurance and reinsurance sector nevertheless stands out with very good results and a notable growth in net premiums, while the general insurance sector continues to generate excellent underwriting results.

&ldquo;Our performance indicators are very positive and reflect the rigorous work of our teams of experts dedicated to successfully ensuring the financial security of our clients and partners in an unprecedented context combining the extended pandemic with historically low interest rates&rdquo;, comments Anabelle Blondeau, Vice Chair of the Board and President and Chief Executive Officer, Optimum Group Inc.

&ldquo;We are pursuing and intensifying our research and development work to materialise innovative IT projects, notably in actuarial technique and in medical underwriting, with the perspective of continuously improving our agility. We remain attentive to the evolving needs of our clients and partners, and are committed to the fulfillment and well-being of our employees.&rdquo; she adds.

Optimum Financial Group has also bestowed the 2021 Optimum Enterprise Award to two ex-aequo winning companies: Optimum Reassurance Inc. for its volume increase in net premiums and its improved return on equity, as well as Optimum Vie S.A. for the increase of its business volume and its very good financial results. This annual award recognizes the exceptional contribution of a subsidiary to the Group&rsquo;s overall performance.

About Optimum Financial Group

Optimum Financial Group is dedicated to the financial security of its clients since over 50 years. Global and privately-owned, it is diversified in the sectors of actuarial consulting, asset management, general insurance, information technology, life insurance, life reinsurance, and real estate. The Group has over 620&nbsp;employees in subsidiaries operating mainly across Canada, the United States and in France. Its revenues reach nearly 1.1&nbsp;billion Canadian dollars, and its total assets rise up to 6&nbsp;billion Canadian dollars. <a href="http://www.financialoptimum.com" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">www.financialoptimum.com</a>

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Optimum Groupe financier dévoile une performance financière solide pour 2021

Optimum Financial Group unveils a solid financial performance for 2021

MONTR&Eacute;AL, May 3, 2021 &ndash; Optimum Financial Group presented once again excellent financial results for 2020 at the Optimum Group Inc.&rsquo;s annual shareholders&rsquo; meeting on April 30, 2021.

The Group strengthens and reinforces its performance by achieving an 11% increase of its revenues reaching nearly 1.2 billion dollars. For the past financial year, the return on equity rises up to 12%. Written premiums have progressed by 12.5% and total assets have grown by over 11%.

Furthermore, assets under management in Canada, in the United States and in France approximately reach 8.2 billion dollars to December 31, 2020.

&ldquo;Sound risk assessment is at the core of our DNA. This approach has proven to stand behind the success and perennity of our subsidiaries, particularly in the sectors of life reinsurance, general insurance and asset management&rdquo;, commented Anabelle Blondeau, Vice Chair of the Board and President and Chief Executive Officer, Optimum Group Inc.

&ldquo;When the pandemic began, our subsidiaries executed their business continuity plan cautiously elaborated in previous years and continued their activities fluidly. During these unprecedented times, our teams devoted to the success and financial security of our clients and partners have shown agility, determination and creativity to keep on supporting and advising them based on their specific needs, a reflection of our corporate value of client focus. The new normality does not affect the resilience of our tightly knit teams who continue to build the future on solid values&rdquo;, she concluded.

Optimum Financial Group has also bestowed the 2020 Optimum Enterprise Award to Optimum IT Solutions for its profitability as well as its agility and prompt contribution in maintaining the operations and to the optimization of telework in the context of the pandemic. We highlight the implementation of IT solutions and the successful deployment of collaboration tools. This annual award recognizes the exceptional contribution of one subsidiary to the Group&rsquo;s overall performance.

About Optimum IT Solutions

Optimum&rsquo;s IT Solutions team, geared towards client service, is dedicated to creating value in information technology for the Group&rsquo;s subsidiaries. Regular trend monitoring, ongoing training of talents and high-end external consultation keep them on the lookout for technological advances. The information technology services are divided into three areas, namely infrastructure management ensuring stability and a healthy system evolution, IT security management aiming to mitigate risks, and the application deployment that directly contributes to the subsidiaries&rsquo; success.

About Optimum Financial Group

Optimum Financial Group is dedicated to the financial security of its clients for over 50 years. Global and privately-owned, it is diversified in the sectors of life insurance, general insurance, life reinsurance, actuarial consulting, asset management, information technology, and real estate. The Group has over 615 employees in subsidiaries operating mainly across Canada, the United States and in France. Its revenues reach nearly 1.2 billion Canadian dollars and its total assets rise up to 6 billion Canadian dollars. <a href="http://www.optimumgroup.com">www.optimumgroup.com</a>

Optimum Groupe financier dévoile d’excellents résultats pour 2020 - 3 mai 2021

Optimum Financial Group unveils excellent results for 2020

MONTR&Eacute;AL, May 4, 2020 &ndash; Optimum Financial Group presented once again excellent financial results at Optimum Group Inc.&rsquo;s annual shareholders&rsquo; meeting on April 30, 2020, with respect to its 2019 financial year.

The Group, whose 2019 year marked its 50th anniversary, continued its growth and achieved revenues of more than one billion dollars for the first time in its history. The shareholders&rsquo; return on equity reached more than 11% and written premiums progressed by 10% in 2019, while total assets grew by 13%.

Furthermore, asset management in Canada, France and the United States totaled nearly 8 billion dollars of assets under management as of March 31, 2020.

&ldquo;The rigorousness of our teams, combined with the performance of our subsidiaries, notably in the sectors of life reinsurance, general insurance and life insurance, have particularly contributed to our success this year,&rdquo; commented Anabelle Blondeau, President and Chief Executive Officer.

&ldquo;Determined to pursue our international development in asset management, we completed in 2019 the acquisition of the assets of a US-based asset management firm and added its team of managers to our teams in Montreal and Paris,&rdquo; continued Ms. Blondeau.

During the financial year, the AM Best agency upgraded from &ldquo;A-&rdquo; to &ldquo;A&rdquo; (Excellent) the financial strength rating of the group&#39;s two rated insurance sectors, life reinsurance and property and casualty insurance.

Optimum Financial Group has also bestowed the 2019 Optimum Enterprise Award to Optimum General Inc. for having increased its revenues and improved its profitability, which resulted in a return of 14.5% on its equity value in Optimum Group inc. This annual award recognizes the exceptional contribution of a subsidiary to the Group&rsquo;s overall performance.

About Optimum General Inc.

Since 1976, the team provides insurance to Canadians from its offices located in Qu&eacute;bec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia. Optimum General Inc. is a Canadian holding active through its three companies: Optimum Insurance Company Inc., Optimum West Insurance Company Inc. and Optimum Farm Insurance Inc. Optimum General Inc., Canadian-owned, is a subsidiary of Optimum Group Inc., a private and diversified financial group with international operations. <a href="http://www.optimum-general.com" target="_blank">www.optimum-general.com</a>

About Optimum Financial Group

Since 1969, Optimum Group&rsquo;s team of experts has been working to preserve the financial security of its customers. Global and privately-owned, it is diversified in the sectors of life insurance, general insurance, life reinsurance, actuarial consulting, asset management, information technologies and real estate. The Group has more than 600 employees in subsidiaries mainly across Canada, in the United States and in France. Its revenues generate more than one billion dollars and its total assets amount to 5,4 billion dollars. <a href="http://www.optimumgroup.com">www.optimumgroup.com</a>

Optimum Groupe financier dévoile d’excellents résultats pour 2019 - 4 mai 2020

Optimum Financial Group reveals excellent results for 2019

MONTR&Eacute;AL, May 17, 2019 &ndash; Optimum Financial Group is proud to announce the closing of an acquisition agreement for the assets and the seasoned team of Hillswick Asset Management, a firm based in Stamford, Connecticut. This transaction diversifies the Group&rsquo;s asset management activities in the United States, focused on life reinsurance until now. It confirms its commitment to develop asset management globally, in collaboration with its subsidiaries established in Canada and in France.

Hillswick Asset Management has thus transferred to the company Optimum Quantvest Corporation over 1.1 billion Canadian dollars (US $815M) under management, as part of US bonds and equity mandates, on behalf of pension funds, insurance companies, governmental entities and investment platforms.

&ldquo;I would like to welcome the Hillswick team who shares our values of expertise, rigor and client proximity,&rdquo; says Anabelle Blondeau, President and Chief Executive Officer, Optimum Group Inc. &ldquo;This expansion presents a growth opportunity in asset management that will thereby enable us to offer complementary services to our American clients.&rdquo;

&ldquo;I am thrilled to onboard the much experienced Hillswick team whose talents are complementary to our current excellent asset management teams,&rdquo; continues Claude Lamonde, President, Optimum Quantvest Corporation. &ldquo;Their great expertise of the US market will enhance our global investment processes, already very solid, which will be beneficial to our Canadian and European clients.&rdquo;

&ldquo;Our whole team is delighted to join Optimum, the ideal partner to accelerate our growth and ensure the continuity of our activities,&rdquo; commented Anders Ekernas, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer, Hillswick Asset Management, LLC. &ldquo;We are thrilled to join a financial group that is solid and diversified, with established teams in asset management and a state-of-the-art technology which will advantage our clients.&rdquo;

The asset management subsidiaries of Optimum share a unique technology developed by internal teams. This technology offers a dynamic big data ecosystem that analyzes thousands of securities and reads financial reports to quickly identify the best market opportunities.&nbsp;

About Hillswick Asset Management

Hillswick Asset Management is based in Stamford (CT, United States) and manages investment mandates totaling over 1.1 billion Canadian dollars (US $815M) for its institutional clients mainly originating from the United States and Sweden. The Hillswick team fosters a conservative approach based on the thorough analysis of macro-economic factors.

About Optimum Quantvest Corporation

Optimum Quantvest Corporation is a new subsidiary of the Group that is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and provides investment management advisory services. <a href="http://www.optimumquantvest.com">www.optimumquantvest.com</a><a href="http://www.optimumquantvest.com" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a>

About Optimum Asset Management

Since nearly 35 years, Optimum Asset Management based in Montr&eacute;al (QC, Canada) manages investment mandates for institutional and private wealth clients. It counts over 6.3 billion Canadian dollars (US $4.7B) in assets under management. It integrates a technology and quantitative models to a rigorous and proven process of active management. <a href="http://www.optimumgestion.com" target="_blank">www.optimumgestion.com</a>

About Optimum Gestion financi&egrave;re

Since over 20 years, Optimum Gestion financi&egrave;re based in Paris (France) manages mutual fund trusts, including a Canadian equity one, for institutional and private investors. The team applies a structured investment process focused on capital protection. <a href="http://www.optimumfinanciere.fr" target="_blank">www.optimumfinanciere.fr</a>

About Optimum Financial Group

Optimum Financial Group celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Since 1969, the Group is dedicated to the financial security of its clients. Global and privately-owned, it is diversified in the sectors of life insurance, general insurance, life reinsurance, actuarial consulting, asset management, and real estate. The Group has over 585 employees in subsidiaries mainly across Canada, the United States and in France. Its revenues generate 850 million Canadian dollars (US $630M), its assets exceed 4.7 billion Canadian dollars (US $3.5B) and its assets under management total 7.5 billion Canadian dollars (US $5.6B). <a href="http://www.optimumgroup.com">www.optimumgroup.com</a>

Optimum Groupe financier étend ses activités de gestion d’actifs aux États-Unis - 17 mai 2019

Optimum Financial Group expands its asset management activities in the US

MONTR&Eacute;AL, May 2, 2019 &ndash; Optimum Financial Group presented once again excellent financial results for 2018 during the Optimum Group Inc.&rsquo;s annual shareholders&rsquo; meeting on April 30, 2019.

The Group continues its growth and revenues have now reached 850 million dollars. The shareholders&rsquo; return has risen up to nearly 15%, including dividends paid during the year. Written premiums have progressed by 8% and total assets have grown by 8%. Furthermore, asset management in Canada and in France totalises almost 7 billion dollars to March 31, 2019.

&ldquo;The rigor of our teams combined to the performance of our subsidiaries in the sectors of life reinsurance, general insurance and, in France, life insurance have particularly contributed to our success this year&rdquo;, commented Anabelle Blondeau, President and Chief Executive Officer, Optimum Group Inc. &ldquo;Also worth noting, these excellent financial results have been obtained while enhancing the long-term potential of some insurance portfolios&rdquo;.

&ldquo;Eager to serve our clients even better, we have achieved the acquisition and the integration of a highly specialized team in quantitative asset management, followed by the implementation of an innovative and powerful technological tool&rdquo;, continued Jean-Claude Pag&eacute;, Chair of the Board, Optimum Group Inc.

Optimum Financial Group has also bestowed the 2018 Optimum Enterprise Award to the French company Optimum Vie S.A. for the 18% increase of its revenues and for improving its financial situation, despite the context of difficult financial returns in Europe. This annual award recognizes the exceptional contribution of one subsidiary to the Group&rsquo;s overall performance.

About Optimum Vie S.A.

Optimum Vie S.A. is the only Canadian-owned life insurance company in France. It offers solutions related to investment funds, capitalization, savings and retirement as well as traditional contingency products. The company also works in hand with its clients to develop niche products, extended range of products, tailored solutions or white-labeled products.

About Optimum Financial Group

Optimum Financial Group celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Since 1969, the Group is dedicated to the financial security of its clients. Global and privately-owned, it is diversified in the sectors of life insurance, general insurance, life reinsurance, actuarial consulting, asset management, and real estate. The Group has over 585 employees in subsidiaries mainly across Canada, the United States and in France. Its revenues generate 850 million dollars and its total assets exceed 4.7 billion dollars. <a href="http://www.optimumgroup.com">www.optimumgroup.com</a>

Optimum Groupe financier dévoile à nouveau d’excellents résultats pour 2018 - 2 mai 2019

Optimum Financial Group unveils once again excellent results for 2018

Anabelle Blondeau succeeds to Jean-Claude Pag&eacute; in this role

MONTR&Eacute;AL, May 2, 2019 &ndash; Optimum Financial Group announced a senior management appointment during Optimum Group Inc.&rsquo;s annual shareholders&rsquo; meeting on April 30, 2019.

In accordance with a longstanding succession plan, Jean-Claude Pag&eacute;, B.A., B.Sc., FCIA, FSA, retires from his functions as Chief Executive Officer. Actively involved since his arrival in 1976, he has dedicated the last 25 years successively as President and Chief Operating Officer (1995-2012), then Chief Executive Officer (since 2012) as well as Chair of the Board (since 2017). Mr. Pag&eacute; remains Chair of the Board.

Anabelle Blondeau, CPA, CMA, FSA, MAAA, is designated President and Chief Executive Officer. She has accumulated achievements as President and Chief Operating Officer in the last six years and has held several strategic management positions in Canada, in the United States and in France over the past 30 years. Mrs. Blondeau remains Vice Chair of the Board.

&ldquo;On behalf of the administrators and the shareholders, I thank Jean-Claude for his significant contributions to the quality and the profitability of operations throughout the years. His great competency, rigor and determination have truly been important assets for our Group&rdquo;, said Gilles Blondeau, Honorary Chair of the Board, Optimum Group Inc. &ldquo;We trust Anabelle will exceed our expectations, as she has consistently done until today, and wish her every success in her new role&rdquo;.

This senior management appointment occurs 50 years after the foundation of the Group in April 1969 by Gilles Blondeau. His vision was to build in Quebec a diversified financial group that would shine internationally. This vision is now a reality.

About Optimum Financial Group

Optimum Financial Group celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Since 1969, the Group is dedicated to the financial security of its clients. Global and privately-owned, it is diversified in the sectors of life insurance, general insurance, life reinsurance, actuarial consulting, asset management, and real estate. The Group has over 585 employees in subsidiaries mainly across Canada, the United States and in France. Its revenues generate 850 million dollars and its total assets exceed 4.7 billion dollars. <a href="http://www.optimumgroup.com">www.optimumgroup.com</a>

Optimum Groupe financier nomme une nouvelle chef de la direction - 2 mai 2019

Optimum Financial Group appoints a new Chief Executive Officer

Dedicated to the financial security of its clients since 1969, Optimum Financial Group is global, privately-owned and diversified in seven activity sectors.