INVESTING INSIGHTS | 06.02.2026

#125 - Paul Desmarais III: Right to Win, Built to Last

Paul is the co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Sagard, a global alternative asset manager with $45B AUM (as of year-end 2025), and a builder behind platforms like Portage and Diagram spanning fintech investing and venture creation. He unpacks what it really means to earn a “right to win,” how disciplined process and mistake-avoidance hold up under pressure, and how to scale breadth, culture, values, networks, and entrepreneur-first decision-making without diluting judgment across market cycles.