BMO Financial Group announced its intention to appoint George A. Cope as Chair of the Board upon his re-election as an independent director at BMO's Annual Meeting on March 31, 2020. BMO Chair J. Robert S. Prichard will retire from the board at that time after 20 years of service as an independent director and as Chair since 2012. Mr. Cope has served as independent director on the BMO board since 2006 and as a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee and the Human Resources Committee.