Tony Comper is to retire as president and chief executive officer, of Canada’s BMO Financial Group at the company's next annual meeting in March 2007. He will not stand for re-election to the board of directors. Chief operating officer Bill Downe has been announced as Mr Comper's successor. Mr Comper will stay on in an advisory capacity until his scheduled retirement next April. BMO provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions. BMO Financial Group serves clients across Canada through its Canadian retail arm, BMO Bank of Montreal and through its wealth management firms BMO Nesbitt Burns, BMO InvestorLine and BMO Harris Private Banking.