Real progress. Real potential.

Investment “checks all the boxes” for Johnston Group

For Johnston Group, a national employee benefits company based in Winnipeg, their significant investment in Scimar this past summer is about purpose as much as it is about profit.

“Scimar’s focus on battling type 2 diabetes and improving community wellness aligns very well with what we are all about as a company,” says Johnston Group President, Dave Angus. “As a benefits company, we see the growing incidence of type 2 diabetes and its impact on people, communities, and the health care system. Scimar wants to solve this and we share their vision.”

For Angus, though, the stability of Scimar as a business, its progress in the lab, and the potential return on investment also figured prominently in the decision to invest.

“When we invest in a business, we absolutely look for opportunities that are shaped by social purpose, but we also want to see a good return,” says Angus. “What is so appealing about Scimar is that they are far down the road in their development. The research they are doing on HISS (hepatic insulin-sensitizing substance) goes back over 20 years and has been validated along the way. From an investment perspective, that is very compelling. We have a pretty significant level of confidence in their people and their ability to deliver.”

As a Manitoba investor in a Manitoba company, Angus is especially proud to be a cheerleader for Scimar.

“We feel an affinity with Scimar and are proud that their work is developing in Manitoba,” says Angus. “We share their values, their province, and their commitment to wellness. Our investment checks all the boxes.”