Board of Directors

Isabelle Adjahi*

Vice President, Investor Relations and Sustainable Development
The Lion Electric Company

Isabelle Adjahi is Vice President, Investor Relations and Sustainable Development at the Lion Electric Company ("Lion"), a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles, where she led the public listing of the company, on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. She is a top-ranked Investor Relations Officer who has won multiple awards in Investor Relations, including Best Investor Relations Officer in Canada.

Prior to joining Lion Electric, Isabelle was, for 10 years, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Communications at WSP, and Senior Director of Investor Relations and Communications with Axcan Pharma, where she developed and implemented strategic investor communication plans directed at capital markets, both in the Canadian and US markets.

Isabelle holds a Bachelor of Foreign Languages and Literature from the University of Lyon (France). She also took courses in securities, communications, and finance.

Grégoire Baillargeon

President, BMO Financial Group, Quebec
Vice-chair of BMO Capital Markets

Appointed President, BMO Financial Group, Quebec, and Vice-chair of BMO Capital Markets on November 1^st, 2022, Mr. Baillargeon has been with the Bank of Montreal since 2004.

Over the years, he has made his mark in a number of capacities, including director, strategic relationship manager and trusted advisor to many companies in a wide range of economic sectors. From 2013 to 2022, in his leadership role at BMO Capital Markets, Quebec, he led a team that handles some of the Bank's biggest and longest-standing clients, an experience that has allowed him to develop a keen understanding of the Quebec economy and the role that BMO's 5,000 Quebec employees have played in it for over 200 years.

Prior to joining BMO, Mr. Baillargeon worked as a lawyer with major law firms in Montreal and New York, where he developed an expertise in corporate and securities law. Mr. Baillargeon is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a member of the Quebec, New York and Massachusetts bars. He holds a Bachelor of Common Law degree and a Bachelor of Civil Law degree from McGill University.

Mr. Baillargeon supports numerous organizations that strive to reduce social and economic inequalities. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Centraide du Grand Montréal, the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation, and the Chambre of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, in addition to chairing the Board of Fusion Jeunesse.

Marc-André Blanchard

President
Executive Vice-President and Head
CDPQ Global
Global Head of Sustainability
CDPQ

As Executive Vice-President and Head of CDPQ Global and Global Head of Sustainability, Mr. Blanchard is responsible for coordinating CDPQ's international operations. He oversees CDPQ's international offices, ensuring the organization's positioning as an investment partner of choice. He also supports the international growth and development of Québec companies. In addition, he oversees the organizations sustainability orientations and activities and leads CDPQ's strategy to integrate ESG factors into all investment activities. He sits on the Executive and Investment-Risk Committees. Before joining CDPQ in September 2020, he was Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York from 2016 to 2020. From 2017 to 2020, he sat on Canada's North American Free Trade Agreement Council. Prior to that, he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of McCarthy Tétrault, one of Canada's leading law firms.

In addition to a Bachelor of Laws from Université de Montréal, Mr. Blanchard holds an LLM in Public International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He also holds a Master's in Public Administration and a Master's in International Affairs, both from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. He was called to the Québec Bar in 1992.

Very active in the community, Marc-André Blanchard is Co-Lead of the Global Investors for Sustainable Development (GISD) Alliance's Task Force on Multilateral Development Banks, Co-Chair of the Investor Leadership Network (ILN) and Co-Chair of B20 Indonesia Finance & Infrastructure Task Force. He is a actively involved in the Sustainable Markets Initiative, which was launched by HRH The Prince of Wales, as well as a member of the Advisory Council of the Canada-India Business Council and of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on SDG Investment. His philanthropic activities include serving as a member of the Advisory Council of the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, Chair of the International Advisory Committee of the Rector of Université de Montréal and Director of the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation. In 2016, Canadian Business ranked him one of Canada's 50 most powerful business leaders. In 2013, Catalyst Canada awarded him the CEO Recognition Award for his leadership on diversity. In 2016, he received the Avocat émérite award from the Barreau du Québec.

Julie Boucher

Senior vice-president Communications, Public Affairs and Indigenous relations
Via HFR – Via TGF

In March 2024, Julie Boucher joined the Via TGF team to contribute to the realization of a mobilizing and necessary project – that of a fast, reliable, and frequent train connecting Québec and Toronto. In her current role, Julie is responsible for external and internal communications, branding, community and government relations, as well as relations with Indigenous communities.

Previously, she worked for over 16 years at Hydro-Québec. In March 2020, she joined the organization’s executive committee as Vice President of Sustainability, Community Relations, and Communications. Julie led teams responsible for open and constructive communication with the general public and all stakeholders, including governments, and maintained privileged relationships with local communities and Indigenous communities. She was also responsible for brand management, sustainability, and sponsorships. Early in her career, she worked as a journalist for Radio-Canada and TQS television channels.

Julie Boucher holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography with a minor in Political Science from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC). She also serves on the board of directors of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

Janie C. Béïque

President and Chief Executive Officer
Fonds de solidarité FTQ

On April 1, 2021, Janie C. Béïque became the first woman to be named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fonds de solidarité FTQ. Lawyer and MBA graduate, her track record is impressive. She has worked in business and corporate law and in the investment sector. Her expertise has been recognized by her peers as well as by the business and political communities. She has twice been named as an Innovation Leader by the Government of Canada.

Since her arrival at the Fonds, Janie has been able to combine the social and financial vocations of the organization in her work with partner companies. For more than 20 years, she has embodied the Fonds' fundamental mission and values: supporting Quebecers in their preparation for a better retirement, and local businesses by contributing to their transition to a greener economy and a more equitable and healthier one as well.

Under Janie's leadership when she was Executive Vice-President, Investments, the Fonds' average investment volume over 5 years in the Québec economy doubled. At the head of the Fonds for more than two years, Janie has built on its foundations and its mission, a clear and ambitious vision of where she wants to lead the organization, propelled as much by financial as societal returns, and which will move Québec forward on economic, social and environmental dimensions.

Janie is deeply committed to the advancement of women. She has supported the appointment of many female colleagues to management positions within the organization, set ambitious female representation criteria for Fonds appointments to partner company boards, and formed a gender equality steering committee. Domestic violence is another issue that is near and dear to Janie's heart. She is therefore intent on mobilizing the Fonds' assets and resources to make a difference in the lives of victims.

Holder of a law degree from Université de Montréal, Janie C. Béïque was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1991 and is registered on the Roll of the Order. She has been a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors since 2012 and in 2015 earned an MBA Georgetown University in the U.S. and ESADE University in Spain.

Graham Carr

President and Vice-Chancellor
Concordia University

Graham Carr is President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University. Ranked as the top North American University under 50 years old, Concordia's two Montreal campuses are home to 50,000 students from more than 150 countries.

Graham's previous leadership positions at Concordia include Provost and Vice-President, Academic Affairs; Vice-President, Research and Graduate Studies; and Dean of Graduate Studies.

Born in Quebec, Graham earned his PhD from the University of Maine and is a Professor in the Department of History. His research focuses on Cold War cultural history.

Graham is a member of the Executive Committee of the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire, and the Steering Committee of Montreal Climate Partnership (Partenariat climat Montréal). He currently serves as Chair of the Universities Canada Research Committee and Chair of the Board of U SPORTS, the national brand for university sports in Canada. He previously served on the Board of Directors of Centraide (United Way) of Greater Montreal, the board of the Leadership Council for Digital Infrastructure, as president of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, as chair of the Canada-US Fulbright selection committee, and for many years on the National Capital Commission's Advisory Committee for Communications, Marketing and Programming.

Nassib El-Husseini, Ph.D

President and CEO
The 7 Fingers

"Committed to exploring the horizons of human creativity in all its complexity". Nassib El-Husseini has charted a singular and eclectic course. Following studies in public administration and international relations at the American University of Beyrouth (AUB), he obtained a Ph.D. in political science from l'Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in 1996, and published L'Occident Imaginaire (Éditions PUQ) in 1998. After leaving his native Lebanon in the 1980s, Nassib worked as an advisor and volunteer with numerous Quebecois, Canadian, and international governmental and non-governmental agencies.

In the 90s, Nassib put his conflict resolution and international business development expertise at the service of Canadian Crown corporations as well as other actors from the private sector in Quebec and Canada, mainly in the postal and telecommunications sectors.

Nassib El-Husseini's trajectory took a major turn in 2003, when his path crossed that of seven artists determined to make their mark on the world of contemporary circus. With their first show just created, a clear-eyed ally was all the troupe needed to conquer the world. Nassib placed his experience and his passion for art and innovation at the service of the nascent troupe that would become one of the jewels of artistic expression.

As Chief Executive Officer of the company, Nassib has brought his resolutely avant-garde, innovative vision and has turned towards a vast exploration of possibilities. Propelled by these ideas, The 7 Fingers have become a major player in the world art scene.

Involved in his community, Nassib El-Husseini is currently the President of the board of directors of CINARS (International Exchange for the Performing Arts). He sits on the boards of La Société des arts technologiques (SAT) as well as that of Le Quartier des spectacles and he is a founding member of the Movement Arts Creation Studio in Boston. Previously he was a member of the board of Le Conseil des arts de Montréal, the National Theatre School of Canada as well as a member of the organizing committee of the Canadian Arts Summit in 2019 and a member of the National Advisory Committee for the National Creation Fund of the National Arts Center of Ottawa (CNA).

Nassib is Laureate Cèdre et Érable of La Chambre de Commerce et de l'Industrie Canada-Liban. In 2013, he was awarded the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)'s Prix Reconnaissance in recognition of his exceptional career. In 2014, he received the Artists for Peace Award on behalf of The 7 Fingers. In 2019, he received the Carmelle and Rémi Marcoux Chair in Arts Management's Cultural Manager Award from HEC Montréal. Shortly after, he was named Knight by Université du Québec à Montréal. In 2022, he received the Charles Biddle Award in the international category. In 2023, Nassib was awarded the Order of Quebec, the highest distinction given by the government of Quebec.

Mélissa Fortin, PhD, M.Sc., CPA

Professor in Accounting
UQAM
President of the Board of Directors
Junior Chamber of commerce of Montreal

Mélissa Fortin is Professor at Université du Québec à Montréal and completed her Ph.D. at Concordia University, where she is exploring the organizational applications of blockchain technologies. Her research activities are focused on management accounting, disruptive technologies and the accounting profession. She is actively involved in the business and professional communities. She is a member of several blockchain associations and Chair of the board of the Junior Chamber of commerce of Montreal.

Marie-Josée Gagnon, Fellow CPRS, ICD.D*

CEO and Founder
CASACOM
Brave

Marie-Josée Gagnon is recognized by peers and clients alike as one of Canada's most progressive public relations and governance experts. She helps CEOs and executive teams improve their brand image and increase their positive impact in their markets. She is known for her clear and ambitious vision as shown by the unique positioning of CASACOM, the integrated PR and communications firm she founded in 2001.

Headquartered in Montréal with an office in Toronto, CASACOM provides strategic counsel to support the business strategy of renowned brands in various industries, such as Toyota, Pharmascience, Aeroplan, Kiewit and Sun Life.

Bachelor's degree in political science from the Université de Montréal, Alumni of Harvard Business School's Owners/Presidents Management program and a graduate from ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program (DEP), Marie-Josée brings innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial flair into all she does. Marie-Josée began her career first as a journalist (Montreal La Presse) and then as the press attaché at the Québec Government. Thereafter, she held several key positions within major organizations (Quebec General Delegation in Paris, Laurentian Bank of Canada and AXOR).

She is actively involved in her community, notably through the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, Capsana, Worldcom PR Group and the Garde-Manger pour tous, a Montreal charity that distributes 3,500 school lunches to kids. Over the years, she received many awards whether from Women of Influence, Profit Top 100, RBC, the Fellowship from Canadian Public Relations Society and the 2023 Mercuriades award for Exceptional Women Leader, SME's category.

In 2017, to involve herself even more in the women's success cause, Marie-Josée launched Brave, a series of interviews with women who dared recorded during networking events and broadcast in podcasts.

Marie-Josée is married to Louis-Martin O'Neill, a corporate litigator, and is the mother of two boys, Philippe and Henri. 

Philippe Johnson

Managing Partner
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg

Philippe Johnson has been the Managing Partner at the Montréal office of Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP since 2017. He has spent more than two decades advising leading Canadian, American and international companies with respect to their most important Canadian investments and strategic issues. He regularly counsels clients on mergers and acquisitions, private investments, financing, corporate reorganizations and joint ventures.

In addition to serving on the firm's Management Committee since 2012, Philippe is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), a global community of business leaders, and a director of the World Law Group and of Startup Montréal, a non-profit organization that funds and supports the start-up ecosystem in Montréal. He is also a director of Fondation Serge Marcil, which focuses on improving the well-being of children in Haiti and Africa.

Philippe holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University and a Bachelor of Civil Law from Université de Montréal.

Vickie Joseph*

Co-founder
Groupe 3737 and Fempreneures
Co-founder and President
V Kosmetik

Co-founder and President of V Kosmetik International (VKI), specialist in beauty and skin care products - The brand of 50 shades of ethnicity, inspired by her life, personality, character and passion to give back to women.

VKI is distributed across Canada and internationally, notably in the USA, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Benin, Saudi Arabia and South Africa under its "V Kosmetik©" brand.

A fulfilling mother of three children, the designer and businesswoman is committed – according to her, "success confers the responsibility to help others". To this end, she co-founded Groupe 3737, a major center for entrepreneurial innovation promoting the emergence of new businesses and the creation of thousands of jobs. She co-founded FemPreneurs to help women develop their business ventures with special support and programs offered to women of diversity and the ones living with difficult situations including financial limitations.

Ms. Joseph is the recipient of several distinctions, including - Top 6 Canadian designers among more than 20,000 candidates by the Black Canadian Awards, News: one of the entrepreneurs of Quebec Inc., Gala Dynasty: Tribute to Philanthropy, BMO: Community and donations award, Startup Canada: Regional and National Entrepreneur (2019) and Femmessor-Evol: one of the 100 entrepreneurs changing the world Palmarès Première en Affaires one of the 100 most successful companies in Quebec. Member of the Council - Chamber of Commerce of Montreal. Newly she slipped into the list of the 110 most successful women-owned businesses across Quebec, amounting to 5-50 million in revenue.

Vincent Kou, LL. B*

Chief Investment & Development Officer
Brivia Group

Vincent Kou is responsible for corporate development and growth of Brivia Group, including real estate investments, acquisitions and partnerships.

Prior to joining the Brivia Group, he held numerous senior positions over 15 years period with Rio Tinto, a global mining company. Most recently, he was based in Singapore for four years with the Commercial Group of Rio Tinto. Prior to his recent posting in Singapore, he was successively Chief Counsel & Director of Mergers & Acquisitions (Asia) and Chief Representative of Alcan Group in China, and Chief Counsel, Business Development & Growth for Rio Tinto Alcan for more than 10 years, based in Montréal, Beijing, Shanghai & Singapore respectively, where he had responsibility for the company’s legal function in Asia, focusing primarily in commercial, acquisitions, joint ventures and divestments. He was also General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, based in Hong Kong, for a mining company with operating assets in Mongolia which, prior to its divestment, was a Rio Tinto Group company listed on both the TSX and HKSE.

Lawyer and member of Barreau du Québec since 1997, Mr. Kou has a vast experience in Asia, notably in China, including doing business with Chinese private and state-owned enterprises. He is very active and engaged with the Asian communities and various non-profit organizations in Montréal and internationally.

Mr. Kou holds a Bachelor’s degree in law from Université de Sherbrooke, a Graduate Certificate in Marketing Advanced Program from INSEAD and a Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Finance from the National University of Singapore.

Benoit Lacoste Bienvenue*

Regional Managing Partner – Québec
Partner, International and M&A Tax
KPMG in Canada

Benoit Lacoste Bienvenue has been the managing partner for the province of Québec at KMPG Canada since October 2016. In this role, he oversees growth and client relationships, and is responsible for the engagement of more than 2,000 staff members. Prior to this position, he was the National Service Line Leader - Canadian Corporate Tax.

He has over 22 years of experience in complex cross-border tax structuring, M&A transactions, financing and restructuring transactions. Benoit has led several cross-border M&A engagements for Canadian and foreign-based multinationals, as well as major private equity firms and Global pension funds. Benoit currently advises several Canadian based companies, both public and private, on their Tax Structures and Strategies and Compliance requirements. Benoit has developed and maintains a strong network of professionals across the world, the members of which are highly responsive and dedicated to client service excellence.

Benoit holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Law and Common Law from McGill University and is a member of the Barreau du Québec. He is a member of the International Advisory Board of the Desautels Faculty of Management of McGill University and sits on the boards of Justice Pro Bono and the Eulalie Durocher Foundation.

Grégory Larroque

Vice-president, Economic Affairs
CGI

Grégory Larroque is Vice-President, Economic Affairs at CGI. More specifically, he is responsible for the promotion of CGI's economic interests, he advises the executive team on strategic orientations of the company.

Prior to joining CGI, Gregory was legal counsel and chief of staff to former Quebec Premier Jean Charest at McCarthy Tétrault's Business Law Group since 2013. During this time, he coordinated strategic mandates for international clients, participated in strengthening McCarthy Tétrault's strategic and legal positioning, and contributed to several international initiatives.

In his previous roles, Grégory was special advisor to the Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade of Quebec and advisor to the Minister of Finance of Quebec.

He was also actively involved in Montreal's cultural community, notably as member of the board of Festival TransAmériques (FTA).

Gregory holds a master's degree in business law from the University of Aix-Marseille III in France and obtained a second bachelor of law degree from the University of Montreal. He has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 2007.

Michel Leblanc*

President and CEO
Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal

Michel Leblanc is President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, Quebec’s leading private economic development organization. In this position, he is the official spokesperson of the organization, and is responsible for planning, managing, coordinating and monitoring all its operations.

With extensive experience in the public and private sectors, Michel Leblanc has an in-depth knowledge of metropolitan issues. A trained economist, he has a clear understanding of economic questions and the challenges facing the business community.

Recognized expert in strategy and in economic development, Michel Leblanc was an Associate Partner at SECOR. He had previously occupied senior-level positions at Génome Québec, Montréal International, and the Institute for Research on Public Policy. He has also worked as an economist for the Department of Finance Canada. Michel Leblanc received a Bachelor of science in economics in 1987 and a Master of science in economics in 1992 from Université de Montréal. He has been named the 2009 honorary graduate of the Université de Montréal’s Economics Department. In October 2012, he was honoured by the Université de Montréal’s alumni association for his professional achievements.

Michel Leblanc chairs the Canadian Global Cities Council (CGCC), an organization that brings together the presidents of the chambers of commerce of nine major Canadian cities. He also chairs the Advisory Committee for the Economic Development of the territory, created by Mayor Valérie Plante, and the board of directors of MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE. He also sits on the boards of directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal Foundation and Scale AI. He is also a member of the Conseil emploi métropole, the Comité directeur sur la mobilité des personnes et des biens dans la grande région de Montréal (Mobilité Montréal), and the Steering Committee of Montréal, Cultural Metropolis. He is also ambassador of the Quartier de l’innovation.

Christine Pouliot, MBA, CFA

Partners, Deals, Montreal office
Managing Director, Corporate Finance
Quebec Leader for Private companies and Family Offices
PwC Canada

Christine is a partner in the Deals practice at PwC Canada's Montréal office and Leader for our Private and Family Office market in the Quebec Region. She sits on the Firm's Quebec Leadership Committee.

She is also a managing director with PricewaterhouseCoopers Corporate Finance Inc., where she assists entrepreneurs and companies with capital raisings, mergers & acquisitions as well as sales and divestitures. She has more than 22 years of experience in corporate finance and has conducted numerous deal assignments involving both Canadian and international companies, with many of the latter being located in Europe and the United States. She also advises board members and executives with regard to the development and implementation of their M&A strategies.

Christine started her career with PwC in 2000 and was named Partner in 2013.

Christine received both her MBA (1997) and her BBA (1996) from Laval University. She then obtained the CFA designation in 2001. She has lectured extensively outside PwC on the subjects of company transfers and successions, most notably at various symposia held at the École d'Entrepreneurship de Beauce (EEB) and HEC Montréal. Christine is also a Board Member of l'Ecole Nationale de l'Humour and Reseau Capital.

Nadine Renaud-Tinker

President - Quebec Headquarters
RBC Royal Bank

Appointed president in 2017, Nadine Renaud-Tinker is responsible for managing RBC Royal Bank's business priorities in Québec.

She drives the development of RBC's strategic objectives for both personal and commercial clients while helping clients thrive, fostering employee engagement and supporting community prosperity. Taking a holistic, strategic, and concerted approach, she also works closely with the Relationship Financial Planning, Wealth Management and Private Banking teams to provide clients with guidance and advice tailored to their needs, objectives and priorities.

A proven leader, Nadine is known for her creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, passion, and her ability to bring people together. She is known for her empathy, authenticity and strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, which allow her to forge lasting relationships and trust, and to support the growth of RBC.

Bringing with her a wealth of international experience, Nadine joined RBC in Montréal in 1998. Throughout her professional career, she has risen to new challenges, gaining vast experience within business units of various sizes: Business Financial Services, Personal Banking, Risk Management and Special Loans. Earning numerous promotions along the way, Nadine held such roles as Branch Manager, Financial Planner, Commercial Account Manager and Regional Vice President, Integrated Markets, in both Québec and Toronto.

In 2021, she was named "Financial Personality of the Year" in the National Financial Institutions category, as part of the Top Financial Industry Leaders in Québec, awarded by the Finance et Investissement newspaper.

Alongside her professional activities, Nadine provides ongoing support to various mentorship, talent development and advisory programs, both internally and externally. With a strong commitment to mental health and children's causes, Nadine Renaud-Tinker is a member of the board of directors of the Fondation Jeunes en Tête, the Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont Foundation, the McGill University Health Centre Foundation, as well as the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal. She is actively involved in various philanthropic events in the community, including the Urban BBQ event, which she heads up in support of the Cancer Research Society.

Born in Montréal, Nadine spent much of her childhood abroad before returning to Canada to complete her college and university education. She went on to earn a BA in Psychology at the University of Ottawa and an executive MBA at Athabasca University. Nadine also holds a diploma in Financial Planning from the Institute of Canadian Bankers and completed The Judy Project at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.

Sarah Segal

Chief Brand Officer and Chief Executive Officer
DAVIDs TEA

Ms. Segal first joined DAVIDsTEA in 2012 as a member of the Board of Directors before being appointed Chief Brand Officer and then CEO. As Chief Brand Officer, Ms. Segal was responsible for tea and product development, spearheading the digital transformation and development of new sales channels. Prior to DAVIDsTEA, Ms. Segal served as CEO of artisanal candy retailer SQUISH Candy, based in Montreal, Quebec, a company she founded. Ms. Segal has a B.A. in Environmental Health from McGill University and a M.Sc. in Water Science, Policy and Management from Oxford University.

Anik Trudel*

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Lavery

Anik Trudel is Chief Executive Officer at Lavery and has more than 30 years of experience working in professional law firms. Her desire to help transform the legal industry led her to take the helm of the largest independent law firm in Quebec in April 2017.

A lawyer by training, she began her career in a prominent firm Canadian and international, where she worked as a partner and practiced commercial litigation for twenty years. She represented several large national and international public and private companies before courts of original general jurisdiction, courts of appeal and arbitration boards.

Ms. Trudel then spent more than ten years in public relations, where she successively held the positions of General Manager of Edelman Montréal and Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Citoyen Optimum, part of the Vision7 group. Both firms are renowned internationally as leaders in the communications industry. She has advised and coached senior executives at Canadian and international companies regarding multiple business challenges, organizational transformation, corporate identity management, public relations and issues management.

Throughout her career, she has been a board member for various business, cultural and charitable organizations, including the Port of Montréal, Evol, the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation, the Space for Life Foundation and Compagnie Marie Chouinard. Anik Trudel is also a certified neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) practitioner. She gives lectures in various forums, particularly about women and leadership.

Reno Vaillancourt

Premier vice-President, Labour Relations
Bell

As Senior Vice-President, Labour Relations at Bell, Reno Vaillancourt is responsible for establishing and executing Bell's labour relations strategy, and supporting all business units in the management of non-managerial employees.

As the leader of a team of human resources and labour relations professionals, he helps to effectively strengthen relationships with union officials and lead the transformation of collective bargaining to support investment, innovation and growth in the Canadian telecommunications industry.

Member of the Quebec Bar since 1998 and of the Quebec Order of Certified Human Resources Advisors since 2001, Reno has worked at Bell since 2001, first as a labour law lawyer, and as a labour relations professional since 2011.

In addition to his Bachelor's degree in Industrial Relations and his law degree, Reno also completed his EMBA at McGill University/HEC Montreal in 2015.

Reno has been Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Federally Regulated Employers-Transportation and Communications (FETCO) since 2018. This organization is made up of employers in the transportation and communications sectors subject to federal legislation. Its members collaborate on issues relating to human resources and labour relations, including issues governed by various laws, including the Canada Labour Code, the Employment Equity Act and the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Reno is also very involved with the Learning Disabilities Institute of Quebec. In addition to being a member of the Board of Directors since 2017, he volunteers his time and expertise to support the Institute's activities.

Laurence Vincent

President
Prével

Laurence Vincent is president of Prével, a real estate company with close to 100 employees founded over 40 years ago. Over the past 18 years, she has been actively involved in the construction of many of Prével's 11,500 housing units, as well as the development of landmark projects for the urban landscape.

Recognized for her contribution to built heritage and home ownership, Laurence Vincent is involved in creating environments that promote human interaction and diversity. She sits on the board of directors of the public interest organization Vivre en Ville and the Urban Development Institute of Quebec. She also chairs the Metropolitan and Urban Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from HEC Montréal.

Laurence is also the author of the book Bâtir Montréal à la table 45 published by Éditions du Septentrion.

Pape Wade

Co-founder and CEO
Airudi

Pape Wade brings several years of national and international experience in human resources. His background includes managing large-scale projects focused on continuous change and organizational transformation. Before co-founding Airudi, Pape held a leadership position in human resources at a major Canadian company, where he demonstrated strong and inspiring leadership in multiple strategic value-creating assignments.

Pape fully recognizes the potential of technology to propel human resources, making them more efficient and human-centered while creating value. This vision, combined with his goal of placing humans at the heart of organizations, led him to co-found Airudi in 2018. Within the first two years, Airudi has achieved significant contracts, ensured profitability and established a strong reputation in the AI ecosystem. The company now includes world-renowned experts within its team and advisory committee. Pape also sits on the board of directors of Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, which is globally recognized for its contributions in the field of AI.