What if your next growth opportunity came through business succession?
Business succession plays a key role in ensuring the long-term viability of companies and supporting Quebec’s economic vitality. Successfully transferring a business, however, requires a solid understanding of the challenges involved and access to the right resources.
As part of BDC Small Business Week, this Strategic Meeting will bring together entrepreneurs, buyers, sellers, and experts to foster meaningful exchanges, share proven practices, and support taking action.
What you'll have access to on site
Conferences and Testimonials
Discover the journeys of business buyers, entrepreneurs, and local leaders. Their experiences and insights will help you better understand the realities of business succession and acquisition.
Support and Resources
Benefit from the guidance of business transfer experts and gain access to practical tools and resources to help move your project forward.
Targeted networking
Expand your network by connecting with entrepreneurs, business buyers, sellers, and key players in the ecosystem. An opportunity to build meaningful relationships that can help advance your plans.
Why is this event important?
Over the coming years, Quebec will experience a significant wave of business transfers. This Strategic Meeting aims to mobilize key succession stakeholders to:
- Support the continuity and long-term viability of local businesses;
- Accelerate action on business transfer projects;
- Share proven tools, practices, and expertise;
- Highlight inspiring journeys and successful business transfer stories;
- Create opportunities for collaboration and networking within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
This event is designed for you
Whether you are:
- An entrepreneur looking to plan the future of your business;
- A business buyer seeking new opportunities;
- A business owner considering a transfer or succession project;
- An advisor, consultant, or expert supporting entrepreneurs;
- A representative of a financial institution or support organization;
- An investor interested in understanding the opportunities offered by business succession.
You'll gain ideas, tools, resources, and valuable connections to help move your projects forward.
Agenda
A half-day of practical content and meaningful discussions bringing together entrepreneurs, business buyers, experts, and ecosystem partners.
- 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Registration and networking
- 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Conference sessions
- 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Break and networking
- 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: Hands-on workshops
- 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.: Networking cocktail
- 5:30 p.m.: Event concludes
Program:
1:25 p.m. – Welcome remarks and start of the conference program
1:30 p.m. – Opening Remarks
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Isabelle Dessureault
President and CEO
Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal
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Martin Roy
Senior Vice President, Quebec and Atlantic
BDC
1:45 p.m. – Business succession as a driver of growth, productivity, and innovation
Why start from scratch when you can build on an existing foundation? Acquiring an established business means gaining access to an existing customer base, experienced team, and valuable expertise. Join this discussion to gain real-world insights, practical advice, and actionable strategies to unlock the full potential of an acquired business.
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Alexandre Ollive
President and CEO
Repreneuriat Québec
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Justine Gravel
Director – Investments
Fonds régionaux de solidarité FTQ
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Elizabeth Henry
CEO, Partner
Adviso
2:10 p.m. – Financing Business Transfer and Ensuring Long-Term Success
Access to capital, innovative financing solutions, and successful ownership transitions: this panel will explore practical strategies to help move your acquisition or succession project forward and maximize its long-term potential.
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Pierre Bertrand
Senior Manager – Business Transfer
National Bank
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Sophie Bergeron
Partner, Thrive ETA Fund
BDC Capital
2:35 p.m. – Entrepreneurship: Between Ambition and Reality
What does it really mean to be an entrepreneur today? Drawing on his journey and hands-on experience, Dominic Gagnon will offer an unfiltered perspective on the challenges, decisions, and lessons that shape the day-to-day reality of entrepreneurship.
3:45 p.m. – Workshops
Benefit from the advice of business transfer experts and leave with practical tools and resources to help move your project forward.
Financing and Leading a Successful Business Acquisition – Presented by BDC
Drawing on real-life experiences, discover how entrepreneurs successfully financed their acquisitions, navigated the critical first months after the transaction, and established the right financial practices to ensure a successful business takeover.
What's Next After an Acquisition? From Continuity to Innovation – organized by R+ Acquisition Entrepreneurship, HEC Montréal
Turn an acquisition into the starting point of a new cycle of innovation, impact, and growth. Through real-world examples, learn how to adopt the mindset of an entrepreneur-acquirer who can preserve what makes a business valuable, unlock its potential, and transform existing strengths into new opportunities for development.
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Luis Cisneros
Professor, Founder and Co-Director
Entrepreneurship Hub - HEC Montréal
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Marie-Ange Masson
Director, Knowledge Transfer and Outreach
R+ | Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition - HEC Montréal
From intent to acquisition: navigating your journey as a business buyer – organized by PME MTL
Are you considering acquiring a business? This workshop will help you better understand the different stages of the acquisition journey, from initial intent through to the acquisition itself. Discover the key factors for a successful acquisition, the resources and partners available to support you, and the tools to assess your own readiness and move forward with confidence.
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Max Lino
Director, Advisory Services and Financing
PME MTL Centre-Ouest
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Jean-Armand Nkoma
General Director
NKM CPA Inc.
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Ada Panduro
Innovation Director
PME MTL Centre-Ouest
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Marc-André Perron
General Director
PME MTL Centre-Ouest
4:30 p.m. – Networking cocktail reception