Éric Bédard appointed Chairman of the Board of Montréal International
His predecessor, Jean Laurin, steps down after 13 years with the organization
Montréal, April 29, 2024 – Montréal International announces the appointment of Éric Bédard, Partner and Leader, Strategic advisory services at Fasken, as the organization’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. Élise Proulx, Head of Economic Development (Québec) at Ivanhoé Cambridge, takes on the role of Vice-Chair of the Board. The members also welcome four new directors.
Éric Bédard joined the Board in 2012 and became its Vice-Chair in 2020. His latest appointment was made official during a special meeting that followed Montréal International’s 28th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday, April 25.
Held at the new HEC Montréal’s Hélène-Desmarais building in the heart of the city’s downtown core, the AGM brought together some 300 people, including Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Energy, also responsible for the Metropolis, and Luc Rabouin, President of the Executive Committee of the City of Montréal, as well as several elected officials from across the metropolitan region.
On behalf of the City of Montréal, Luc Rabouin officially announced the three-year extension of Montréal International’s mandate to attract international entrepreneurs. This support will enable the organization to promote the metropolitan region abroad and connect promising startups with our local incubators and accelerators.
Montréal International’s 28th AGM also highlighted Mr. Jean Laurin’s exceptional contribution to the organization, including his leadership throughout the hiring process that led to the appointment of Stéphane Paquet, current President and CEO, and his strategic guidance throughout the global pandemic. Mr. Laurin joined the Board in 2011 and became Chairman in 2020.
“Having sat on Montréal International’s Board of Directors for the past 12 years, I can certify that the organization is key to the growth of Greater Montréal’s cutting-edge industries and ecosystems. Hence, it is with great enthusiasm that I take on this mandate. Along with my colleagues from the Board of Directors, we will leverage the team’s skills and agility to seize the best opportunities to create sustainable wealth in the metropolitan region,” said Éric Bédard, Chairman of the Board of Montréal International. “On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Jean Laurin who, over the years, has wisely mobilized us to help the organization deliver record results. Jean, thank you for your inspiring leadership!
“I am very grateful to our many partners and the members of the MI community for their ongoing support. A special thank you to the City of Montréal for its renewed confidence in us with the strategic mandate to attract international entrepreneurs over the next three years. Our team is experienced, motivated and dedicated to make Greater Montréal shine abroad,” said Stéphane Paquet, President and CEO of Montréal International. “I also look forward to working more closely with Éric Bédard to enhance our organization’s impact on Greater Montréal’s economic development. Finally, I’d like to thank Jean Laurin, who has guided me over the past few years, particularly through the pandemic!”
FOUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS
The event also marked the appointment of four new directors: Catherine Guillemart, Vice-President, Public Affairs, Airbus Canada; Fabrice Jaubert, Head of Google’s Montréal office; Louis-Edgar Jean-François, CEO and co-founding entrepreneur of Groupe 3737; and Mona-Lisa Prosper, Director of Futurpreneur Canada. They replace Pierre Cardin, Anne-Marie Hubert, Jean Laurin and Frédéric Martel, who are stepping down.
Also joinining the board, Alia Hassan-Cournol, Associate Councillor for economic development, business and design at the City of Montréal, and Cecilia Macedo, Councillor and President of the municipal council at the City of Laval, will represent the public sector.
For a list of members of the Montréal International Board of Directors, click here.
About Montréal International (www.montrealinternational.com)
Montréal International is a non-profit organization funded by the private sector, the governments of Canada and Québec, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal and the City of Montréal. Its mandate is to attract and retain foreign investment (companies and startups), international organizations, skilled workers and international students to Greater Montréal by providing support services tailored to their needs.