Accelerate the switch to a green economy mission

Geneviève Brisson has worked in the energy sector for over ten years. She is currently Senior Director of Global Government Affairs at Enerkem, having previously worked at Énergir (the new Gaz Métro) and Hydro-Québec.

Before entering the world of energy, Geneviève worked in the political sphere on issues related to Northern Development and Aboriginal Affairs in the House of Commons and at the National Assembly of Quebec, as well as for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

Geneviève began her career on the Finance and Public Affairs teams at the Québec Government Office in London, UK.

Geneviève obtained a bachelor’s degree in analysis-oriented political science at the Université du Québec à Montréal as well as a degree in Nordic studies at the University of Stockholm.

She is co-chair for Quebec at the Governor General’s 2020 Leadership Conference. She also co-chaired the Yukon Innovation Study Group at the 2015 Governor General’s Leadership Conference and is alumni of the US Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), where her participation focused on the themes of Arctic Natural Resources – Stewardship and Governance.

She is currently a Director on the Board for Ecotech Québec: Cleantech Cluster, Switch Alliance and co-president of CETEQ Board of Directors.

Moreau has graduated geography sciences. He holds a solid management experience in both the community and private sectors.

Focusing on solutions, he has developed expertise as a facilitator and conciliator on various environmental issues.

He has also served as a strategic advisor for municipalities and institutions be it for the development of policies, actions plans or consultative processes in the field of environment and sustainable development.

Mr. Moreau also sits on the boards of the FAQDD (Fonds d’action québécois pour le développement durable), the EDS Institut (Institut Hydro-Québec en environnement, développement et société) and the TIESS (Territoires innovants en économie sociale et solidaire). He also is a member of the Climate change advisory committee for the Quebec Environment minister as well as the Substainable Mobility Plan Advisory Committee for the Quebec Transport minister.

Julien Lampron is Director of Public Affairs at Fondaction. He oversees government relations and coordinates communications and marketing for this labour‑sponsored fund which manages $1.97 billion in net assets. He has represented Fondaction at international conventions, including climate change conferences in Paris and desertification conferences.

Mr. Lampron began his career as an advisor at the Quebec Government Office in Paris. He then made his way to New York, where he gained a wealth of new experience. He worked as a cultural advisor to the United Nations for the International Organisation of La Francophonie and was also a contributor for TVA Nouvelles. When he returned to Quebec, he became a political content producer for that station. He later went on to serve as communications director for the Premier of Quebec, and then as deputy chief of staff for the Leader of the Official Opposition.

He holds an MBA in Marketing Management from Pace University; a bachelor’s degree in political science from Université de Montréal; and a degree in law from Université Paris XI.

Since 2009, Denis Leclerc is the Founding President and CEO of Écotech Québec, the cluster representing the Québec cleantech ecosystem.  He is also the Chairman of CanadaCleantech Alliance and of the International Cleantech Network, based in Copenhagen (Denmark).

During his 20 years in the natural resources sector, Denis held several senior management positions, including that of Vice-President, Sustainability and Environment for AbitibiBowater.  He has been involved of many projects and strategic decisions for companies with operations in Canada, the United-States, Europe and Asia.

Highly involved in the community, Denis sits on the Board of Directors of Ecofuel Accelerator, COOP Carbone and SWITCH, the Alliance for a Green Economy.  In addition to CanadaCleantech and the International Cleantech Network, he also chairs the Advisory Board of the National Research Council Canada – Energy, mining and Environment. Denis also sits on the Partners and Strategic Committee of the Solar Impulse Foundation; the Council of the Green Municipal Fund of the Federation of Canadian municipalities and the Community Advisory Board of Aéroports de Montréal.

In addition to being a Chartered Director, Denis holds an MBA from Université de Sherbrooke.

Catherine is in charge of sustainability, investor relations and public affairs at Cycle Capital Management and Ecofuel. Her main duties include the promotion of Cycle Capital, Ecofuel and of the companies in our portfolio and the impact investing approach of Cycle Capital. Before Cycle Capital, she worked as press secretary for a municipal political cabinet.

Catherine is the Vice Chair of Écotech Quebec and Co Chair of SWITCH, the Alliance for a green economy. She is also member of Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and a member of PRI Québec’s advisory committee.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Université du Québec à Montréal and a Master’s degree in Public Communication from Université Laval, for which she also completed an exchange at École supérieure de journalisme de Lille in France. During her studies, she had work experience in several media outlets such as Radio-Canada, BBC, France 2 and RTBF.

Mr. Frédéric Krikorian has been Vice President, Sustainability, Public & Government Affairs since June 1, 2018. He worked in government sectors and with associations before joining Énergir in 2005 as Spokesperson and Advisor, Public Affairs. He later assumed the role of Manager, Renewable Energy, and was in charge of developing renewable energy projects. He was subsequently promoted to Director, Sustainable Development, and Public and Governmental Affairs in 2012.

Frédéric has a master’s degree in Corporate Social Responsibility from Nottingham University Business School in the United Kingdom. He has participated in conferences and written articles on implementing social responsibility practices and strategies for companies in the energy sector.

He sits on the board of directors of Ruelle de l’avenir, Quebec Business Council on the Environment (CPEQ), SWITCH, l’Alliance pour une économie verte au Québec and the Association industrielle de l’Est de Montréal (AIEM), and is a member of the energy and sustainable development committees of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ).

Pauline D’Amboise is Secretary General and Vice-President of Governance and Sustainable Development at Desjardins Group. She spearheads organizational initiatives related to governance, ethics and sustainable development, and advises Desjardins governing bodies and the President and CEO on roles and responsibilities. Pauline oversees Desjardins’s contributions to the shift to a green economy and the integration of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria into the business model. She also manages the Desjardins Foundation and the Alphonse Desjardins Historical Society.

Pauline holds a master’s degree in organizational ethics from Université de Sherbrooke and the title of certified corporate director from Université Laval. She is Chair of the board of the Institut Hydro-Québec en environnement, développement et société and also sits on the following boards of directors: Transition énergétique Québec, the David Suzuki Foundation and Coop Carbone. She is a mentor for the Pierre-Elliott Trudeau Foundation, a leader in the Effet A initiative, and Co-Chair of the Ambassadors Committee of the Bourse du carbone Scol’ÈRE program.

As the Vice-President of Public Affairs and Communications for the CPQ (Conseil du patronat du Québec), Benjamin Laplatte provides input into the stances and positions the organization takes on the many matters in which it is involved; he also works in close collaboration with a broad diversity of governmental officials and departments, economic influencers and interest groups from various spheres of endeavor.

Mr. Laplatte, a graduate of UQAM’s École des sciences de la gestion, with an MBA degree in sciences and engineering, has close to 10 years of experience in public relations, communications and the governance of non-profit organizations. He also has a Master’s degree in oceanography from the Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski.

Over the years, notably in conjunction with developing or implementing a wide range of governmental strategies or public policies, Mr. Laplatte has built up an extensive network of collaborators who work in such areas as sustainable development; scientific and innovative research; energy and natural resources; transportation, as well as planning and design. He has also been involved, for many years, at the academic and university level, working on dossiers related to education, youth, employment and entrepreneurship.

Karel Mayrand is Director general for Quebec and the Atlantic with the David Suzuki Foundation and chair of Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project in Canada. He is vice-president of the board of Parc Jean-Drapeau and Co-Chair of Switch, The Green Economy Alliance. Karel is co-author of Demain, le Québec (Éditions La Presse, 2018), author of Une Voix pour la Terre (Boréal, 2012), co-author of Ne renonçons à rien (Lux, 2017) with the Faut qu’on se parle collective, and initiator and co-author of the Manifesto for a Global Movement (2015) which was signed by 42 000 people.

Before joining the Foundation, Karel advised several UN agencies as well as Quebec’s former Premier, Pierre Marc Johnson, on globalization and sustainability issues, for over a decade. He co-authored Governing Global Desertification (London, Ashgate Aldershot, 2006). He was co-founder in 2002 of Unisféra International Centre, a sustainability think-tank, where he created Planetair, a leading Canadian provider of carbon offsets and climate solutions. He is an Action Canada fellow (2005) and was finalist in 2008 for the Arista Prize as Social entrepreneur of the year in Quebec.

As President and Chief Executive Officer of the Aluminium Association of Canada (AAC) since 2009, Jean Simard is the industry’s official representative and spokesperson with governments, business associations and the media, as well as with international organizations linked to the industry.

Mr. Simard holds a degree in Civil Law from the University of Ottawa, and is a member of the Barreau du Québec. He possesses extensive professional experience in public and government relations, mainly in sustainable development, energy and environmental affairs. Prior to joining the AAC, he was Vice-President Sustainable Development, Public and Governmental Affairs, at Gaz Métro, a Quebec-based energy company.

Mr. Simard represents the AAC at the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) and at the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI). He is a member of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee of the Quebec Industrial Aluminium Cluster (AluQuébec), as well as a member of the Board (Treasurer) of the Conseil patronal de l’environnement du Québec (CPEQ), and of the Quebec Aluminium Research Development Centre (CQRDA). Co-founder and member of the Steering committee of SWITCH, the Alliance for a greener economy, he is one of the Leaders of the Canadian Smart Prosperity initiative. He is a member of the Steering Committee of Forum Concertation on Circular Economy, the Public Affairs Committee of the Quebec Employers Council, as well as Chairman of the Board of the Quebec Music & Art Conservatories Foundation and a member of the Ambassador Circle of Nature Conservancy Canada’s, Quebec Chapter.