According to BNN.ca, changes are afoot at CIBC: a shakeup of the management team has two department heads leaving the company, as well as a couple of promotions. One of those promotions sees Desautels alumnus Jon Hountalas (BCom’84, MBA’91), bumped up to Group Head, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management, Canada from his previous role of running the company’s commercial banking arm. This comes as CEO Victor Dodig announces that some 40 junior executives are being moved around as well.
The Desautels Faculty of Management welcomes Nadia Marley (BA’99, MBA’03), Director of Credit Solutions, Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets, as its latest Desautels Global Expert.
After a year as Deputy Executive Director of ACEM — Microcredit Montreal, Indu Krishnamurthy (EMBA’15) has been promoted to full Executive Director.
As a student of the 2015 ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ-HEC Montréal EMBA program, Ms. Krishnamurthy was recipient of that year’s EMBA Scholarship for Non-profit Organization Manager, which reflects her long experience in the field. She has been with ACEM since 2008, fulfilling roles, such as project coordinator and credit counsellor. Before that, she was an account manager at BDC.
BoxKnight is a new kind of delivery service. For an extra few dollars, consumers can have their packages delivered while they’re home in the evening. A text message lets them know that their goods are at BoxKnight’s warehouse, and asks when they’d like it delivered. Right now, it only works for online purchases at four Montreal-area retailers, but the company is already looking at expansion beyond the city limits.
After two years as Director General, Corporate Comptroller at Quebec telecoms giant Vidéotron, Antoinette Noviello (BCom'91, DPA'93) has been promoted to VP. She brings massive experience to the role: she has been a CPA Québec member for 20 years, and has served as Financial Services Director General at Québécor, VP Finance at Lelys Group, and VP Finance at PVA Consulting. Ms. Noviello is also a lecturer at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ’s School of Continuing Education. In her new job, Ms. Noviello will oversee the entirety of Vidéotron’s accounting and finances.
The FreeWheel Council for Premium Video has been a thought-leadership player in North America since 2015, educating stakeholders on the differences and benefits of premium video, from marketing to monetization. The company recently opened a European division to tackle the unique perspectives and issues present in that market.
Frederick Chenel (BCom'04) has big plans for CFA Montreal. As the Association’s new president, his goal is to up its exposure, both at home and on the world stage. He’ll be doing this by bringing industry heavyweights to Montreal to speak at the Association and by forging partnerships with major finance organisations. You can also expect to see Mr. Chenel promoting the city at conventions and other events.
Philippe Cloutier (MBA'02) is the new Senior VP and CFO at Vidéotron, reporting directly to CEO Manon Brouillette. He will oversee the financial operations, procurement, and Vidéotron’s community channel, MAtv. Previously, he had been with Mission Capital Group, VP of North American Operations for Reader’s Digest, and the President of Quad/Graphics Canada. As Mr. Cloutier takes the reins of Vidéotron’s business plan, Ms. Brouillette hails him as “a brilliant financial strategist who will undoubtedly propel the organization towards success and excellence.â€
According to a piece at BNN.ca, over 900 nominations have been reviewed and pared down to the final Canada’s 2017 Top 40 Under 40 list. The list is a roundup of some of Canada’s most outstanding young business and medical leaders, and technologists. Goodfood CEO Jonathan Ferrari (BCom'10) is also listed, as is DAVIDsTEA co-founder David Segal (BCom'04). Interviews with the recipients will be airing on BNN Tuesday and Thursday mornings throughout the summer.
Alexis Haynes (BCom'08) had a degree from Desautels and a plan. Then life got in the way: in quick succession, her sister and father both fell sick, and her mother suffered a seizure that required brain surgery. Ms. Haynes fought through the stress to finish her first year of law school in England, and though her mother gradually recovered, her father passed away from his illness. Ms. Haynes nevertheless completed a postgraduate diploma and a Masters in international legal practice with distinction.
Desautels alumna Kelly Megyery (MBA’92) was one of the Health Sciences judges at the ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ Dobson Cup 2017. She is a partner at Pivot Strategic Transformation, where she works on healthcare policy and life sciences. Previously, she was at Sanofi, where she led efforts around wellness and prevention.
Desautels alumnus Yves Grou (BCom’77, DPA’78) has been appointed to Sama Graphite Inc’s Board of Directors, effective June 14, 2017. Mr. Grou has pertinent experience, which makes him a good fit for the position: he is on the boards of several companies that operate in the energy and natural resources sectors.
In 2013, he founded Algold Resources Ltd., where he serves as Executive Vice Chairman. Before that, he founded management consultancy firm Groupe Conseils Grou, La Salle, Inc. in 1980 and mining company Semafo in 1995.
According to an op-ed in The Chronicle Journal, Desautels alumnus Peter Cundill (BCom’60) was an investor’s investor. He was inspired by Benjamin Graham’s investment philosophy, and used it to become extremely successful. He eschewed market trends in favour of weighing a company’s stock value against its liquidation value; he would check out the country with the worst-performing market of any given year, then place some money there against future recoveries; he was a true value investor, with the patience required to play the long game and make a killing at it.
Desautels alumnus Fadi Kassatly (BCom'95) has been promoted to senior VP for the Middle East and North Africa area of management consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. He brings two decades’ worth of experience to the role, having worked previously as principal and VP at Booz, and as a management consultant at Deloitte. He also mentors B-School students and young entrepreneurs in the Middle East.
Cindy Blackstock (MMGMT'03) held Ottawa’s feet to the fire over the treatment of native children on reserves for almost 10 years. Last week, Dr Blackstock’s dedication and work on native issues resulted in an honorary doctorate of laws from the University of Winnipeg, a degree she dedicated to a young native boy who died in hospital in 2005. Dr Blackstock serves as executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, and as a Professor at ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ’s School of Social Work. She also works on health issues with the UN.