In January 2025, the Montreal-based retailer Frank and Oak filed for creditor protection for the second time in recent years. A company statement said it was to protect employees, assets and operations from creditor claims while exploring options to restructure. “The brand is not standing out in an environment where other brands have done well,” said Bensadoun School of Retail Management Executive Director Charles de Brabant in an interview with the Montreal Gazette.
Inclusion should not undermine performance, nor should performance come at the expense of individuals, Dean Yolande Chan in the Leaders & Strategists podcast hosted by McGill Desautels Professor Anicet Fangwa. “For me, success is about both excellence and equity,” said Chan. “I would like to be a source of encouragement to others that regardless of setbacks, you can excel.
The days of the CEO as the sole person making all the calls are behind us, writes Professor Karl Moore in Forbes.com. Modern leaders face a world that is volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous, requiring a shift in the way we think about leadership. No one leader can anticipate every twist and turn. Instead, CEOs must tap into their teams’ collective intelligence to build resilience.
From October 13-17, the McGill Master of Management in Finance (MMF) 2025 cohort visited London to explore one of the world's largest financial hubs. Arthur Deng MMF’25 shares his experience on this week-long trip, which included visits to historical sites, networking events, and meetings with alumni. Students were welcomed at the High Commission of Canada and the Quebec Delegation Government Office, showcasing London's diverse, inclusive culture. The trip highlighted the MMF program's emphasis on global perspectives, preparing students for dynamic careers in finance.
The holidays are a time for celebration, but higher levels of consumption also cause pollution. “Our busy, materialistic lives are not well aligned with climate objectives, and during the holidays, it’s even worse,” says Ghina El Haffar, a postdoctoral researcher at McGill Desautels Centre for the Convergence of Health and Economics. “We forget our convictions and that heightens pressure on the environment.” But making incremental improvements is straightforward enough. “It doesn’t need to be that complicated,” El Hafffar told Le Franco.
Emotional intelligence is the cornerstone of true leadership, says Thomas Lecordier (MBA’97), the President and Director General of A2C, an association of more than one hundred creative communications agencies. The ability to manage your own emotions and understand the emotions of others can make you a better coach and a better collaborator.
In baseball, data is of paramount importance. Since graduating from the Master of Management Analytics program, Sam Greene (MMA’21) has been applying the analytical skills he developed at McGill Desautels as a researcher with the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. In 2025, Greene will be even closer to the action as he takes on a new position as Assistant Pitching Coach for the team.
Claudia Navarro (MBA’03) is Coca-Cola’s Chief of Marketing for Latin America, but her climb through the company’s ranks started out at their Toronto office. “We need to be part of the global conversation, but also be relevant locally,” Navarro told Forbes Espanol. One example is the brand’s famous Christmas branding. The Atlanta-headquartered soda company famously copyrighted the stereotypically ruddy and white-bearded Santa Claus, but in Latin America, that image is ‘tropicalized’ to better reflect local realities.
After a sudden shift to remote work in 2020, federal public servants have been required to be on site for 60 per cent of their working days since September 2024. Productivity was among its reasons for introducing the requirement, but that’s misguided, according to Jean-Nicolas Reyt, Associate Professor of Management at McGill Desautels.
In partnership with McGill’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management (BSRM) and Master of Management in Retailing (MMR) program, Quebec bakery Mamie Clafoutis transformed its St. Denis location into a cutting-edge bakery.
Canadian pension funds have a mandate to deliver steady pension payments to millions of plan members, writes Professor Sebastien Betermier in Benefits Canada. But that’s easier said than done, and the most cost-efficient way to deliver is by investing in a globally diversified portfolio tilted toward strategic assets. This type of asset, however, isn’t available in Canada, so pension funds look for them elsewhere.
In 2023, the Quebec electric vehicle maker Autobus Lion opened a $150 million truck manufacturing facility in Illinois, but its expansion into the United States has not gone according to plan. Much of its 900,000 square foot facility sits empty, and the company is sub-leasing the space. Now, the company is on the brink of bankruptcy and working with investors to determine if it can be salvaged.
In 2022, Quebec’s so-called ‘welcome tax’ generated more than $1.4 billion for municipalities, with Montreal alone pulling in more than $410 million. Though it sounds like a penalty for new arrivals, its name is actually derived from former Quebec cabinet member Jean Bienvenue, who tabled the bill proposing the tax; Bienvenue’s surname translates into English as ‘welcome’. These municipal-level real estate transfer taxes can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, and property buyers must pay within 30 days of closing their purchase.
The McGill International Portfolio Challenge (MIPC) 2024 was held in November and drew a record 99 teams from 47 universities across 17 countries, cementing its reputation as a premier global finance competition. This year’s focus on building inclusive retirement systems for gig workers and those facing income uncertainty sparked innovative solutions from participants. A standout addition was the inaugural Women in Buy-Side Panel, addressing gender disparities in finance.
The Laidley Centre for Business Ethics and Equity (LCBEE) hosted its second annual Business Ethics Conference on November 15 at McGill, focusing on "Ethics in the Aviation Industry." Over 80 attendees participated in panels exploring sustainability, accessibility, and social responsibility.