What does it mean to literate in the age of artificial intelligence? According to Kate Arthur (EMBA 2021) , literacy is about more than knowing how to read or write, it’s about having the tools to understand the world around us and our active role in shaping it. Arthur’s own sense of literacy was upended when she was introduced to language of computing. Now an adviser at the Montreal AI Ethics Institute, Arthur has been exploring traditional, computing and AI literacies since the early 2000s.
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Published on: 17 Sep 2025
Linearis Ventures invests in new health technologies at the intersection of life sciences and artificial intelligence. The Quebec City-based venture capital firm recently received a $3 million investment from the city of Quebec, pushing it past its initial commitment target of $50 million. Managed by an experienced trio, including Manon Boisclair (EMBA’19), the fund seeks to open new horizons in precision medicine. And for Quebec City mayor Bruno Marchand, the investment represents an effort to support those who are making the city shine.
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Published on: 14 Feb 2024
After two years as the President and CEO of the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC), Jacques Farcy (EMBA’21) is assuming the same titles at the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), a Quebec government crown corporation that sells and distributes alcohol. “I am very enthusiastic about the prospect of contributing to the SAQ’s development and working with each member of the great SAQ team, to satisfy each and every customer on a daily basis and generate value for Quebec,” Farcy said in a press release.
Published on: 4 Jul 2023
As chief of the Service de police de l’Agglomération de Longueuil (SPAL), Fady Dagher (EMBA’12) carried out a real revolution in the force, and he has now taken the reins of the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) as its new chief, writes McGill Alumni News. In Longueil, Dagher took the concept of “community policing” one step further by creating a “partnership police force” that works hand-in-hand with social services. Dagher credits McGill Desautels Prof.
Published on: 11 May 2023
On December 29, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced the newest Order of Canada appointments and promotions. Among the 99 honourees are seven McGillians, including the current chancellor of Université de Montréal Frantz Saintellemy (EMBA’20). The graduate of the McGill-HEC Montreal Executive MBA program is recognized with one of our country’s highest civilian honours for his contributions to innovations in leading-edge electronics technologies and to the country’s entrepreneurial diversity.
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Published on: 12 Jan 2023
People get in to policing to fight crime, but most calls to police are not about crimes at all, said Fady Dagher (EMBA’12) in an interview with CBC. Officers regularly respond to calls that involve people experiencing mental health crises, or people with disabilities. The new Chief of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) wants his officers to better understand what it is like to be on the other side of these calls.
Published on: 2 Dec 2022
Quebec’s homicide rate is lower than it was a decade ago, but a slight majority of people that live in cities aren’t feeling as safe as they used to. This rests in the public’s perception that there is a lack of organization, according Fady Dagher (EMBA’12), Chief of Police in Longueuil, in an interview with TVA’s Le monde à l’envers. But the way that violent crime is occurring contributes to that fear – there are more guns and drugs on the street, and lockdowns have had a pronounced impact on low-income neighbourhoods.
Published on: 28 Sep 2022
The influential business school news site Poets&Quants has named McGill-HEC Montréal EMBAs Jean-Pierre Michael and Carlos Andrade to its 2022 Best & Brightest Executive MBA list. The graduates were among 101 individuals selected from 49 top business schools around the world for personifying excellence – be it academic performance, extracurricular involvement, or professional achievement.
Published on: 2 Aug 2022
Kimberly Quinn (BA’99, BA’01, EMBA’21) was on the lookout for new opportunities to learn when she came across the McGill-HEC Montréal Executive program, which stood out for its bilingual structure and its Scholarship for Managers of Indigenous Origin.
For Robert Auclair (EMBA’22), another of the scholarship’s recipients, the EMBA was the perfect way to uphold his family legacy by following in his mother’s footsteps, all while fulfilling a personal goal.
Published on: 28 Jun 2022
Women in Communications and Technology celebrated its 30th anniversary with a gala event that recognized the contributions of leaders who have championed women in Canada’s innovation industries. Among those honoured at the event was Liette Vigneault (EMBA’18), who received the WCT Leader award, which recognizes exceptional contributions to the organization.
Published on: 16 Jun 2022
When The Producers launched on Broadway in 2001, it took home the Tony Award for Best Musical. Its French adaptation repeated the feat at this year’s Molière awards, which recognize achievement in live French theatre. In Les Producteurs, Serge Postigo (EMBA’15) plays the lead role of Max Bialystock, a theatrical producer who seeks to get rich by convincing investors to back a play that’s all but certain to flop – only to find himself with an unexpected hit on hands.
Published on: 16 Jun 2022
Marie-Josée Desrochers (EMBA’14) moved to Montréal to study music when she was just sixteen years old, and has spent most of her career working in the arts. Desrochers spent two decades with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and decided to take on a mid-career McGill-HEC Montréal Executive MBA. She credits the experience with helping her evolve as a leader and giving her the confidence to take decisions in times of crisis. Since 2019, she’s been putting those skills to use as the CEO of Société Place des Arts.
Published on: 12 Apr 2022
Congratulations to the five recipients of the 42nd Desautels Management Achievement Awards, including three accomplished alumni: Meagan Prins (BCom’17), Maria Eitel (BA’84), and Monika Ille (EMBA’20) as well as Patrick Odier and Brian J. Porter. During the virtual celebration earlier this month, Desautels students had the opportunity to network with the recipients and hear their words of advice.
Published on: 24 Feb 2022
France Margaret Bélanger (EMBA’14) was recently appointed President of Sports and Entertainment for the Montréal Canadiens, owned by the CH Group. In an interview with La Presse, she shares her experience so far as the first woman to serve on the team’s executive committee.
Published on: 4 Feb 2022
When COVID-19 hit Canada, Catherine Dagenais (EMBA’18) successfully maintained employee and consumer operations at SAQ, Quebec’s liquor commission. As the government retailer’s CEO since 2018, Dagenais spearheaded company efforts to implement strict sanitary protocols and develop contactless delivery solutions to meet consumer needs. Under Dagenais’ innovative leadership, SAQ plays a pivotal role in giving back to Quebec, generating $35 million in weekly government revenue to fund schools, hospitals, and other services.
Published on: 14 Dec 2021
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