The gift of service

Soon after the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010, Laura Parny Germain (BEng’15, MBA’21) moved from Port-au-Prince to Montreal with a deep resolve to use her education for the benefit of others. With engineering and MBA degrees from McGill under her belt, she looks forward to working toward socially and environmentally sustainable solutions to the challenges her hometown faces.

Transforming Eastside LA

Guy Vidal (BA’87, MBA’92) is the co-founder of Vidal Design Collaborative, an interior and landscape design company dedicated to bringing style and hospitality to Eastside Los Angeles. He credits his time at Desautels with teaching him the language of business and preparing him to take risks as an entrepreneur.

William Shatner to make “Star Trek” role a reality

In a prime example of life imitating art, William Shatner (BCom’52, DLitt’11) will channel Captain Kirk, the character he plays in "Star Trek,” as he blasts off into space aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket.

In a record-breaking occasion, the 90-year-old actor will become the oldest person ever to visit space. He will join Bezos, a NASA engineer, and a software company co-founder on the two-pilot, 10-minute flight beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

EMBA alumnus appointed chancellor of the Université de Montréal

Congratulations to Frantz Saintellemy (EMBA’20) on his appointment to the role of chancellor at the Université de Montréal. A driven entrepreneur with a long track record of success, Saintellemy serves as president and chief operating officer for LeddarTech Inc., an artificial intelligence company on the forefront of developing assisted driving technology. He is also the founder of Groupe 3737, a centre that promotes diversity in innovation and entrepreneurship.

2021 MAA Honours and Awards recipients

We are pleased to announce that three Desautels alumni have been selected to receive 2021 McGill Alumni Association (MAA) Awards. This year’s recipients will be honoured at a special virtual ceremony on Thursday, September 30 at 5:30 PM (EDT).

Raising the bar for real-world learning in analytics and retail

KPI Digital entrepreneur Benny Cohen (BCom’82) shares business acumen and scholarship support with students in McGill’s Master of Management in Analytics (MMA) and Master of Management in Retail (MMR) programs.

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Introducing the Lewtas Experiential Learning Office

Thanks to the generosity of Don Lewtas (BCom’75), students will soon benefit from the Lewtas Experiential Learning Office.

In collaboration with Desautels Career Management, the new Office will help students connect with companies and campus departments that can provide on-the-job experience in their respective fields of study.

Endowed prize honours Richard G. Donovan

Professor Richard G. Donovan passed suddenly on August 3, 2019, but the legacy he left behind continues to this day. Through generous donor support, the $50,000 Richard G. Donovan Prize in Case Excellence is awarded to graduating students who have excelled in case competitions in their time at McGill. Now, Desautels is raising funds to endow the prize in order to support students for generations to come.

Desautels alumna named to Poets & Quants list of Best and Brightest EMBAs

Congratulations to Kate Arthur (EMBA’21) on being named to Poets & Quants’ 2021 list of Best and Brightest EMBAs.

Dedicated to ensuring education for all, Arthur is the CEO and Founder of Kids Code Jeunesse, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing Canadian children the opportunity to learn computer programming and coding skills.

Integrating business and beauty

Anastasia Bezrukova (BCom’12) is the founder and CEO of Minori, a beauty brand based in San Francisco. She credits her time at Desautels, especially her courses in finance and entrepreneurship, with helping her understand how a degree in business could meld with her passion for the beauty industry.

Motivating a lifetime of discovery

From climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to interacting with penguins in Antarctica, Ron Calderoni (BCom’66) has embraced a life of adventure and ambition. The Deloitte auditing partner expresses gratitude to McGill for instilling in him a profound curiosity about the world around him and an enduring commitment to working hard for everything he has.

Supporting Desautels student leadership aspirations

While leading a pharmaceutical company, Samira Sakhia (BCom’90, DPA’94, MBA’01) is also volunteering her expertise in the broader McGill community and supporting students in realizing their leadership potential through the Samira Sakhia MBA Leadership Award.

McGill alumna appointed president of Groupe CH

After eight years of climbing the ladder at Groupe CH, Quebec’s premier sports and entertainment organization, France Margaret Bélanger (EMBA’14) has reached new heights. In her new role as president of sports and entertainment, she will oversee team partnerships, event promotion, and other collaborative initiatives geared toward building community among fans.

Desautels alumnus makes list of “Best and Brightest EMBAs”

Congratulations to Ian Picard (EMBA’21) for being named to Poets & Quants’ 2021 “Best and Brightest EMBAs” list. A prominent member of the Huron-Wendat First Nation, Picard serves as Deputy Manager of Development and Asset Management for RBA Financial Group, an organization dedicated to providing financial planning assistance and pension funds to First Nations communities across Canada.

Desautels Alumnus Appointed Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge

This fall, Kamal Munir (Ph.D.’00) will step into a new role as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge (UK). Munir taught at McGill for four years before moving to Cambridge, where he has served as an instructor of policy and strategy at the Judge Business School for the past 20 years.