Governance
of the IRCM

Richard Mayrand

Chairman of the IRCM Board, Corporate Director

Richard Mayrand, MBA, FCPA, FCGA, worked for the Jean Coutu Group from 1996 to 2019 as Senior Vice President, Pharmacy and Government Affairs. His mandate was to ensure the Jean Coutu network's leadership in pharmaceutical services. 
 
Mr. Mayrand is a member of the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec. He is also a member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés and a member of the Ordre des administrateurs agréés. He has been awarded the title of Fellow by all three professional orders. He holds an MBA from McGill University.

He is an ASC graduate of the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés and has chaired the Board of Directors of the Association des bannières et des chaînes de pharmacies du Québec and served on the Board of Directors of the Société de soins palliatifs à domicile du Grand Montréal. Richard Mayrand has been teaching the human resources management module at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Université de Montréal since 1996. In 2011, the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec honoured him with the prestigious Louis-Hébert Award, the Order's highest distinction in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of the pharmacy profession.

Marinella Ermacora

Vice President of the IRCM Board, President of the IRCM Human Ressources Committee, Businesswoman and Corporate Director. Former President, Createch, a Bell Canada society.

Marinella Ermacora is a Corporate Director with extensive executive experience acquired in dynamic corporations (Fujitsu, CGI, and Bell Canada), and who acted as President at Createch, a Bell Canada company. Over the past 35 years, as an energetic and action-oriented leader, she combined information technology and business to improve innovation, cost savings, operational improvements and growth. She excels in governance, business development, project management, negotiations, process reengineering and business transformation. Marinella Ermacora is known for her inspiring leadership as well as her ability to mobilize and influence others towards common success.  A Certified Director (ICD.D) by the Institute of Corporate Directors (McGill-Rotman), Ms. Ermacora sits on the boards of GHGSat and Capital Régional et Coopératif Desjardins.

Ms. Ermacora was a member of the IRCM Foundation Board of Directors from 2010 to 2017. She has been a member of the IRCM Board of Directors since September 2017. 

Louise Béliveau

Corporate Director, Vice-Rector Emeritus of the Université de Montréal

Holding a PhD in physical activity sciences, and after a postdoctoral fellowship at an INSERM unit in France, Louise Béliveau pursued a career as a professor and researcher at the Université de Montréal. She is currently an honorary professor at the School of Kinesiology and Physical Activity Sciences (EKSAP) of the Faculty of Medicine at that institution. She was also named Vice-Rector Emeritus in recognition of her contributions to the management of the Université de Montréal.

In research and teaching, she specializes in the physiology of exercise and physical activity in groups with special needs. She has extensive management experience, having served throughout her career as Director of the Department of Kinesiology (now EKSAP), Associate Vice-President of Graduate Studies and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Vice-President of Student Affairs and Sustainable Development, and Vice-President of Academic and Student Affairs.

She has served or currently serves on several boards of directors, including those of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies, the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île de Montréal, the Montreal Heart Institute, and Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf.

Véronique Boileau

Vice President, Communications and Branding, Pomerleau

Véronique Boileau is Vice President, Communications and Branding for Pomerleau.

Before joining Pomerleau, Ms. Boileau was Vice President, Communication for Agropur and Director of Public Relations for the OSM.  She previously worked in communications firms, including CASACOM.  She also worked for the French diplomatic services in New York.  At the beginning of her career, she was a press officer and political advisor for the Government of Quebec.

Ms. Boileau is a member of the IRCM’s Board of Directors since December 2019.

Martin Caron

Vice-President, Strategy and Corporate Development, National Bank of Canada

As Vice-President, Strategy and Corporate Development at National Bank of Canada, Mr. Caron is responsible for the Bank’s corporate business and financial strategy, mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, asset liquidation and any other major investment.

Mr. Caron has nearly 30 years of experience in the financial institutions industry. Before joining National Bank of Canada in 2013, he was responsible for capital management and rating agency relations at the Mouvement Desjardins from 2006 to 2013. From 1995 to 2005, he worked at Royal Bank of Canada, working in performance management, financial planning, merger and acquisition projects, financial policies, strategies and financial controls.

Mr. Caron holds a master's degree in finance and a bachelor's degree in actuarial science from Université Laval. He has also held the title of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) since 1999.

Mr. Caron also sits on the board of directors of the Fondation La Mosaïque.

Jean-François Côté

President and scientific director of the IRCM;
Director of a research unit

• President and Scientific Director, IRCM
• Director, Cancer and Genetic Diseases Research Division, IRCM
• Director, Cytoskeletal Organization and Cell Migration Research Unit, IRCM
  Full IRCM Research Professor
• Full research professor, Department of Medicine (accreditation in molecular biology, and in biochemistry and molecular medicine), Université de Montréal
• Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine (Division of Experimental Medicine), McGill University
• Research Scholar, Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé
• Holder of the Transat Chair in breast cancer research
• Person in charge of responsible conduct of research, IRCM

Awards and honours

• 2013 Pierre-Bois Excellence Award, IRCM Foundation
• Pre-doctoral awards from Cancer Research Society and NCIC (Terry Fox Funds)
• Post-doctoral award from CIHR and NCIC (Terry Fox Funds)
• CIHR “New Investigator” award (2006-2011)
• FRQS Scholar (Junior 1, Junior 2, Senior) awards
• Recipient of the Marcel Piché prize

Degrees and relevant experience

• PhD in biochemistry, McGill University (1996-2001)
• Postdoctoral fellowship, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, California, USA

André Couillard

President, IRCM Foundation; Corporate Director

André Couillard was Vice-President, Executive Search & Recruitment Solutions at Optimum Talent, from 1998 to 2020. He worked as Associate and Associate Director for three national/international executive search firms, in Ottawa and in Montreal. His previous business experience includes executive positions in Operations and Human Resources for national and international corporations, including Sears Canada, Le Château Stores, Shirmax, Henry Birks and Sons Ltd., and Bell Canada.

Former President and member of the Board of Directors of the Regroupement des gens d’affaires de la Capitale nationale (Ottawa), he was/is a board member or member of the advisory committee for several organizations, including the Montreal Kidney Foundation, the Conseil québécois du commerce de détail, Le refuge des jeunes de Montréal, The Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation, and was a founding member of Destination Centre-ville (Montréal).

Mr. Couillard has been president of the IRCM Foundation’s Board of Directors since June 2013 (Board Member since 2009) and is a member of the Foundation's Ad Hoc Governance and Recruitment Committee and of the Foundation's Ad Hoc Major and Exceptional Donations Committee.

He has been a member of the IRCM Board of Directors since June 2013 and is a member of the IRCM Governance Committee.

Marie-Chantal Dréau

Partner, Consulting and Transactions Services - Forensic Accounting Canada

Marie-Chantal Dréau joined the IRCM Board of Directors in 2024. Partner in PwC Canada’s Deals practice in Montréal, she is responsible for the forensic accounting practice for the Quebec region.

For over 30 years, she has been advising companies and public organizations on crisis management and compliance audits, conducting forensic accounting investigations and assisting her clients in analyzing disputes in the context of commercial litigation.

Her practice is based on training in accounting (CPA), business administration (MBA) and forensic accounting (CPA-EJC, CFE and CFF).

In addition to her professional experience, Marie-Chantal has lectured at several Quebec universities and gives lectures on various topics related to the implementation of corporate ethics programs, investigation protocols and compliance measures for applying various anti-fraud regulations.

Michèle de Guise

Cardiologist, President and CEO, Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux

Dr. Michèle de Guise is an accomplished healthcare professional with over twenty years' experience as a physician and manager. After fourteen years practicing cardiology at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Dr. de Guise joined the ranks of the Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS), where she devoted seven years to scientific activities before assuming her current position of President and CEO in 2022. Dr. de Guise is a woman of vision who, throughout her career, has passed on her holistic conception of health, through various initiatives integrating health, technology and social services.        

Yvan Gendron

Health Network Manager and Consultant

Yvan Gendron has a long track record as a seasoned manager in Quebec's health and social services network, and now as a consultant.

Mr. Gendron has over 35 years of management experience at the highest level in the health and social services network. A former Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Yvan Gendron has served as President and CEO of the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal and as Associate Executive Director and Assistant Executive Director of the CHUM, as well as President and CEO of the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de la Montérégie, and as Executive Director of Hôpital Charles-LeMoyne and the Centre de santé et de services sociaux Haut-Richelieu-Rouville, among others.

He has presided over numerous infrastructure and program transformation projects within the healthcare network. A member of the Ordre des technologues en imagerie médicale et en radio-oncologie du Québec, he holds a master's degree in public administration from the École nationale d'administration publique.

Marie Giguère

Chair of the IRCM Governance Committee, Corporate Director

Ms. Marie Giguère is a lawyer by training and has worked in commercial law throughout her career. Until 2016, she was Senior Vice-President, Legal Affairs and Secretariat of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. She was a partner at Fasken Martineau LLP where she began her career, then Senior Vice-President, Institutional Affairs and Corporate Secretary of the Montreal Exchange from 1997 to 1999, and Senior Vice-President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Molson Inc. from 1999 to 2005. Ms. Giguère also sits on the Board of Directors of TMX Group Limited. She is a member of the Order of Canada.

Didier Leconte

Consultant & Certified Corporate Director

Highly committed to the development of the life sciences industries in Quebec and Canada, Mr. Didier Leconte was Vice-President, Life Sciences and Technologies, at Investissement Québec and Vice-President, Investments, Life Sciences, at the Fonds de solidarité FTQ. 

Previously, he was actively involved in industry-to-industry in the energy sector and university-to-industry technology transfer in sciences and engineering and managed a seed investment fund affiliated with leading universities. 

Mr. Leconte holds an MBA in technology and innovation management from the Université du Québec à Montréal, a certification in governance from Université Laval and an engineering degree in materials science from the École d'ingénieurs Sup Galilée, Institut Galilée, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord.

Mr Leconte sits on the Boards of Directors of Congruence Therapeutics, DalCor Pharmaceutical and Morphocell Technologies. 

Sophie Lussier

Senior Vice-President, Head of Corporate Services, Organizational Performance and Secretariat
CDPQ Infra inc.

Sophie Lussier has been Senior Vice-President and Head of Corporate Services, Organizational Performance and Secretariat at CDPQ Infra since September 2023. 

Recognized for her expertise in legal, regulatory and governance matters, as well as her ability to meet operational challenges, Sophie Lussier has built a long track record at the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Having joined in 2001, she has risen through the ranks of the organization over the years, culminating in her appointment as Vice-President and Chief Legal Officer three years later in 2021. 

In this role, she has been called upon to play an active part in major strategic files, including CDPQ investments in some of Quebec's largest companies. Her role also extended internationally, as her team included several lawyers in Quebec and elsewhere in the world.

She has also served on a number of boards of directors in the course of her duties, and currently sits on the board and governance committee of the Fondation des Jeunes de la DPJ since 2019.

Ms. Lussier holds a law degree from Université de Montréal and has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1996. She is also the 2018 recipient of ZSA's Quebec Chief Legal Officer of the Year award. 

Ghislain Parent

Chair of the IRCM Audit Committee, Executive Vice President - International and member of the Office of the President, National Bank

Ghislain Parent is Executive Vice President - International and member of the Office of the President, National Bank. Until August 2011, Mr. Parent served as Senior Vice-President – Internal Audit, a position he had held since July 2010. Before joining National Bank, Mr. Parent held the positions of Senior Vice-President and Chief  Financial Officer of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and President of CDP Financial Inc. During his career, Mr. Parent also served as Vice-President – Internal Audit and Security and Vice-President, Chief Accountant for Laurentian Bank and Senior Advisor – Banking Supervision and Restructuring, Africa, for the International Monetary Fund.
In addition to his professional activities, Mr. Parent is involved in several organizations. He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Quartier International de Montréal from 2003 to 2008 and was involved in Centraide of Greater Montreal and the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec. More recently, he was the Honorary Co-Chair of the 2015, 2016 and 2017 benefit dinners for Intégration Jeunesse du Québec, an organization that offers training programs, stay-in-school programs, job placement services and employment assistance services to young people.
Since 2012, Mr. Parent and his team have been actively involved with Accueil Bonneau, an outreach organization that works with the homeless.
Ghislain Parent has a BA in Business Administration and Accounting and is a Fellow of the Ordre
des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec.

Ana Paula Pinguelli

Director of Legal Affairs, IRCM and General Secretary

A member in good standing of the Quebec Bar and the Brazilian Bar Association, and holder of a certificate in civil law - business law orientation from the Université de Montréal, Maitre Ana Paula Pinguelli previously worked for several years in the legal department of the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), where she constantly acquired new responsibilities.

Vincent Poitout

Full Professor of Medicine and Vice-Rector, Research and Innovation at the Université de Montréal

Dr. Vincent Poitout is Full Professor of Medicine and Vice-Rector, Research and Innovation at the Université de Montréal. He received his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort and his Doctorate in Life Sciences from Université Paris 6. He then did his postdoctoral training at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. He was an INSERM researcher at Hôtel-Dieu de Paris and then at the Pacific Northwest Research Institute in Seattle, WA, before joining the Université de Montréal in 2005. Dr. Poitout is the former Director of Research and Innovation at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM). He has chaired the American Diabetes Association's Peer Review Committee and Diabetes Canada's National Research Council. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Association, on the editorial boards of Diabetes and The Journal of Biological Chemistry, and as Associate Editor of Diabetologia.

Dr. Poitout's research is funded by the US National Institutes of Health, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and Diabetes Canada. Dr. Poitout has received several awards, including the Thomas R. Lee Career Development Award from the American Diabetes Association, the Young Investigator Award from the Canadian Diabetes Association, and the Paul Lupien and Jean Davignon Founders' Award from the Canadian Diabetes Association. He has published over 140 articles, book chapters and scientific reviews.

Dr. Poitout held the Canada Research Chair in Diabetes and Beta-Pancreatic Cell Function from 2006 to 2020, and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Annie Pullen Sansfaçon

Professor at the Université de montréal and Holder of the Canada Research Chair on transgender children and their families

Annie Pullen Sansfaçon holds a Ph.D in ethics and social work (De Montfort University, UK, 2007) and she has been interested in anti-oppressive approaches and ethics since the very beginning of her career. From these themes, she has developed a line of research aimed at better understanding the experiences of oppression and resistance of trans children and young people and their families and is working to develop best practices to support them. She is involved in several research projects both nationally and internationally, and she is co-founder of the Transgender Children Canada Organization. Finally, she is a research associate at the School of Social Work at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.