A task force proposes the creation of an international centre for the prosperity of Québec businesses

To help Québec businesses take advantage of the globalization phenomenon, a task force of Québec business leaders has proposed the creation of the Centre international sur la prospérité des entreprises du Québec.

The task force consists of Alban d’Amours, President of the Mouvement des caisses Desjardins, Daniel Denis, Partner at Secor, Richard B. Evans, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alcan Inc., Jean-René Halde, President of the Business Development Bank of Canada, Paul-Arthur Huot, President and Chief Executive Officer of PÔLE Québec Chaudière-Appalaches, Jacques Lamarre, President and Chief Executive Officer of SNC-Lavalin, Henri Massé, President of the Fédération des travailleurs du Québec, Henri-Paul Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Bruno Roy, Partner, McKinsey & Company, Marie-Agnès Thellier, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cercle des présidents, and Louis Vachon, Chief Operating Officer of National Bank.

“The mission of the Centre international sur la prospérité des entreprises du Québec is simple: to actively assist executives of Québec’s medium-sized businesses in their efforts to accelerate the growth of their organizations by taking advantage of globalization. Prosperous companies are essential to Québec’s economic development and job creation,” stated task force spokesman Henri-Paul Rousseau during an address to the members of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal.

To carry out its mission, the Centre international sur la prospérité des entreprises du Québec will take three types of initiative. First, it will help executives gain a better understanding of the new realities of the international markets. Second, it will create a formal and informal framework for the discussion of globalization issues. And, third, it will contribute to the advancement of research on various business models so that companies can take advantage of this complex economic environment. To achieve its objectives, the Centre international sur la prospérité des entreprises du Québec will carry out activities involving strategic intelligence and sharing of networks and contacts
in addition to facilitating participants’ access to experts and researchers from Québec and elsewhere. 

“The Centre will be an inclusive organization open to business leaders from Québec’s various regions, sectors of activity and cultural communities. It will also complement the initiatives taken by other associations, such as Creating prosperity together, it’s time to do it!, a project of the Groupement des chefs d’entreprise. Moreover, the Centre will aim to build partnerships with businesses, consultants and university chairs that share its mission,” Mr. Rousseau stated.

“The Centre international sur la prospérité des entreprises du Québec intends to be a dynamic organization dedicated to researching, validating and implementing the best business models for Québec companies that want to prosper in the context of globalization. The task force intends to conclude the first phase of its work to set up the Centre international sur la prospérité des entreprises du Québec by the fall of 2007,” Mr. Rousseau added.