Colloquium attracts A-list speakers
In 2012, when U.S. retailer Lowe’s made an unsolicited $1.8-billion bid for Rona Inc., it was suggested that the Government of Quebec, through its investment arm, might get involved in preventing the takeover. Raymond Bachand, the province’s finance minister at the time, called Rona “a strategic Canadian asset that must be protected from foreign ownership.”
“On a global level, economic uncertainty has created a context in which the ownership of certain companies previously seen as 'untouchable' is suddenly at risk,” says Stéphane Brutus, a professor of management at Concordia’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB).
Brutus is the incoming associate dean of professional programs with oversight of the John Molson Executive Centre, which is working with the Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations (IGOPP) to organize the May 31 colloquium on corporate ownership and control in Quebec and Canada. JMSB, along with HEC Montréal, are founding members of IGOPP.
“IGOPP is now a reference on governance issues in Quebec, Canada and around the world,” says Brutus, who adds that the organization is committed to improving corporate governance in the public and private sectors.
The colloquium will feature a number of high-profile speakers from the province’s business community who will discuss the major challenges facing corporate ownership in the province and in the country. “This event will focus on a topic that is very much on the minds of politicians and business people alike,” says Brutus.
Speakers include Yvon Bolduc, president and CEO of Fonds de solidarité FTQ; Andrew Molson, chairman of the board of Molson Coors Brewing Company; and Michael Sabia, president and CEO of the Caisse de dépot et placement du Québec.
Following the discussion, a luncheon will be held, during which Nicolas Marceau, Quebec’s minister of finance and the economy, will address the participants.
“We're talking about the future of our companies and, as a result, that of our economy,” says Brutus. “The lineup assembled for this event offers every perspective on this complex issue: from the Government of Quebec and the Caisse de dépot, to business owners and stakeholders of major firms. This is truly a star lineup and JMSB is very proud to be associated with it.”
When: Friday, May 31, 2013
Colloquium: 7:30 a.m. to noon, $139 (table of eight: $950)
Lunch with the finance minister: noon to 2 p.m., $195 (table of eight: $1,325)
Where: Hôtel Omni Mont-Royal, Salle Pierre-Coubertin (1050 Sherbrooke St. W.)
The event is open to the public. Register here.
Related links:
• John Molson Executive Centre
• John Molson School of Business
• Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations (IGOPP)