As the chief financial officer for a fast-growing division of Nestlé, Eric Bouchard deals in constant change — and thrives on it.
“I’m trying to remember the last day when I didn’t face a challenge,” he says. “There aren’t very many. And that’s good, because those are boring days.”
Founded in 2011, Nestlé Health Sciences has been quick to establish itself in the global nutritional health products industry. Bouchard joined its executive team when it acquired his employer, Atrium Innovations, in 2018. Since then, its annual sales rose from three billion to nearly seven billion Swiss francs (roughly $10.5 billion CAD). A sizable portion of that growth came from acquisitions that relied upon Bouchard’s heavy involvement.
“We’re not done, either,” he says. “We’re planning to hit around 10 billion francs in a few years. It’s been quite a journey!”
Career satisfaction
“I’ve had the pleasure of working in big corporations such as KPMG and Bombardier. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not always perfect. But one of the benefits is that you get to work with some of the best people in their fields. They know so much, and that keeps you on your toes.”
On technological change
“Technology keeps improving, which means we can’t hold on to the ways we were doing things before. If a machine can do a task better or faster than people, then people can supervise the machine and its output. Or, we can be freed up to do something else. That’s not to say there’s no pain. But I think we need to embrace change and push ourselves in new directions.”
Proud Concordian
“I’m from Quebec’s Saguenay region. It’s very francophone, so my English was limited when I first moved to Montreal. I joined the accounting program at Concordia partly to help improve it. Nestlé actually has a huge internship program with Concordia: it’s a university that continues to produce amazing talent, and I’m proud to be associated with it.”
Go-to game
“I’m a huge ball hockey player. It’s a good way to unwind. Physical activity takes my mind out of everything else. When I’m done, I feel refreshed for my next day of work and family responsibilities.”