Françoise Bertrand

Françoise Bertrand

Françoise Bertrand is a business personality in Quebec. She has served as president and CEO of Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (Québec's Federation of Chambers of Commerce) since 2003.^[1]

Biography

Holding a degree in sociology from the Université de Montréal^{[citation needed]} and a master’s degree in Environmental Studies from Toronto’s York University^{[citation needed]}, Bertrand has more than thirty years of experience leading major organizations.^{[citation needed]}

From 1980 to 1988, she pursued a career in senior management at the Université du Québec à Montréal, where she held a variety of positions, including dean of resource management.

From there, she went on to become president and CEO of the Société de radio-télévision du Québec —now called Télé Québec— where she was responsible for refocusing the mission of the organization.^{[citation needed]}

After a short stint with KPMG, in 1996 Bertrand became the first woman to serve as chairperson of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). In this position, she steered the radio broadcasting and telecommunications sector toward greater convergence in order to encourage competition and corporate consolidation.

In 2001, Bertrand left the CRTC to become a partner at the SECOR Group, where she remained for three years. This return to consulting allowed her to share her strategic expertise with the senior managers and boards of directors of many companies in the communications, media and entertainment sectors of Montréal, Toronto and Paris.

Since 2003, she has served as the president and CEO of Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec. Linking more than 150 chambers of commerce and representing 60,000 companies and 100,000 members active in all sectors of the provincial economy, it is the most influential business network in Québec.

Boards

Throughout her career, Bertrand has served on the boards of directors of numerous organizations. She is currently Chair of the board of Quebecor, member of the boards of the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail, and FIDEC. As well, she is also a member of the Ordre des administrateurs agréés du Québec (the Order of Chartered Administrators of Québec) and has completed the order’s eighth professional-development program for administrators. In addition, she supports a wide variety of worthy causes, including the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal.

Awards and honors

Bertrand is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor received in France in 2001. In 2007, she was named in Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 by Women's Executive Network (RFE), which recognizes her as one of the most influential women in the country. In 2008, she received the highest honor awarded by the Government of Quebec: the insignia of Chevalier of the National Order of Quebec (NQO).^{[citation needed]}

In June, 2013, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.

References