Panel: The Impact of the U.S. Election on Quebec Businesses
 

 

Please note that the presentation will be in French.

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Biographies

 

Benjamin Bélair

Benjamin Bélair was appointed Quebec’s Delegate in Washington D.C. on May 2, 2024. He was appointed on August 21, 2023, and is in charge of bilateral relations between Québec and the United States Federal Government.
He previously held the position of Director of Government Relations at the National School of Public Administration (École nationale d’administration publique - ENAP). He also worked as political advisor and director of international and intergovernmental relations in the office of Premier François Legault. He has an extensive background in politics as well as broad experience in strategic planning and crisis management, particularly with the implementation and management of the Québec government’s COVID-19 crisis unit.
Benjamin Bélair holds three master’s degrees: one in political science from the Université de Montréal, one in public administration from ENAP and one in philosophy, also from the Université de Montréal. He was a professor of philosophy for some ten years at Collège Montmorency.

Pierre Fitzgibbon

Special Advisor to Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, member of the Board of Directors of Anasens and member of the Advisory Board of Concordia Volt-Age program.
Previously held the position of Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Montréal Region under the Quebec government from October 2018 until September 2024.
Before entering politics, from 2015 to 2018 was Managing partner at Walter Capital Partners, a private equity firm. From 2007 to 2014, was President and CEO of Atrium Innovations, and from 2002 to 2007, worked for the National Bank Group, where he held the position of Vice Chairman of National Bank Financial, and Chief Financial Officer of National Bank.
Prior to 2002, held positions in finance, corporate development and business development at Telesystem International Wireless, Chase Capital Partners Hong Kong, Domtar and Peerless Carpet Corporation. He began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in auditing and consulting.
Over the years Mr Fitzgibbon served on numerous Board of Directors of public and private companies and non profit organizations.
Mr. Fitzgibbon holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from HEC Montréal and has obtained his Chartered Professional Accountant designation in Québec.

Marie-Eve Jean

Marie-Eve Jean was appointed Vice-President, Exports, of Investissement Québec International in June 2020.
After holding the position of Director, Asia-Pacific and Oceania Markets at the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation (MEI-Export Québec) from 2011 to 2017, Ms. Jean took over as Montréal Regional Director at the MEI and then was appointed Québec’s Delegate General in Munich in May 2018. Thus, her career path has involved working to support exporters at different levels, both in Québec and abroad.
Ms. Jean holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration (international management and operations and production management) from HEC Montréal and has completed the Cercle des jeunes leaders de l’administration publique program at the École nationale d’administration publique. She has also taken specialized management courses at the University of St. Gallen, in Switzerland.

Yolande James

Yolande James is Managing Director and Head of Strategic Communications and Global Government Affairs at the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments). With over 20-year career, she joined the organization in September 2023 to lead the communications and government relations functions.

Since leaving politics, Yolande James is a lawyer-mediator, accredited for civil, commercial and work-related matters. Member of the Quebec Institute of Mediation and Arbitration (IMAQ), she was called upon to successfully manage various disputes relating to construction, latent defects, insurance and labor relations.

As Minister, she led a number of important negotiations. Under her leadership, the government negotiated the first-ever collective agreement for family-grade service providers (GSRs) as well as the renewal of the collective agreements for early childhood educators (CPEs).

Prior to joining PSP Investments, Yolande was General Manager, Diversity and Inclusion at Radio-Canada, organization where she spent several years as a political analyst and commentator on ICI RDI's Le Club des Ex and CBC's Power and Politics.

She is also a member of various boards of directors, including the MBAM (Montreal Museum of Fine Arts) and MISC (McGill Institute for the Study of Canada).

She holds a Bachelor of Law from Université de Montréal and a Bachelor of Common Law from Queen’s University. Yolande is also certified as Mediator in civil, commercial and labor law from the Institut de médiation et d'arbitrage du Québec (IMAQ) investpsp.

Biographies 2025