Board of Directors
We will. Together.John LeBoutillier
Chairman of the Board of Deschênes Group Inc.
Chairman of the Board of Deschênes Group Inc. since September 1st, 2009. John is Chairman of the Board of Industrial Alliance, Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and of Tennis Canada. He is also director of several companies including Mazarin Inc., Semafo Inc. and Stornoway Diamond Corporation. He received his law degree from Université Laval and his MBA from the University of Western Ontario (now The Richard Ivey School of Business). He is a member of the Quebec Bar and of the Order of Canada. He was President and Chief Executive Officer of Sidbec-Dosco Inc. (now ArcelorMittal Montreal Inc.) from 1983 to 1996, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Iron Ore Company of Canada (1996 to 2000,) Chairman of the Board of the Conseil du patronat du Québec (2006-2010), a director of Cartons St-Laurent Inc.(1995-200), of Société générale de financement du Québec and of various Canadian, North American and international industry associations. In 2000, he was a member of the Quebec Commission of Inquiry into Health and Social Services (Clair Commission) and, in 2001, a member of the Canadian Democracy and Corporate Accountability Commission (Bennett/Broadbent Commission).
Anne Darche
Anne Darche analyzes the behavior of buyers and consumers, tracks and decodes emerging signals to help companies identify opportunities for innovation in complex and changing environments. Alongside her work as a trendwatcher, Anne worked for 20 years in advertising agencies in Montreal, mainly as co-owner, president and vice-president of strategic planning. She helped build and lead what has become one of Canada's leading marketing communications agencies: Allard Johnson, which has since become Forsman & Bodenfors. A sought-after speaker and media collaborator, she has often been heard on Radio-Canada. In addition to Groupe Deschênes, Anne is also a member of the boards of directors of Germain Hôtels and Premier Tech. She also chairs the board of the mural organization MU, which transforms Montreal into an open-air museum. Previously, she sat on the boards of KDC/One (designated by CDPQ), 48North Cannabis, Groupe St-Hubert, Imprimeries Québecor (designated by CDPQ) as well as those of the Dr Clown Foundation, Sainte-Justine Hospital , the Marie-Vincent Foundation and the National Theater School of Canada. She was President of the Association des MBA du Québec and President of Mensa Montreal. Anne holds an MBA from the University of Sherbrooke, a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Laval University and is a Certified Director (ASC, Collège des administrateurs de sociétés, Laval University and C.Dir. McMaster University).
Martin Deschênes
Vice-chairman of the Board of Deschênes Group.
Vice-chairman of the Board of Deschênes Group, Martin joined the family business in in June 1981. Martin held various positions before managing the subsidiaries of Plomberium in Montreal and of Desco in Toronto for three years. Upon his return to Montréal, he obtained his MBA from HEC Montreal in 1998. It was at the very end of 2000 that Jacques Deschênes passed over the torch to his oldest son Martin, when he was named President of Deschênes Group, until early 2017. Since 2005, Martin is the Honorary President for “The Janine Sutto Theatre Evening”, the fundraising event of the Montreal Association for the Intellectually Handicapped (MAIH) and participates, in the recent years, as a member of the jury for “Les Médaillés de la relève” competition and the Arista Provincial Competition. In the past, he served as Chairman for the Board of Directors of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating as well as the Young President's Organization (YPO), Quebec chapter. He is also a member of the Quebec Institute for Business Families, the World President's Organization (WPO), the HEC network and the Cercle des présidents du Québec. Also, he sits on a Board of Directors and an Advisory Committee of canadian companies.
François Deschênes
François is President and CEO of Deschênes Group Inc.
François is President and CEO of Deschênes Group Inc. since early 2017. Previously, he had been Vice-President Operation for the province of Quebec, Vice-President and General Manager for Deschênes & Fils Ltée, a subsidiary of Deschênes Group Inc., Vice President Marketing & Business Development, as well as Vice-president Procurement. He joined the family business in 2000. He had also been president of the plumbing and heating buying groups AD Canada Plumbing & Heating Division and Canaplus Limited Partnership. After carrying out two training assignments in Deschênes Group companies, he completed a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration at HEC Montreal in 1994. He then held various positions in the manufacturing industry and started a multimedia company in 1997. He holds an EMBA degree from McGill-HEC Montréal since 2010. He is a member of the Young President's Organization (YPO), the Cercle des présidents du Québec and the Board of Directors of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH).
Éric Deschênes
Public relations officer at Deschênes Group Inc.
Eric is a public relations officer at Deschênes Group Inc. Since 2013, he has been business adviser for NB Renovation, a home renovation company. In 2016, he joined the Advisory Committee of the Institute for Business Families DESCHENES | MOLSON | LESAGE. After training at the HEC on families in business, he is interested in the process of ensuring the sustainability of family businesses in Quebec. He advises and sits on the board of directors of several non-profit organizations. From 1994 to 2010, he also held positions in the field of international cooperation and digital media production.
Nathalie Pilon
A nationally recognized business leader in Canada, Ms. Pilon has more than 30 years of experience in the construction and electrification industry. Currently serving as a corporate administrator, she is known for her ability to swiftly grasp the strategic challenges faced by organizations, understanding the impact of decisions and discussions within a collaborative spirit. Passionate about ensuring the longevity of businesses, she ensures that new technologies are an integral part of strategic considerations for enterprises. She also sits on various boards of directors. Nathalie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montréal and is a Fellow of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec (FCPA). In 2011, she was named one of the 100 most influential women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network. In 2015, she received the Excellence in Leadership Award from the Association des femmes en finance du Québec, and in 2018, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Concordia University for her innovation in business. She is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.
Andrew T. Molson
Chairman of RES PUBLICA Consulting Group
A lawyer by training, Andrew is a partner and chairman of RES PUBLICA Consulting Group, a Montreal-based holding and management company for two leading professional services firms, NATIONAL Public Relations and Cohn & Wolfe | Canada, both offering strategic public relations counsel to a wide range of businesses. A seventh-generation member of the Molson brewing family, he sits on the board of directors of the Molson Coors Brewing Company. He is also a member of the board of directors of Groupe Deschênes Inc., The Jean Coutu Group (PJC) Inc., the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club and Dundee Corporation. Andrew became a member of the Quebec Bar in 1995 after studying law at Laval University in Quebec City. He also holds a bachelor of arts degree from Princeton University and a masters of science in corporate governance and ethics from University of London (Birkbeck College). Fully bilingual, Andrew serves on several non-profit boards, including the Institute for Governance of Private and Public Organizations, the Montreal General Hospital Foundation, Concordia University Foundation, The Banff Centre and the Molson Foundation, a family foundation dedicated to the betterment of Canadian society. He is chairman of Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal Archaeology and History Complex. He also serves as Honorary Colonel of the Royal Montreal Regiment, Honorary Commissioner of the Quebec Council of Scouts Canada, and as co-chair of the 2015 campaign of Centraide of Greater Montreal.
Jacques Deschênes 1935-2022
Honorary Chairman of Deschênes Group Inc.
Honorary Chairman of Deschênes Group Inc. Jacques joined the family enterprise in 1954 and occupied different functions until he became President General Manager of the enterprise in 1973. Under his leadership, the enterprise grew from 1 to over 50 outlets throughout Québec and in Ontario. Within his professional activities, Jacques Deschênes is President of the Quebec Institute for Business Families, a member of the Governance Board of HEC Montreal Foundation, a member of the Conseil aviseur de l’Institut d’Entrepreneuriat Banque Nationale – HEC Montréal and a member of the Board of Directors of La Cordée Foundation. In the past, Jacques was a member of the Board of Directors and Verification Committee of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), a Canadian standardization association; Board member of Club St-Denis; Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating; Vice President of the District of Montréal Chamber of Commerce; Scouts Rovers Commissary for the Montréal diocese and President of La Cordée coop; Board member of the Business Families Foundation; Board member of the Palestre Nationale Foundation.