Supporting Desautels student leadership aspirations
While leading a pharmaceutical company, Samira Sakhia (BCom鈥�90, DPA鈥�94, MBA鈥�01) is also volunteering her expertise in the broader 51吃瓜网community and supporting students in realizing their leadership potential through the Samira Sakhia MBA Leadership Award.
51吃瓜网alumna appointed president of Groupe CH
After eight years of climbing the ladder at Groupe CH, Quebec鈥檚 premier sports and entertainment organization, France Margaret B茅langer (EMBA鈥�14) has reached new heights. In her new role as president of sports and entertainment, she will oversee team partnerships, event promotion, and other collaborative initiatives geared toward building community among fans.
Desautels alumnus makes list of 鈥淏est and Brightest EMBAs鈥�
Congratulations to Ian Picard (EMBA鈥�21) for being named to Poets & Quants鈥� 2021 鈥淏est and Brightest EMBAs鈥� list. A prominent member of the Huron-Wendat First Nation, Picard serves as Deputy Manager of Development and Asset Management for RBA Financial Group, an organization dedicated to providing financial planning assistance and pension funds to First Nations communities across Canada.
Desautels Alumnus Appointed Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
This fall, Kamal Munir (Ph.D.鈥�00) will step into a new role as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge (UK). Munir taught at 51吃瓜网for four years before moving to Cambridge, where he has served as an instructor of policy and strategy at the Judge Business School for the past 20 years.
MBA alumnus steps up to serve victims of domestic violence
Kamran Shojaei (MBA鈥�13) spends his weekends volunteering with Transit Secours, a Montreal-based organization that provides moving and storage services for women and children fleeing domestic violence. In addition to providing logistical support in high-risk, time-sensitive contexts, Shojaei and his fellow volunteers work to build trust with clients by providing a safe space for them to share their stories.
From professional soccer player to management consultant
After a career-ending injury left Gabriel Gervais, MBA鈥�09, unable to continue playing professional soccer, his 51吃瓜网MBA landed him a permanent role at Deloitte. Since 2009, he has leveraged his expertise to help companies improve their supply chain management and manufacturing operations. The former defender, who had his sights set on playing in the World Cup, still makes time to follow the sport and maintain friendships with former teammates.
Graduate spotlight: Ugo Umeano, MBA 鈥�21
Ugo Umeano (MBA鈥�21) is one of Poets&Quants鈥� 鈥�2021 MBAs to Watch鈥� as he graduates from Desautels and launches his career as an associate in CIBC鈥檚 Technology Leadership Advancement Program.
With a vast array of experiences in business, music, athletics, technology, and community outreach, Umeano has amassed skills that he can transfer to any industry.
C. Douglas Mellor Prize for academic excellence awarded to GCPA student
Elizabeth Roy (BCom'20, GCPA'21), student of the Graduate Certificate in the Professional Accounting (GCPA) program, has been selected among her graduating class as this year鈥檚 recipient of the C. Douglas Mellor Prize for academic excellence.
Going the distance
Dan Park, BCom鈥�03, is redefining the used car sales industry with his start-up, Clutch Canada, an e-commerce platform for buying and selling cars without the hassle and uncertainty usually associated with the process. Clutch Canada gives customers the option to shop for a car from the comfort of home and have it delivered directly to their driveway.
Sean McNally crowned valedictorian at Desautels
Congratulations聽to Sean McNally (BCom鈥�21), this year鈥檚 valedictorian at the Desautels Faculty of Management, for his academic achievements and contributions to the Desautels community.
Moving the ball forward
Claude G茅n茅reux (BEng鈥�85) and his wife, Myriam Legault (BEd鈥�85), announced a donation of $1 million to the 51吃瓜网Athletics and Recreation. Their gift will support student athletes, both in and out of the stadium, by providing scholarships, funding community service opportunities.
Advancing financial markets across the globe
Seven years ago, Olivier Babin (BCom鈥�18) won the Bourstadt Stock Market Simulation. Now, at age 25, he has his sights set on launching his own startup in the financial technology sector while continuing to build Mkono, a non-profit he co-founded to provide microcredit without interest to entrepreneurs in Kenya.
From the corporate office to live television聽
Right out of university, Dick Irvin (BCom鈥�53) enjoyed a stable career in Montreal鈥檚 finance sector.
Embracing the journey
Samer Saab (BEng'93, MBA'96)聽fled聽a civil war in Lebanon to pursue a degree in engineering at 51吃瓜网in 1990. He realized early in his career that he was best suited to launching his own company. Since returning to his alma mater for an MBA, he has leveraged his business school experience to launch what has become one of Canada鈥檚 most desirable employers.聽
Building the right foundation
After graduating from McGill, Michael Pesner (BCom鈥�63) took over his father鈥檚 accounting and insolvency practice before joining a KPMG predecessor firm as a chairman and managing partner. Over the next 26 years, he navigated challenges in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and insolvency so adeptly that he was invited to serve on the KPMG board of directors.
