Management team: Deeply committed to the future

Sophie Brochu
President and Chief Executive Officer

Sophie Brochu took office as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro‑Québec in April 2020. She is the first woman in the company’s history to hold that office on a permanent basis.

Ms. Brochu has over 30 years of experience in the energy sector. She began her career in 1987 as a financial analyst with Société québécoise d’initiatives pétrolières (SOQUIP), a Québec government corporation responsible for developing the natural gas network in the province. In 1997, she joined Énergir (formerly Gaz Métro) as Vice President, Business Development, and subsequently went on to head other departments, including those in charge of national gas supplies, sales and customer services. In 2007, she became Énergir’s President and Chief Executive Officer, a position she held until the end of 2019. Under her guidance, the Québec gas distributor added renewable natural gas to its supply portfolio and became an important player in the wind and solar energy spaces, in both Canada and the U.S. In the mid‑2000s, Énergir acquired Vermont electric utility Green Mountain Power, which later acquired Central Vermont Public Services, creating a customer‑centric electricity provider.

Sophie Brochu holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Université Laval and sits on the board of Banque de Montréal (BMO). Very active in the community, she has been involved with Centraide of Greater Montreal for many years and co‑founded ruelle de l’avenir, a non‑profit organization that encourages students in the Centre Sud and Hochelaga neighborhoods of Montréal to stay in school. She chairs the board of Fondation Forces AVENIR, which supports activities designed to foster and celebrate community involvement by high school, college and university students. In addition, she is a leader of L’effet A, an initiative whose aim is to promote the participation of women at all organizational levels. Ms. Brochu was awarded honorary doctorates by Université de Montréal (HEC Montréal) and Bishop’s University. She is a member of the Order of Canada and an officer of the Ordre national du Québec.

Claudine Bouchard
Executive Vice President, Chief Infrastructure and Energy System Officer President and CEO of Société d’énergie de la Baie James

Claudine Bouchard was appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Infrastructure and Energy System Officer in 2022 as part of a major restructuring initiative at Hydro‑Québec. In this capacity, she oversees the design and development of a bidirectional energy system integrating new technologies and new renewable and variable energy sources. She also manages the company’s assets and infrastructure, as well as refurbishment and expansion projects. Her teams provide the expertise and technical support required for today’s projects and define the requirements for tomorrow’s operations. They develop acquisition strategies that maximize the spin-offs for the company and Québec society as a whole. They also optimize methods and processes with regard to occupational health and safety on the company’s jobsites.

A seasoned manager known for her human leadership, Ms. Bouchard has over 20 years’ experience at Hydro‑Québec, where she has held positions of increasing responsibility in wide‑ranging fields including communications, community relations, operations and maintenance, occupational health and safety, environmental governance and expertise, the management of major cross-functional projects and crisis management. In particular, she served as Vice President – Distribution System, Vice President – Corporate Transformation, Chief Transformation Officer and Vice President – Strategic Procurement, and Executive Vice President – TransÉnergie and Construction.

Ms. Bouchard holds a Bachelor of Science from the Université de Montréal and an MBA from the Université du Québec à Montréal and the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, as well as a Master’s Certificate in Marketing Communications Leadership from York University. She also completed a business negotiations program at Harvard. Certified by the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés, she sits on the boards of the Conseil du patronat du Québec (CPQ), Electricity Canada, the New York‑based Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) and the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ). She also chairs the FCCQ’s human resources committee and is a member of the urban forestry leaders committee set up by the Société de verdissement du Montréal métropolitain (Soverdi). Moreover, she is a leader of The A Effect and an ambassador in the Women’s Leadership program of the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie Saguenay‑Le Fjord, and has also led Hydro‑Québec’s Centraide Leadership campaign since 2018.

In October 2021, Ms. Bouchard received the prestigious Woman of WaterPower Award from Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) and WaterPower Canada (WPC) in recognition of her contribution to the Canadian hydropower industry and the advancement of women in the renewable energy sector.

Julie Boucher
Vice President – Sustainability, Community Relations and Communications

After two years as Vice President – Customer Experience, Communications and Community Relations, Julie Boucher was appointed Vice President – Sustainability, Community Relations and Communications in 2022 as part of a major restructuring initiative at Hydro‑Québec. In this capacity, she will oversee sustainable development and environmental matters, such as the climate change adaptation plan. Her group is also tasked with ensuring open and constructive communications with the general public and all Hydro‑Québec stakeholders, including governments, and maintaining privileged relations with local and Indigenous communities.

Ms. Boucher joined Hydro‑Québec in 2007 as a media spokesperson in the Saguenay‑Lac‑Saint-Jean region and became a manager in 2009. After various positions of increasing responsibility in community relations, government and public affairs and communications, she was appointed Vice President – Communications, Government Affairs and Indigenous Relations in March 2020. Earlier in her career, she worked as a journalist for TQS and Radio‑Canada television for seven years.

Ms. Boucher holds a bachelor’s degree in geography with a minor in political science from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC). She sits on the board of the Montréal Council on Foreign Relations (CORIM), as well as on the advisory board of the energy sector management chair at HEC Montréal.

Pierre Despars, FCPA, FCA
Executive Vice President – Strategy and Development

Pierre Despars was appointed Vice President – Corporate Strategy and Business Development at Hydro‑Québec in 2020 and Executive Vice President – Strategy and Development in 2022, as part of a major restructuring initiative at Hydro‑Québec. In this capacity, he is responsible for the company’s strategies and evolution, business development, energy transactions and commercial relations outside Québec, as well as innovation and research and development. He will also direct acquisition and valuation projects and oversee investments.

Prior to joining Hydro‑Québec, Mr. Despars served as Chairman of the Board of Standard Solar, a subsidiary of Énergir (formerly Gaz Métro) specialized in the development and management of photovoltaic solar facilities in the United States, from 2017 to 2020. Previously, he enjoyed a 26‑year career at Énergir where he held several key positions, mainly in finance. As Vice President – Finance (1996‑2003) and Chief Financial Officer (2003‑2017), he oversaw an ever-increasing number of sectors over the years, including corporate, legal and regulatory affairs, information technologies, gas supplies, and goods and services procurement, as well as environmental and quality management. From 2007 to 2017, he also managed Énergir’s investments in the Vermont natural gas and power distribution sectors.

Pierre Despars holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from HEC Montréal and an MBA from Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business and is a Fellow of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec [Québec order of chartered professional accountants] (FCPA, FCA). He was also recognized for his achievements by the Québec Chapter of Financial Executives International Canada (FEI Canada), which presented him with the Ace of Finance award in the “Financial executive of a large corporation” category in 2014.

Nathalie Dubois
Vice President – Talent and Culture

After serving as Hydro‑Québec’s Vice President – Talent, Culture and Evolution for a year, Nathalie Dubois was appointed Vice President – Talent and Culture in 2022 as part of a major restructuring initiative within the company. She plays a key role in implementing strategies to support Hydro‑Québec’s growth in the rapidly changing energy sector. In particular, these strategies involve human resource planning, skills development and the creation of a talent pool to meet the company’s current and future needs. She also oversees initiatives to improve the employee experience and foster an inclusive, engaging workplace. In collaboration with her teams of experts, she also ensures the security of the company's facilities, assets and revenue.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Dubois has led several major organizational transformation and change management projects, particularly in the manufacturing sector where she worked for 20 years. As Production Supervisor and Human Resources Manager at General Motors of Canada from 1990 to 1998, she implemented processes and strategies designed to improve productivity and labor relations. She also made her mark at Pratt & Whitney Canada, where she held positions of increasing responsibility in human resources management in the Operations, Aftermarket and Customer Services sectors for 12 years, from 1998 to 2003 and from 2005 to 2011. She was Director of Human Resources at Cirque du Soleil from 2003 to 2005.

Ms. Dubois joined Hydro‑Québec in 2011 as Director – Human Resources at Hydro‑Québec Distribution. Appointed Director of Operational Services – Human Resources in 2012, she set up and supervised a service center to efficiently meet the needs of the company’s 20,000 employees. In 2016, she joined Desjardins Group as Vice President, Human Resources Service Centre (HR) and HR Officer in the General Insurance sector, a position she held for a year. She returned to Hydro‑Québec as Vice President – Human Resources in 2017 and served in that capacity until 2021.

Ms. Dubois holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations from the Université de Montréal. She has also completed executive training programs at Queen’s University in Ontario and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in the United States. She is a member of the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés du Québec.

Éric Filion
Executive Vice President – Chief Operating and Customer Experience Officer

Éric Filion was appointed Executive Vice President – Chief Operating and Customer Experience Officer in 2022, as part of a major restructuring initiative at Hydro‑Québec. In this capacity, he manages electricity supply, the operation and maintenance of all generation, transmission and distribution assets, as well as technical services and customer interactions. He also oversees shared services, including the management of materials, real estate and the vehicle fleet, as well as food, lodging and air transportation services. He is also in charge of operations-related health, safety and environment activities.

Mr. Filion joined Hydro‑Québec in 2016 as Vice President – Customers and was promoted to President of Hydro‑Québec Distribution in April 2018. He assumed responsibility for Hydro‑Québec’s shared services in May 2020 and for strategic procurement in February 2021, at which time his division was replaced by a group and he became Executive Vice President – Distribution, Procurement and Shared Services.

Previously, Mr. Filion spent 20 years in the aeronautics industry. He worked at CAE Électronique, Pratt & Whitney Canada and Bombardier, where he was Vice President and General Manager for Challenger business aircraft.

Mr. Filion earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada and a master’s in aerospace engineering from Polytechnique Montréal. He is a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and has completed the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program. Deeply involved in the community, he sits on the boards of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal and the Institut du cancer de Montréal. He has chaired the fundraising campaign of Maison Tangente, a hostel for young adults in difficult circumstances, since 2017. He is co-chair of the 2021 fundraising campaign “Together…healing homelessness” at La Rue des Femmes and has been the division co-chair for the Industry/Transportation sector of Centraide of Greater Montreal’s campaign since 2020.

Pierre Fortin
Vice President – Integrated Energy Needs Management

Pierre Fortin joined Hydro‑Québec in 2020 as Vice President – Integrated Risk Management. In 2022, as part of a major restructuring initiative, he was appointed Vice President – Integrated Energy Needs Management. In this capacity, he is responsible for anticipating Hydro‑Québec’s electricity needs related to the energy transition and optimally allocating financial resources by carefully weighing all the risks and opportunities involved. He and his team will also produce energy and capacity balances, map the development of the power system, develop and implement a new capital allocation process, promote and increase the value of all services related to hydropower and assess Québec’s residual hydropower potential, including that of renewable generating options, to meet the growth in demand.

Mr. Fortin has over 30 years’ experience in the energy sector, including some 20 years in risk management. From 2015 to 2020, he worked for Énergir (formerly Gaz Métro), first as Vice President, Risk Management and Internal Audit, and then as Senior Vice President, Integrated Risk Management. Previously, he held various positions at Hydro‑Québec, including that of Senior Director – Risk Analysis and Management from 2007 to 2015. Implementing information systems and forming specialized teams to manage the risks associated with the company’s energy trading floor and regulated divisions rank among his key achievements. He also worked at the Société québécoise d’initiatives pétrolières (SOQUIP) and Québec’s Ministère des Finances.

Mr. Fortin holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and accounting and an MBA in finance from Université Laval. He is a member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec.

Pierre Gagnon, Ad. E.
Executive Vice President – Corporate, Legal and Regulatory Affairs and Chief Governance Officer

After three years as Hydro‑Québec’s Executive Vice President – Corporate and Legal Affairs and Chief Governance Officer, Pierre Gagnon was appointed Executive Vice President – Corporate, Legal and Regulatory Affairs and Chief Governance Officer in 2022. In this capacity, he manages the activities of the corporate secretariat and serves as a key advisor to the President and Chief Executive Officer, the Chair of the Board and the chairs of Board committees. He also oversees the legal and regulatory affairs of Hydro‑Québec and its subsidiaries in addition to being responsible for corporate governance, ethics, compliance, access to information and document management.

Mr. Gagnon has been practising law for more than 35 years. He began his career at MacKenzie Gervais (now Borden Ladner Gervais), where he became a partner in 1990. He also spent over a decade in telecommunications and broadcasting, including at Bell Canada and Vidéotron, where he served in positions of increasing responsibility before becoming Vice President – Public and Regulatory Affairs. He first joined Hydro‑Québec in 2003 as General Counsel, a position he held until 2009. He then served as Vice President – Legal Affairs, Airport Security and Secretary at Aéroports de Montréal for nine years before returning to Hydro‑Québec in 2018 as Executive Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Chief Governance Officer.

Mr. Gagnon holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Université de Montréal and is a member of the Barreau du Québec [Québec bar association], which awarded him the title of Lawyer Emeritus (Advocatus Emeritus) in 2016. In 2014, he also won the ZSA Québec General Counsel Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the business community.

Pierre Gagnon currently chairs the Board of Arion Orchestre Baroque and sits on the Board of the Raoul‑Dandurand Chair in Strategic and Diplomatic Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal. In addition, he has served on the Board of the Barreau de Montréal [Montréal bar association] and chaired the governance committee of the Barreau du Québec.

Jean‑Hugues Lafleur
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Jean‑Hugues Lafleur was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hydro‑Québec in 2018. In this capacity, he is in charge of all financial functions within the company, including financing, treasury, accounting, budget planning, taxation, corporate control and financial reporting. He also oversees management of the Hydro‑Québec Pension Plan and pension fund. He concurrently served as Chief Risk Officer from 2018 to 2020 and was Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro‑Québec from mid‑March to early April 2020.

Mr. Lafleur joined Hydro‑Québec in the early 1990s. He became Manager – Financial Risk Control in 1996, then went on to serve as Director – Financial Markets and Assistant Treasurer in 1998. He was appointed Corporate Treasurer in 2007 and was promoted Vice President – Financing, Treasury and Pension Fund the following year, a position he held until 2018.

He began his career as a securities broker at Lévesque Beaubien (now Financière Banque Nationale). In the late 1980s, he was also a lecturer in portfolio management at Université du Québec à Hull (UQAH), which later became the Université du Québec en Outaouais.

Jean‑Hugues Lafleur holds a bachelor’s degree in administration from UQAH and a Master’s in finance from Université de Sherbrooke.

Jean-François Morin
Vice President – Digital Technologies

Jean-François Morin was appointed Vice President – Digital Technologies at Hydro‑Québec in June 2022, after having served as Vice President – Information and Communications Technologies (ITC) from 2021 to 2022. In this capacity, he spearheads the company’s ongoing digital shift, sees to the security of its systems and networks, and ensures that it has the technological and digital means to successfully carry out its business operations.

Mr. Morin has over 20 years of IT experience at Hydro-Québec. After overseeing the development and operation of the infrastructure, systems and applications supporting the company’s financial activities as Director – Information Technology (Finance) from 2014 to 2016, he went on to manage the ITC portfolios and the rollout of innovative, efficient and agile solutions for other business units as Director – ITC Business Relations (Corporate Units), then as Director – ITC Innovation System Solutions. Promoted Senior Director in 2016, he assumed responsibility for building the foundations to support the company’s digital transformation, such as collaborative and analytical tools, as well as implementing optimized or custom solutions for managing maintenance functions, user identity and access, and accounts payable, for example.

Over the years, teams under his supervision won prestigious OCTAS awards from Réseau Action TI for an analytical solution to detect energy theft (2018), a digital customer solution related to Hydro‑Québec’s dynamic pricing offers (2021), the deployment of an analysis and predictive maintenance center for generating equipment (2021) and an integrated vegetation management system (2022).

Mr. Morin holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Université du Québec à Montréal and a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in finance from Université de Sherbrooke.

Bruno Marcil
Vice President – Internal Audit

Bruno Marcil took office as Vice President – Internal Audit at Hydro‑Québec in October 2021. His team is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of key management, control and governance practices in order to ensure the reliability and integrity of financial and operational information, the safeguarding of assets, as well as compliance with applicable laws and regulations and the company’s contractual commitments. It also oversees initiatives aimed at ensuring optimal efficiency and use of resources, placing particular emphasis on innovation, state-of-the-art technologies and risk management.

Mr. Marcil has some 30 years of experience in auditing, during which he acquired a solid background in several areas, including finance, information technologies and cybersecurity, operations, and risk management. Before joining Hydro‑Québec, he served as Corporate Vice-President – Internal Auditing and Enterprise Risk Management at Loto-Québec. Prior to that, he held management positions in several other public- and private-sector companies, including WSP, GoSecure, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and the Ville de Montréal.

Mr. Marcil earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from HEC Montréal and is a member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec (CPA, CA, CA-IT), where he served on the working group on internal audit for many years. He holds several professional certifications—CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor), CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) and CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control) from ISACA, CRMA^® (Certification in Risk Management Assurance^®) from the Institute of Internal Auditors, and CITP (Certified Information Technology Professional) from the American Institute of CPAs— and is currently enrolled in the certification program of the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés.

Mr. Marcil cofounded a collaborative group on data analysis and has served as a meeting organizer for this group for the past 10 years. He occasionally takes part in various other professional activities as a speaker or moderator and also played an active role in creating the graduate program in governance, auditing and IT security at the Université de Sherbrooke, where he went on to become a lecturer.

Réal Laporte
Strategic Advisor to the Management Committee

Réal Laporte has served as a strategic advisor to Hydro‑Québec’s management committee since June 2020.

Mr. Laporte has over 35 years’ experience in designing and carrying out infrastructure projects and managing strategic business functions. He joined Hydro‑Québec in 1988 and personally supervised a number of jobsites, including the major Eastmain-1-A/Sarcelle/Rupert hydropower project, before being appointed President of Hydro‑Québec Équipement and President and Chief Executive Officer of Société d’énergie de la Baie James (SEBJ) in 2005. He also assumed responsibility for the company’s shared services center in 2010, and for its R&D initiatives in 2016.

Réal Laporte holds a bachelor’s degree in civil construction from the École de technologie supérieure and a master’s in project management from the Université du Québec à Montréal’s School of Management. He is also a graduate of the McGill Executive Institute’s Directors Education Program. He is a member of the boards of Hydro‑Québec IndusTech and Société du Plan Nord, and serves on the Committee on Sustainability of McGill University’s Board of Governors. Mr. Laporte was elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and was awarded the grand prize for professional excellence of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec in recognition of his remarkable contribution to the development of the province’s energy infrastructure. This is the highest distinction awarded by the professional order.