February 2023

Dear colleague,

I hope your semester started well and that your projects are progressing as planned. This newsletter will keep you informed of some changes and initiatives, as well as great news regarding our reputation.

NEW ASSOCIATE DEAN, RESEARCH AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS

After ending her second 3-year mandate, Kathleen Boies will pass the baton to Cédric Lesage as the new Associate Dean, Research and Research Programs.

With the support of her amazing team, Kathleen, professor of management and CURC holder, has accomplished a lot during her tenure: she was a key contributor to our strategic plan; she restructured her unit by hiring new staff members and working closely with new GPDs that were appointed for each research program; secured more funding for MSc/PhD students; increased the number of successful applications to external grants agencies; and completed a full revision of all programs under her purview, among many other things.

She accomplished all this while also representing our School on numerous committees at the university level and externally, and maintaining an exemplary level of research productivity and graduate supervision. I would like to offer a heartfelt thanks to Kathleen for her major contribution to our research efforts, and the fabric of our School.

I would also like to welcome Cédric, professor of accountancy and holder of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Chair. He has served as the PhD program director since June 2019 and led the restructuring of the PhD program and funding. I wish him much success in his new role and thank him for accepting this three-year mandate that impacts our research culture and reputation. A call for applications for the PhD program director will be sent out soon.

GUY CORMIER KICKS OFF THE DEAN’S CEO SPEAKER SERIES

On February 13, we welcomed Guy Cormier, President and CEO of Desjardins Group and Chair of its Board of Directors. He led an engaging talk on leadership and how he manages effectively in uncertain times.

Michel Magnan, an independent member of Desjardins Group’s board of directors, was the moderator. Mr. Cormier’s talk kicked off the new Dean’s CEO Speakers Series where I will invite CEOs to address our community about their leadership journey and impact on their organization and our society.

You can now see more photos from the event. Thanks to those involved in the setting of this event, in particular: Joseph Capano, Guy Barbeau, and Kelly Hall. 

FORBES RANKS CONCORDIA AS A BEST EMPLOYER

Forbes’ 2023 Canada's Best Employers rankings came out and Concordia is tops! We ranked #1 in Quebec and 4th in Canada within the Education category. Overall, the university ranked 16th best in the nation. This exciting ranking news will allow us to attract the best and brightest minds to join our teams.

PARITY CERTIFICATION RENEWED

I am proud to announce that we remain a 2022 parity certified organization! Women in Governance has recognized our School as one that values gender parity and renewed our certification at the Silver level for another year. As a reminder, we were the first business school in Canada to receive this acknowledgement in 2019.

PRINCETON REVIEW RANKING FOR JOHN MOLSON

For the first time, the Princeton Review has included John Molson in their list: The Princeton Review Best Business Schools for 2023: Best On-Campus MBA Programs. Few schools outside the USA are considered for this ranking – we are in the company of HEC Paris, National University of Singapore and more. Thanks to Amalia Dinut for her work in reporting the necessary information for those two important recognitions.

INTRODUCING… MR. BEAN

Finally, we hosted a small gathering on Valentine’s Day to share some baked goods, have some light conversations and enjoy the brews of our new coffee machine. Or should I say… Mr. Bean, which was the most popular name after consulting with members of our community. Congratulations to Yazmet Madariaga-Sanchez and Sophie Audousset-Coulier for proposing this name (separately)!

ACCOmplishments GALLERY

The Department of Accountancy chair, Matthäus Tekathen, invites the community to visit the department’s ACCOmplishment Gallery. Lining the walls of MB 14.200 are some of the significant contributions to research, teaching, and outreach activities of the department members. I’m impressed with this initiative and remarkable display of excellence by the department. Chapeau!

CLOSING REMARKS

I can’t close this newsletter without reiterating our solidarity towards the members of our community who have links with citizens of Turkey, Syria and Rojava. The war in Ukraine also continues to affect our colleagues and students, as we approach the one-year mark of the conflict.

These devastating events are difficult to deal with and stressful, especially for those who are worried about the safety of their loved ones and citizens of their home country. As I said many times before, showing compassion and being kind and patient with ourselves and one another is the least we can do. These actions can have a major impact on the well-being of our peers and our collective sense of belonging. #WeAreJMSB

Be well.

Anne-Marie Croteau, PhD, CDir
Dean