“Learning is easier today than it has ever been," Baillargeon notes. "Experts are putting ideas out for anyone to consume. From audiobooks, podcasts, and debates that unpack ideas presented by other sustainability leaders to the availability of AI, you can dive deep in a matter of hours.”
Learning to lead when the stakes are sustainability
BMO Quebec President Grégoire Baillargeon shares how he took the lead on climate without a sustainability background
Grégoire Baillargeon, President of BMO Quebec and Vice Chair of BMO Capital Markets and the BMO Climate Institute
As climate considerations become inseparable from core business strategy, leaders are being asked to navigate new risks, steer decisions, and drive organizational change. Yet even at the highest levels, many don’t know where to begin.
Grégoire Baillargeon didn’t set out to become a climate leader. But as President of BMO Quebec and Vice Chair of both BMO Capital Markets and the BMO Climate Institute, he is helping embed sustainability into one of the country’s largest financial institutions.
He also played a key role in launching conVERTgence, a joint initiative from BMO and the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal that supports organizations through climate transition. As part of the initiative, the Chamber and the John Molson Executive Centre have created Climate Leadership Essentials, a course that helps leaders turn climate goals into action — just like Baillargeon has done throughout his career.
“The next generation of business leaders does not have the luxury to simply imitate prior generations,” Baillargeon says. “Our ecosystems are under pressure, and sustainability is about to become core to everything we do. Future business leaders need to train and prepare with this in mind.”
A personal learning journey
Baillargeon began exploring sustainability in depth just a few years ago as more of his clients sought financing for their decarbonization projects. He realized he needed a stronger grasp of the issues to support them effectively. That meant taking responsibility for his own learning by diving deeper, asking questions, and expanding his perspective across multiple disciplines.
“You end up diving deeper, understanding the science, understanding the solution, and figuring out the gaps,” he says. “The deeper you dive, the more you realize how fascinating the puzzle is. It’s a very complicated systemic issue, and those are the kinds of puzzles that have always attracted me.”
The challenges of climate transition hit home when he read Bill Gates’ How to Avoid a Climate Disaster.
“I was floored by the complexity of what was ahead of us,” he said.
Tackling systemic challenges
Baillargeon points to decarbonizing electricity and electrification — switching cars, buildings, and factories to clean energy — as just one example of climate action, which touches everything from food systems to transport, land use, and manufacturing.
“It’s a never-ending journey to be cognizant enough to navigate topics in every single one of those industries,” he says.
Over time, Baillargeon developed a broad enough perspective to contribute to decision-making and support systemic action, even without being a specialist in any of those fields. Constant learning has helped make the difference. He's incorporated it into each of his days.
With so many resources available, including the Climate Leadership Essentials course, Baillargeon says the opportunities to learn are endless.
Participants work together during a class.
Still, he cautions against trying to master it all before stepping up.
“I don’t think we’re ever ‘an expert’ at anything,” Baillargeon explains. “And I think realizing that and accepting that is a first step in allowing ourselves to get out there. There's no destination here. [It’s] a continuous journey of learning, and therefore if there are elements of your journey that can serve others in their journey, that knowledge is worth sharing.”
Leading through open dialogue
Baillargeon believes sustainability efforts succeed when everyone is fully aware of the impact of their decisions.
“My view of sustainability is we need it to evolve from a specialty to a feature,” he says. “The destination in a sustainable world is one where everyone sitting in every single seat in every decision-making capacity is conscious, aware, and able to make decisions that are aligned with sustainability.”
When it comes to approaching climate conversations with stakeholders — especially skeptics — Baillargeon’s first principle is simple: start by listening.
“I believe, save for maybe a few cases, that humans are fundamentally good,” he says. “People want to do good. People care about their grandchildren. People care about the future. People care about not screwing things up. So, start with that.”
His commitment to dialogue guides his work with clients, colleagues, and policymakers.
“There's a thousand different perspectives,” he says. “We cannot go out there and say, 'I'm the specialist on this. This is the answer.’ There are conversations to be had, compromises to be made, and we need to listen to each other.”
According to Baillargeon, challenging one's own assumptions is part of that process. He warns against forming convictions and instead encourages balancing your perspective. For him, real progress will come from everyone moving in the same direction.
“We're going to get to the destination when everyone sitting in every seat is fully aware of the situation and is working toward a common goal.”
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