Simon Blanchette

Simon is an academic, consultant, and educator specializing in leadership, change management transversal and future skills, artificial intelligence (AI), and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). With over a decade of experience at the forefront of these fields, he collaborates with leading research institutes and organizations across Canada, including the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre, to drive research, knowledge dissemination, and meaningful change. A sought-after speaker and panelist, he has presented at prestigious conferences worldwide.

Through his consulting, executive education, and coaching practice, Simon has guided hundreds of senior leaders across corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors in their professional growth. He has worked with numerous organizations in Canada and internationally, designing customized seminars, workshops, and skills development programs. He also helps organizations navigate transformation by implementing effective change management strategies – aligning leadership, processes, culture and strategy to support innovation and success.

Committed to facilitating learning and skills acquisition, Simon also lecture at the undergraduate, MBA, and executive MBA levels at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business, and the Global Leaders Institute. He holds degrees from McGill University and HEC Montréal.

Businesses must stop caving to political pressure and abandoning their EDI commitments.

The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/businesses-must-stop-caving-to-political-pressure-and-abandoning-their-edi-commitments-245450

Beyond bias: Equity, diversity and inclusion must drive AI implementation in the workplace.

The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/beyond-bias-equity-diversity-and-inclusion-must-drive-ai-implementation-in-the-workplace-241567

Skills Bridge Preliminary Evaluation: Capacity-Building for Canadian Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises. Diversity Institute. https://www.torontomu.ca/content/dam/diversity/reports/Di-FSC_OCC-Skills-Bridge-Preliminary-Evaluation.pdf

MindFrame Connect: Program evaluation [Mentorship training program]. Diversity Institute. https://www.torontomu.ca/content/dam/diversity/reports/mindframe-connect-report/DI-FS%20MindFrame%20Connect%20-%20Jun2024-v1e.pdf

Bridging the Skills Gap Within Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Quebec: An Analytical and Empirical Analysis. Diversity Institute. Future Skills Centre, BMO Chair in Governance. https://www.torontomu.ca/diversity/reports/Bridging-the-Skills-Gaps-Within-SMEs-in-Quebec.pdf

Supporting entrepreneurship and SMEs: Post-pandemic skills and training. Public Policy Forum, Skills for the Post-Pandemic World Series. https://ppforum.ca/publications/supporting-entrepreneurs-and-smes/

Building inclusive workplaces. Public Policy Forum, Skills for the Post-Pandemic World Series. https://ppforum.ca/publications/building-inclusive-workplaces/

Small- and medium-sized employers (SMEs): Skills gaps and future skills. Public Policy Forum, Skills Next Series.https://ppforum.ca/publications/small-and-medium-sized-employers-smes-skills-gaps-and-future-skills/