Alan J. Rice
Managing Director, Caché Procurement
Alan J. Rice is Managing Director of Caché Procurement and a leading voice in AI-driven procurement transformation. He combines three decades of front-line procurement experience with deep technology expertise in GenAI, agentic workflows, data pipelines, and control automation to translate ambition into operational results. Alan helps Fortune 500 enterprises establish AI-first operating models that coexist alongside ERP/P2P, compress cycle times from months to days, enforce policy compliance, expose multi-tiered risk, and unlock new value in working capital and cost. His approaches are pragmatic: clean the data you have, instrument high-impact use cases such as (RFx drafting, supplier discovery, risk scanning, price prediction, and contract intelligence), build guardrails, and scale with a measurable ROI. A frequent keynote speaker and board advisor, he is known for translating leading-edge AI into credible delivery plans with clear owners, metrics, and change-management paths that teams can execute.
Alan holds a Bachelor’s in International Affairs and a Master’s in Supply Chain Management.
Elie M. Tremblay
Senior Director, Strategic Procurement and Supply Chain, Micro Bird Inc.
Elie M. Tremblay, MBA, is a dynamic leader in strategic procurement and supply chain management, currently serving as Senior Director at Micro Bird Inc. With over 20 years of international experience in the manufacturing and transportation sectors, Elie has led major transformation initiatives at companies such as Alstom, Bombardier, PayFacto, and now Micro Bird.
He is recognized for his ability to drive innovation, lead high-performing teams, and ensure operational excellence in global markets. Elie holds an MBA with honors from Laval University and has completed executive training at Northwestern University and the University of San Francisco. Fluent in French, English, and Chinese, he brings a truly global perspective shaped by expatriate experiences in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Laurence Pageau
Advisor in Responsible Procurement, Espace de concertation sur les pratiques d’approvisionnement responsable (ECPAR)
Trained in environmental management and business intelligence, Laurence Pageau helps organizations structure their strategies and tools for responsible procurement as part of her role as an advisor at ECPAR. Known for her dynamism and ability to build connections, she regularly coordinates working groups, personalized consultations, and training programs. As the manager of ECPAR’s member network, she ensures continuous monitoring of the progress of responsible procurement in Quebec and Canada, as well as best practices and regulatory requirements.
Nicholas Jobidon
Professor of Public Procurement Law, École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP)
Nicholas Jobidon, Ph.D., LL.M., is a recognized expert in public law and public procurement law, with a rich academic and professional career. He holds a doctorate in law from the University of Ottawa and an LL.M. from Université Laval, where he specialized in the training and awarding of public contracts. His work focuses on state responsibility, discretionary power, and remedies in administrative law.
As a professor at the École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP), Nicholas combines teaching, research, and community engagement. A prolific author, he has contributed to major works and articles on public procurement and administrative law. He has also received several distinctions, including research grants from the Fondation du Barreau and an excellence award from the Jeune Barreau de Québec.
Valérie Beaudoin
Expert analyst in American politics
Valérie Beaudoin is a expert analyst in American politics, affiliated with the Raoul-Dandurand Chair at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and a member of the Political Communication Research Group (GRCP) at Université Laval.
Valérie Beaudoin brings a deep expertise in U.S. politics, dedicating her work to rigorous analysis, informed dialogue, and sharing nuanced perspectives on a field she knows thoroughly. The political twists and turns of recent years south of the border have given her plenty of material to dissect, much to her own delight and that of her audience. Highly active in the media, she comments daily on American news on 98.5, RDI, and Noovo. She is a regular columnist for Les Mordus de politique on RDI and for Le Québec maintenant on 98.5. You can also follow her on her podcast Miss America!
She holds a master’s degree in applied political studies from the Université de Sherbrooke and a bachelor’s degree in international relations and international law from UQAM. She has also conducted research at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.
Stephan Vachon
Professor, HEC Montréal
Stephan Vachon is a tenured professor in the Department of Operations Management and Logistics at HEC Montréal. During his career in university teaching, he has mainly taught in graduate programs (DESS, MBA, EMBA, and MSc) at HEC Montréal (9 years), the Ivey Business School (10 years), and Clarkson University (3 years). He has also given several training courses in organization.
A former member of the editorial board of the Journal of Supply Chain Management (2014-2023), he has built an international reputation for his research on supply chains, particularly on strategic and sustainability aspects. Mr. Vachon is also ranked among the world’s most influential researchers (“top 2%”) for his contributions to research.
Catherine Allard
Vice-President of Operations, réZin
With a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, a certificate in supply chain management from HEC Montréal, and currently pursuing a D.E.S.S. also at HEC Montréal, Catherine Allard’s career path is atypical: she began her career in the arts, dance, and teaching, then became a translator and restorer. The world of wines and spirits, as well as procurement and logistics, are the culmination of this winding path of experience requiring creativity, versatility, resourcefulness, and organization. With twenty years of experience in wine and spirits agencies, specializing in procurement in Quebec, she is also serving her second term as a member of the board of directors of A3 Québec, the association of wine, beer, and spirits agents in Quebec.
Céline Berre
Sustainable Procurement Consultant, Hydro-Québec
Céline Berre, who holds a master’s degree in management and sustainable development from HEC Montréal, joined Hydro-Québec’s responsible procurement team in early 2023. Her role is to help procurement advisors integrate sustainable development criteria into contracts and supplier selection. Convinced that responsible procurement contributes to the development of positive and sustainable business models, she enjoys discussing Hydro-Québec’s expectations and vision in this area in order to create a ripple effect in the Quebec market.
Before turning her attention to sustainable development, Céline was a senior marketing research consultant, a field in which she worked for many years, notably for the CROP polling firm. This professional experience led her to assist companies in a variety of sectors in understanding their customers’ needs and developing strategic thinking related to their brand positioning.
Luc Desbiens
CEO, CAG
Mr. Luc Desbiens has served as President and CEO of the Government Procurement Center (GPC) since January 6, 2025. With over three decades of experience, including almost 15 years in healthcare, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role.
Having honed his skills as a project manager and quality assurance director in the automotive industry, he subsequently held the roles of quality engineer and head of the Project Support Office at the Corporation d’hébergement du Québec. From 2011 to 2014, he served as regional director of capital assets, medical technologies, and equipment at the Agence de la Santé et des Services sociaux de la Capitale-Nationale. Most recently, Mr. Desbiens was the Assistant Director General of Infrastructure (from 2015 to 2018) and Assistant Deputy Minister in the Infrastructure, Logistics, Equipment, and Procurement Branch (from 2018 to 2024) at the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been actively involved in the procurement of personal protective equipment and medical supplies.
Sébastien Gagnon
Vice-President of Government Procurement Optimization, CAG
Holding a master’s degree in organizational leadership and development from Laval University, Sébastien Gagnon has nearly 20 years of experience as an executive in various organizations. He has held leadership roles at the Quebec University Student Federation (FEUQ), the Fonds Jeunesse Québec, the Centre régional des achats en groupe (CRAG), and the Groupe d’approvisionnement en commun de l’Est du Québec (GACEQ), while also serving as a federal member of parliament. Since September 1, 2020, he has held the position of Vice President of Specialized Acquisitions for the Centre d’acquisitions gouvernementales (CAG).
Denys Bussières, MBA, p.g.c.a.; CD
Director, Procurement Department, HEC Montréal
Over 40 years of experience in public procurement, holding an MBA and the SCMP designation, with military logistics training from the Canadian Armed Forces. Currently Director of Procurement at HEC Montréal and a student in the DESS in Strategic Procurement. His career spans roles with the Canadian Armed Forces, Université du Québec à Montréal, Videotron, Teleglobe, Microcell, and École Polytechnique. He has held key leadership positions, including President of the RGAUQ, Chair of the Canadian Universities Procurement Subcommittee (ACPAU), and currently Chair of the BCI Procurement Subcommittee, and is an active member of major Canadian procurement associations.
Renaud Lachapelle
Head of Supply Chain Logistics - Contracting, CISSS de Lanaudière
Mr. Lachapelle has been the head of logistics and procurement services (contractual component) at the CISSS de Lanaudière since 2017. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in public administration from the École nationale d’administration publique (ÉNAP). With 17 years’ experience in the health and social services network, he has held various positions, including senior advisor on procurement sector procedures and senior advisor on financial performance.
Recognized for his excellent knowledge of the opportunities and challenges in the logistics and procurement sector, Mr. Lachapelle sits on various steering committees and strategic meetings within the CISSS de Lanaudière. For more than two years, he has also chaired the Provincial Procurement Operations Committee (COAP). The committee works to create synergy for efficient provincial procurement management, share information and best practices, and ensure two-way communication between institutions and the Government Procurement Center (CAG).
Sylvain Maher
Assistant Director, Procurement and Contract Management, Cégep de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Mr. Maher has been responsible for procurement and contract management at Cegep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu since 2008. Between 1994 and 2008, he held management positions in manufacturing companies related to the railway, transportation, and construction sectors.
He holds a degree in operations and production management from HEC and a master’s degree in public administration.
He has been involved in purchasing groups for nearly 15 years.
Stéfane Belleau
Vice-président Opérations, Le Groupe Robin
Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions in procurement, supply chain, and operations, including contract management, investment budgets, fleet management, and real estate, across various industries such as telecommunications, finance, and manufacturing. He has served in executive roles within the public, parapublic, and private sectors. Stéfane Belleau holds the SCMP designation, an MBA from HEC Montréal, and is certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt.
Yannick Allain
Senior Director, Strategic Procurement, Beneva
Yannick Allain is Senior Director, Strategic Procurement at Beneva. He plays a central role in transforming the procurement function, notably through process centralization, tool modernization, and digital transformation. He also contributed to the integration of SSQ and La Capitale during the creation of Beneva.
Previously, he held leadership positions in internal audit, risk management, and operational performance at Desjardins, EY, and BMO.
Joël Collin-Demers
Consulting Principal, Pure Procurement
A supply chain digitization consultant for over 15 years, Joël has helped dozens of organizations implement technology solutions. He is founder and editor-in-chief of Pure Procurement, a specialist newsletter that teaches the fundamentals of digitalization to more than 12,000 procurement professionals worldwide. His pragmatic approach, rooted in the reality of procurement teams in the field, enables him to simplify complex technological issues, make them accessible, and offer concrete solutions.
Vincent Vu, Director
Procurement and Property Management, Ville de Lévis
Vincent Vu heads the Procurement Directorate for the City of Lévis, the 7th largest city in the province of Quebec. With over 30 years of experience as a manager in the municipal sector, he has developed expertise in process optimization, strategic planning, change management, project management, and strategic procurement. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Association des Gestionnaires Financiers Municipaux du Québec (AGFMQ) for 11 years, until 2014, and in that capacity contributed, in collaboration with CERIU (Centre d’Expertise et de Recherche en Infrastructures Urbaines), to the development of the “Performance-Based Specifications” (DOP) model.
He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Université Laval and is also a Certified Management Accountant. Elected to the CCMP Board of Directors in 2014, he is proud to contribute to promoting this national network of public procurement professionals.
Sébastien Laprise
Partner, Langlois Law Firm
Sébastien Laprise is a leading authority on public procurement law in Québec. He notably represented the SAAQ during the work of the Gallant Commission. He also advises and represents a large number of public and municipal bodies and their subsidiaries.
His expertise is sought at every stage of the public contract award and execution process. Sébastien develops governance rules tailored to the reality of each organization. He defines the best contractual strategies and advises his clients accordingly. He is adept at navigating both the strict regulatory framework of public procurement and the need for public and municipal bodies to adopt innovative approaches.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/s%C3%A9bastien-laprise-4b595842/
Francois Emond
Executive Director, Canadian Public Procurement Council
François Emond is the Executive Director of the Canadian Public Procurement Council (CPPC). His knowledge and leadership have helped build extensive experience in procurement in both the private and public sectors; first as a professional and later in leadership roles over the past 30 years. His broad experience across different sectors and his constant commitment to elevating the role of the procurement function in every organization he has worked with have given him a deep understanding of the realities and challenges faced daily by public procurement professionals.
François also enjoys sharing his knowledge with others by teaching various business-related subjects at both the university and college levels. He holds an MBA from the Université de Sherbrooke and also has a CPPO (Certified Public Procurement Officer) certification.
