Board of Directors

Jean Lamarre, Chairman of the Board

Since 1995, Jean Lamarre has been president of Lamarre Consultants, which specializes in offering strategic planning and organizing of financing for companies that are in the process of setting themselves up or expanding. Lamarre Consultants works principally with organizations that specialize in the domains of life sciences and information technology.

Previously, he held the title of international vice-president for the Canam-Manac Group one of the largest structural steel companies in North America where he managed operations in Mexico, Venezuela, France and China.

For 15 years, Mr Lamarre worked for the Lavalin Group one of the world’s largest engineering and construction firms. He went from managing international projects in Africa and in Central America to CFO of the firm for 7 years. He was also European VP, supervising operations in Belgium, France and England.

His work took him on projects worldwide where he developed a strong interest for Africa where he still acts and sits on numerous boards. Mr. Lamarre holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montréal with a specialization in Applied Economics

Henri Mikhael

Henri Mikhael is the founding shareholder of Mango Copper Industries. He initiated the project, concluded the acquisition and successfully managed the start-up of the company. During that critical phase, Henri assumed responsibilities of CEO.

Prior to his engagement with Mango Copper, Henri was the principal of Mango Systems, a strategic consulting firm specializing in profitability management for manufacturing companies with clients in North America, Switzerland, Sweden, France and Bahrain.

Henri has over 25 years of experience in manufacturing and held senior positions with ABB, Alcatel and Wolverine Tube. He has a degree in mechanical engineering from Concordia University and was cited by the magazine “Commerce” in their top ten future CEO’s in Quebec.

Gilles Leroux

Gilles Leroux has held the position of Chairman and CEO of Acier Leroux Inc. since July 2003. This family enterprise which became public in 1986 is a leading steel distributor with 26 business locations in Eastern Canada and in the North-Eastern and Midwestern United States. The last fiscal year showed total sales exceeding $600 million. After obtaining his Bachelor of Business Administration at UQAM, Gilles held senior positions in the areas of sales, purchasing and production, then President and COO before being nominated chairman of the board of Acier Leroux in 1999.

Pierre L. Gauthier

Pierre L. Gauthier is President & CEO of Alstom Canada Inc. and Alstom US Inc. He joined GEC Alsthom in 1996, after various functions in Marketing, Technology, Quality and General Management with Gulf Canada, Gaz Métropolitain and ABB. After a short period of time as Vice President Marketing and Sales, he was appointed President of GEC Alsthom Electromechanical in 1997, President of Alstom Energy in 1998 and, further to the merger of ALSTOM Energy and ABB Production of Energy, President of ABB Alstom Power Canada Inc. upon the creation of the enterprise in 1999. Since the acquisition by ALSTOM of ABB's shares within ABB Alstom Power in May 2000, he was appointed President of the Power Division of ALSTOM Canada Inc.

In March 2002, Pierre became North America Hydro Managing Director. His mission: on top of the co-ordination of the hydro units in Canada and USA, was to develop hydro activities in the US market. In June 2003, he was appointed President & CEO of ALSTOM Canada and as of April 2008, President and CEO of ALSTOM US Inc.

Pierre L. Gauthier is a graduate of École Polytechnique de Montréal in Mechanical Engineering with further studies in Administration at McGill University and the European Institute of Administration (INSEAD). He is Chair of the National Electricity Round Table (NER) and member of many other associations.

Gaetan Langlois

Since March 2000, Gaetan Langlois has been Director and Portfolio Manager for Turnaround and Special Projects at the largest privately held venture capital group in Canada, Solidarity Fund QFL. Gaetan represents the Solidarity Fund as a director on several boards of portfolio companies (over forty since 2000) and he also serves on committees of private and public companies. He is additionally responsible for the Solidarity Fund's committee that develops a course on the governance of SMEs in collaboration with IGOPP.

Previously, Gaetan was a founding shareholder and managing director of a manufacturing company for 9 years. Subsequently, he provided consulting services to companies in business turnaround and served as interim director in an accounting firm in Montreal for 4 years. Before joining the Solidarity Fund, he was also an account manager in commercial lending at a major Canadian bank for 2 years. Gaetan occasionally lectures on management in times of crisis or on Governance in difficult times at institutions (Laval University, HEC, Université de Sherbrooke, Solidarity Fund QFL, etc.). He has undergraduate and graduate degrees in administration and received an MBA from HEC Montreal. He holds an accounting title of C.G.A. and is a member of the MBA Association of Quebec.