Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, made the following statement on the next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC):
"I am pleased to announce that the Government of Canada intends to appoint Isabelle Hudon, Canada's current Ambassador to France and Monaco, as the next CEO of BDC, starting in August, once current CEO Michael Denham's term concludes.
"I thank Mr. Denham for the near six years he has served as CEO of BDC, supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses, and especially for his leadership this past year as BDC worked closely with our government to deliver crucial emergency support programs.
"BDC has been instrumental in helping Canada weather this pandemic and will be well supported with Ambassador Hudon at the helm. Working together, we will finish the fight against COVID-19 and set our country up for a strong economic recovery that grows the middle class, while investing in the long-term growth and competitiveness of Canadian businesses.
"Ambassador Hudon will be the first woman to serve as the CEO of BDC. She brings decades of corporate leadership, having served as President and CEO of Sun Life Financial Quebec, Senior Vice-President of Sun Life Financial Canada, and President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal. She has also served on several boards, including Hydro-Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts and Holt Renfrew.
"As Canada's first woman Ambassador to France, Ms. Hudon has spent the past four years strengthening trade and people-to-people ties between our countries. Our government's partnership with France has only grown under her ambassadorship, as seen through examples like the Sanofi investment to produce influenza vaccines in Canada and our recent virtual trade mission to France attended by over 300 diverse entrepreneurs.
"I am looking forward to working with Ambassador Hudon in this new role, and I have every confidence that she is the right person at this pivotal moment."
