The Conseil des Gouverneurs is delighted to welcome Michelle Paquin (HEC Montréal 2008), Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at Avversita Group, in recognition of her generous donation through a life insurance policy. Her gift will be used to create a new endowment fund, which will go toward supporting women in information technology, contributing to the ambitions of the HEC Montréal student community and helping the School deliver on its mission to advance knowledge and pursue excellence.
Paquin is grateful for having had the opportunity to study in an environment where she could develop her analytical skills and gain a broader understanding of the business world, backed by a dedicated and passionate group of faculty members. She would like others to benefit from this same experience.
"I was lucky enough to be able to go to HEC Montréal without too much of a hassle, but I know it’s a much tougher path for others. If my donation can help make the process easier for someone who has a lot of potential and is poised to make a difference in our society, but who might not have the financial means to make it happen on their own, then I will have achieved what I set out to do."
"We are very pleased to have such an inspiring and dynamic businesswoman join the ranks of the Conseil des Gouverneurs. Our thanks go out to her for her remarkable generosity, which will go to good use in making sure the tradition of teaching excellence at HEC Montréal lives on."
Paquin has been very involved in her alma mater since her days as a student. In addition to this newest accolade as a member of the Conseil des Gouverneurs, she joined the Club des 100 in 2019, where she has invested in the success of the next generation of business leaders and managers through a scholarship program.
“You might think a donation is out of reach, but if you take a closer look at the different options, there’s inevitably something in there that matches up with your needs and realities,” she asserted.
Paquin currently serves as a lecturer at HEC Montréal and is a judge for one of the nights of the Jeux du commerce. "I was very involved when I was an HEC Montréal student, and that has had a major impact on the rest of my life, she said. It helped build a network that is still thriving today. So I asked myself, ‘How can I pay some of this back?’ That’s why, in addition to making a monetary donation, I’ve always tried to volunteer my time. Even though that particular commodity is in short supply, it’s an excellent opportunity to pass along my experience to others and give them some real-world context to what they learn in class."
A firm believer in the power of coaching and teaching, Paquin has always had a keen interest in sharing knowledge and providing custom training opportunities to work teams.
