The HEC Montréal Foundation is pleased to announce that Professor Isabelle Le Breton-Miller (HEC Montréal 1986 and 1996) has been admitted to the Conseil des Gouverneurs following a new major donation to the School, directed specifically toward the Women’s Fund. With her original commitment, she became the first donor to support this fund, which was established in the spring of 2024 to help female students overcome financial challenges.
Professor Le Breton-Miller teaches in the Department of Management and holds two degrees from HEC Montréal. She has been supporting up-and-coming business professionals with her donations for more than 20 years, guided by her resolve to be part of a chain of generosity that provides help within the HEC Montréal community and fosters academic excellence.
“HEC Montréal is a key player in the economic landscape. By donating, we are helping younger generations make a difference across the management spectrum and shape the world of tomorrow. By earmarking this gift for female students experiencing financial hardship, I hope to help break down some of the barriers that are holding them back so we can give more talented women a chance to succeed and move our society forward.”
By adding to her already generous contribution to the School, this time with a gift of securities, she becomes the 136th member of the Conseil des Gouverneurs, a visionary group of philanthropic leaders who have committed to donating $100,000 or more to the HEC Montréal Foundation.
“It is deeply rewarding for our team to be able to rely on the support of our faculty — women and men who see first-hand the tangible outcomes of such incredible acts of generosity. Isabelle Le Breton-Miller is a prolific and multi-award-winning academic. She epitomizes excellence, which is the cornerstone of all the research projects and student support initiatives we fund. Her contribution to expanding the university’s reputation and impact is already tremendous. By renewing her commitment, she’s adding even further to this, and we are very grateful for her support.”
The Women’s Fund HEC Montréal Foundation provides incentive scholarships to women-identifying students who are returning to the job market after a career gap, are single parents, are experiencing financial challenges or are facing other difficulties while enrolled at HEC Montréal.
When the Women’s Fund was set up in the spring of 2024, Professor Le Breton-Miller decided to support it with a financial commitment. At the launch, she took part in a panel discussion (“Femmes en action : la philanthropie au cœur du changement”), which was attended by over 100 members of the HEC Montréal community, who came together to empower women leaders in the philanthropy space.
Le Breton-Miller has been a professor at HEC Montréal since 2008. She was appointed to the Royal Society of Canada in 2022, after having served on the RSC College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists from 2016 to 2022. She currently holds the Chair of Succession and Family Enterprise. Her master’s degree in management and bachelor’s degree in business administration were both earned from HEC Montréal. She followed these up with a PhD in management from Imperial College London. Her research, teaching and writing focus on strategy, organization design, governance structures and succession in family businesses and other types of organizations.
