The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation’s philanthropic efforts – and by the same token the efforts of its founders, Philippe et Nan-b – concentrate today on the future of water and the environmental and social issues related to it. However, their philanthropic efforts precede their involvement in this cause. Over the last 30 years, the de Gaspé Beaubien family has invested in a number of different causes. The first cause supported by the family has not been forgotten and will always have a special place in our hearts: families in business.
A Personal Interest from the Start
It’s no secret that the de Gaspé Beaubien family has been in business for a long time. Owning, managing, and ceding a family enterprise has an impact on each member of the family; the same goes for the de Gaspé Beaubien family.
In the 90s, Philippe and Nan-b’s children each held a role within the enterprise. Eventually, separating family life and work life became more challenging. They also realized that the challenges they were faced with as a family in business were very similar to the issues experienced by their peers. This is how the Foundation for Families in Business was born in 1999.
In 2020, following the merger with Family Enterprise Canada Foundation, the organization became known as the Family Enterprise Foundation. Philippe and Nan-b’s contribution will however always be recognized by the foundation: « As honorary board members of Family Enterprise Foundation (FEF) and co-chairs of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation, Nan-B and Philippe devote their time and energy to the advancement of family enterprise. Pioneers in their field, they continue to break new ground supporting global enterprising families, women’s issues, public health and environmental causes. Imparting knowledge, wisdom and serving others, their special passion is devoted to helping the next generation […]. » – Family Enterprise Foundation
Still Relevant Today
More than 20 years after the creation of the Foundation for Families in Business, the de Gaspé Beaubien family is no longer at its’ head. However, the Foundation’s mission is still important to them. It remains a key subject for each member of the family.
At respectively 95 and 87 years of age, Philippe and Nan-b obviously care a great deal about their children and grandchildren’s happiness, both in their personal and professional lives. Leadership and the entrepreneurial spirit seem to be passed down from generation to generation in their family. The knowledge acquired by the Foundation and the tools they developed are therefore of use to thousands of families around the world, including the de Gaspé Beaubien family.
It Doesn’t Stop There
Even if Philippe and Nan-b are now less active in the cause of entrepreneurial families, they remain involved behind the scenes. Their professional and personal journey make this a requirement.
“We are very proud of what we have created in the past! Even if we are quieter now, the fact remains that we continue to be committed to the cause of families in business. I can’t talk about it too much, but know that we are working on a new project related to that. This project will come to light in 2023!” – Nan-b de Gaspé Beaubien
We will have to wait for the new year to find out more. Philippe, Nan-b, and the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation’s team are excited to be able to tell us more.
Over 30 years of involvement and innovation for the FoundationSince 1990, with the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation, Nan-b and Philippe ll de Gaspé Beaubien have been sharing their time and resources on a local, national, and international level. Their values of sharing, innovation, and sustainable development are the pillars of the Foundation. Thirty-two years later, these values remain at the heart of all their decisions. Get an overview of their humanitarian vision and its origin.
Before the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation: Télémédia
Following the success of their enterprise Télémédia, Philippe ll and Nan-b decided to create the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation. The success of the enterprise made their philanthropic aspirations possible.
Launched in 1968, Télémédia was a media company. It included magazines and several television and radio stations. In the 1980s, Télémédia owned the most important private radio network and was known as one of the largest magazine editors in Canada. Some of the brands founded and popularized by Télémédia are still part of Canada’s media landscape today: Coup de Pouce, Elle Québec, Elle Canada, TVHebdo, Canadian Living, etc.
Passion and Involvement from the Start
Proud of their success in the media world, Philippe ll and Nan-b threw themselves into the philanthropic field with the creation of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation. Giving back to the community was more than a wish for them. They were motivated by the idea of helping other families in business to reach a balance between business and family and ensure a harmonious succession within the enterprises. They saw this as their duty. The Foundation’s approach is based on 3 principles: exchanging with the parties involved to understand their needs and determine the project’s key actions together, supplying the initial funds required for the development of the project, establishing the success criteria and evaluating the impact of the project, as well as ensuring the perennity of the project by researching sustainable funding.
Our Mission: listening, exchanging, and working with the community in order to collectively drive durable actions and change.
For our founders of the last 30 years, the Foundation’s various projects and programs are a full-time job. “The fact is that we have worked as hard to give back our money as we did to earn it in the first place. We want to be involved in projects and causes that we care about and believe in. We want to be involved efficiently and long term.” – Philippe ll and Nan-b de Gaspé Beaubien
From generation to generation, members of the de Gaspé Beaubien family have been personally and actively involved in the Foundation. Their contribution is of course financial, but also and mainly humanitarian. They donate their time and effort to each of the Foundation’s projects. They involve themselves personally and insist that their donations be dedicated to activities involving humans, not only infrastructures, equipment, or spaces.
Families in Business
In the 90s, as the line between the family and professional preoccupations of the de Gaspé Beaubien family was becoming blurred, Philippe and Nan-b realized that their enterprises may be unique, but their reality as a family in business was incredibly similar to their peers’. This is how the cause of families in business gradually became the Foundation’s primary project.
In 1999, the program created by the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation became a Non-Profit Organization and the Family Enterprise Foundation was born. Over 20 years later, the NPO is still in operation and continues to evolve.
Healthcare
From 2006 to 2014, the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation invested close to a million dollars into the healthcare system.
The Foundation was associated with the Centre de Santé et de Services Sociaux (CSSS) des Sommets (MRC des Laurentides) for the creation and implementation of several programs. Over the course of those 8 years, the team brought many projects to term. A new medical administration co-management system was set up; coaching and several co-development activities between medical directors and clinic administration were provided, the onboarding and integration of the doctors at the CSSS were consolidated, workshops to drive interest in management and the co-management model were created, etc.
The Cause of Water
For the last few years, the cause of water has been the Foundation’s priority. In 2015, the non-profit organization AquaAction was created. In only 6 years, the organization has participated in the creation of over 35 innovative start-ups across Canada through their AquaHacking challenges. This is certainly one of their biggest achievements!
Their most recent project? A new awareness campaign. This national campaign was launched in March. The objective is to make the public aware of the critical problems related to water and the cutting-edge solutions emerging to help solve them.
Find out how you can get involved!
Maison Phoenix
Having lived in the Laurentians for over 40 years, Philippe and Nan-b have a particular appreciation for the area. They have therefore been involved in several local projects over the years. In 2022, they announced their support for Maison Phoenix, a new NPO in the region.
Maison Phoenix’s mission is based on community and intergenerational relations. The organization will provide apartments for seniors 65 years and over. The building will be right next to Val-David’s new public school in order to make interactions between seniors and students easier. The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation is contributing to the hiring of a resource to coordinate the organization’s intergenerational activities.
Nan-b and Philippe can be proud of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation’s accomplishments. The humanitarian and philanthropic vision from 30 years ago has remained at the heart of their operations. It guides them every day and also motivates their children and grandchildren. The future of the Foundation and its projects is in good hands!
Did you know: ParticipACTION is a de Gaspé Beaubien initiative
The de Gaspé Beaubien family quickly made a name for themselves in the field of philanthropy in Canada. Pioneers in their mission to support the development of durable social prosperity in their community, the family have always known how to use their vision in order to build durable and impactful projects.
Among all of the de Gaspé Beaubien family’s activities, did you know that Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien was the founder, president, and chairman of ParticipACTION?
A Mission of National Importance
In 1969, following a phone call with Mr. Pierre-Elliott Trudeau, Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien accepted the challenge of chairing the National Council for Fitness and Amateur Sports of Canada. Motivated by an urgent need for action, he first had to determine the status of Canadian’s physical fitness before undertaking any initiative whatsoever. A research study was conducted over a period of six months. The results were unequivocal: the Canadian population was sedentary and out of shape.
“I still remember, to this day, the shock that was felt with the whole committee when it was revealed that 85% of Canadians spent their free time in front of a tv or riding in a car. We certainly weren’t going to let that continue.” – Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien
An Innovative Marketing Approach
Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien proposed to Mr. Trudeau to create an organism that’s mandate would be to teach the importance of daily physical activity to the Canadian population.
“I had a pitch prepared about how the human body was meant to move and that I wanted to target young people – to start good habits early. Part of this was a national campaign to change the perception and attitudes of Canadians towards physical activity. In order to do this right, we would require significant funding.” – Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien
A minimum budget of five million dollars had been estimated at the time in order to launch an awareness campaign of this size. Faced with this sum, Mr. Trudeau had offered startup funding equivalent to half of the budget over the course of a few years under the condition that the rest of the funding could be raised elsewhere.
Once again, Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien demonstrated his marketing innovation abilities by launching ParticipACTION. With the help of the financial support provided by the government and national networks, they were able to raise the funds needed to promote physical activity on a national scale.
The strategic thinking behind the creation of a national campaign to motivate the population to adopt an active lifestyle was quite new at the time. Thanks to Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien, ParticipAction has contributed significantly to the advancement of social and communication marketing in the fields of health, sports, and physical activity.
“ParticipACTION was a great bilingual title. We mobilized tv, radio, and newspaper ads. And in those first years we raised 2 million dollars of unsold media space, a sum the government matched. The response was overwhelming, and we succeeded in mobilizing communities across Canada,” – Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien
Aiming for long-term success
The de Gaspé Beaubien family have long favoured well-thought-out and concrete action plans that provide their initiatives with excellent results while maintaining long-term objective. As is the case with AquaHacking and the Business Families Foundation, giving back to the community remains at the heart of their actions; this is what they achieved with ParticipACTION. 50 years later, ParticipACTION still exists and has become a model in the promotion of physical activity on a national scale, hoisting Canada up to within the ten most active countries in the world.
ParticipACTION still encourages the community to enjoy a more active lifestyle, allowing our government to save millions of dollars every year in curative care.
“I will always be proud to have worked alongside those who launched and have supported ParticipACTION through all these years. Their deep commitment helped us all to become better people.” – Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien
Two Things to Learn about the de Gaspé Beaubien FoundationThe de Gaspé Beaubien family Foundation is known for its devoted commitment to the field of water, namely through its AquaHacking initiative. Pioneers of supporting families in business around the world, the de Gaspé Beaubien family has been involved in many important philanthropic endeavors over the last decades; some less publicized but just as noteworthy.
Here are two interesting things that you may not know about the de Gaspé Beaubien family Foundation:
A commitment to Harvard Business School
Did you know that the de Gaspé Beaubien Reading Room is at Harvard Business School?
The Room received this name in honor of the family’s 10 million dollars donation to the Historical Collections of the School’s Baker Library. This donation made it possible to completely renovate the Library in 2004, as well as preserve and add the most extensive collection of business history in the world. It is a key resource for scholars, researchers, and students.
The collection includes thousands of articles, business files, newspapers, correspondence, research documents, rare books, ephemeral documents, and visual documents. These works provide documentary evidence which allows university students to study the theories, researchers, organizations, and important movements related to the field of business first hand.
With the goal of pursuing their mission with families in business around the world, this donation made it possible to invest in this field of study and provide better tools and support to people who want to reach their entrepreneurial objectives of building a strong business and a strong family.
The de Gaspé Beaubien family has had a privileged relationship with Harvard Business School for several generations. Mr. de Gaspé Beaubien and the couple’s three children, Philippe III, Francois, and Nanon are all HBS graduates. Wishing to honor the family tradition of giving back to their higher education establishment, Nan-B and Philippe provided this generous gift. Additionally, they both served on the Dean’s Advisory Board from 1995-2000, and Mr. de Gaspé Beaubien was also a member of the Council of Canadians.
A “Health for All” Community Program
Did you know that the de Gaspé Beaubien Family Foundation has been very involved in the healthcare sector?
The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation invested close to 3 million dollars and many countless hours of dedicated time into a pilot project with the CSSS Sainte-Agathe-Des-Monts: the “health for all” community program.
This initiative’s objective was to improve the relationship between the leaders of the healthcare system and the doctors. Through this involvement with a local establishment, the Foundation wished to closely support the development of the particularly complex environment of a local healthcare system. Its involvement consisted of targeting actions leading to the improvement of the daily operation of the establishment by using co-gestion principles. Improving human resource processes and the patients’ positioning were at the heart of the actions put into place for this community program.
The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation had established a program in several phases which involved coaching activities, co-development between medical and administrative management directors, consolidating the welcome and integration of the doctors in the CSSS, an introduction to the co-gestion model, as well as workshops for doctors in positions of leadership. The global objective consisted of mobilizing the care teams through the implementation of the various phases of a brand-new co-gestion model.
This partnership provided the public establishment with the Foundation’s well-established expertise in management and the help of experts from the professional and academic fields.
Unfortunately, the pilot project never came to term; everything had to be stopped when CSSS’s became CISSS’s. The structure of the project was based on a CSSS principle and the change would mean restarting the entire process from the beginning.
With its renowned expertise in the business and entrepreneurial fields, the de Gaspé Beaubien family contributes to supporting initiatives that favor sustainable social development. By keeping their values at heart and encouraging entrepreneurial philanthropy, they contribute to the longevity of the projects they get involved with.
A Heartbreaking Interruption for the Club of IntrapreneursIn March 2020, the sudden of the COVID-19 pandemic turned everyone’s lives upside down. Quebec, along with the rest of the world, put everything on hold, in an attempt to flatten the curve of the virus, and therefore lessen its impact. For Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien, that meant pushing “pause” on a lifelong dream.
After five years of investing themselves into a cause they valued above all others, they made the heartbreaking decision to put a temporary halt to the activities of the “Club of Intrapreneurs”.
Full of emotion, Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien shared the story of how this entrepreneurial initiative came to be, and some of the lessons they’ve learned along the way on this adventure of a lifetime.
A Family Story
It was during one of their customary walks around their property that Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien started talking about legacy. They asked themselves, and each other, what they wanted to leave behind, both for their families and for future generations of people they’d never meet. They knew they wanted to make a lasting difference in their society. This desire first led them to create the Business Families Foundation (BFF) over twenty years ago.
Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien dreamed of helping all young people access an education, regardless of means. She wanted every person coming of age to have the chance to become contributing members of society. Years earlier, Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien had told her husband about meeting a friend when she was at university. This friend had the opportunity to attend their mutual school because of just such a foundation Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien’s grandfather had created years earlier. Her friend’s story had a big impact on Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien. It really brought home to her the importance of making a difference.
As for Mr. de Gaspé Beaubien, he’d known that he wanted to start his own business since he was a boy. After all of his years of experience, he’s no stranger to the difficulties of entrepreneurship in Quebec. There’s no doubt that he’s seen it all. What he wanted to do more than anything was to help not only the other young aspiring entrepreneurs in their family get their businesses off the ground, but those who were not part of the Gaspé Beaubien family as well. He wanted them all to be able to benefit from what he had learned as he built his business.
It was from these two dreams that the idea of setting up the Club of Intrapreneurs (CI) was born.
The Club of Intrapreneurs (CI) Project is born
The primary objective of the Club of Intrapreneurs (CI) was to help members of future generations of the Gaspé Beaubien family, as well as all other interested persons, to establish themselves in the long term as a business, foundation or even philanthropy in Quebec.
Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien traveled around the world. They were searching for an interesting and intelligent model by evaluating programs already up and running, established within families abroad. They were looking for both guidance and inspiration.
They found what they were looking for after 5 years of research, when they met the Mulliez Family in France. Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien were very inspired by the concept of governance put in place within their families. It’s one that allows the entrepreneurial spirit to be easily passed along to its members
Development of the Club of Intrapreneurs (CI) Initiative
When Nan-b started working with the young participants in the AquaHacking initiative, she was amazed by the great ability they had for finding solutions to water issues. What they didn’t have, she realized, was the ability to run a business well. These young people needed knowledge, and help.
“Canada is great in education, theory and research, but we are terrible at putting these lessons into practice and making them successful businesses. “- Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien
Noting that in Quebec and Ontario, only 10% of start-up businesses survive, Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien then asked themselves how they could help these entrepreneurs.
After much observation and thought, they called a family meeting, with all the children and grandchildren. They asked everyone, “When do you think you will be ready to apply for a loan and support to launch your business? This financial loan will be accompanied by a system that will support young entrepreneurs with mentoring and coaching. “
Their response was unanimous: not before 5 to 10 years. Together, they concluded that it would be interesting to expand the framework of their family to include people who are not family members, but who share the same values and who could be potential partners. This idea would be a great way to test the support system and uncover its strengths and weaknesses.
With the help of their valued collaborators, Jean-François and Caroline, they interviewed more than a hundred potential candidates. Only two candidates were selected to participate in Phase 1 of CI.
The chosen Intrapreneurs had to meet the following two conditions in order to obtain support from the foundation:
- Form an advisory committee that will hold monthly meetings for encouragement and with the goal of surpassing themselves.
- Get training and attend coaching sessions with the goal of building a network of other experts and professionals.
The Club of learning, headed by Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien, developed to help meet the second condition. She participated in their meetings, held every 4 to 6 weeks.
The key to the success of the Club of Intrapreneurs was the establishment of this continuous support system alongside the efforts of the Intrapreneurs. Their openness to mentoring and coaching was also a determining factor. This partnership with the family allowed them to feel supported and guided.
The Temporary Interruption of the Club of Intrapreneurs (CI)
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 crisis caused the majority of entrepreneurs to lose their customers. Investments also plummeted. The Club of Intrapreneurs was forced to collaborate with other families in order to survive, since it required so much capital to operate.
What will happen to the world after the virus? No one knows, but it seems certain that the world of entrepreneurship will never be the same. In this period of uncertainty, the Gaspé Beaubien foundation had to make the painful decision to halt the Club of Intrapreneurs. After all of the blood, sweat, and tears they had invested in this project, it was a heartbreaking choice to have to make.
The founders are used to solving problems. For them, every problem has a solution. But the reality is that with COVID-19, the only solution is the vaccine. It’s basically impossible to run such an innovative program without being able to be physically present and actively working with the collaborators. The only solution to protect family members from potential contamination was therefore to put the initiative of the Club of Intrapreneurs on hold.
“A page is turned, but the chapter is not finished. Once a vaccine is available, we will be ready to act. “- Mrs. de Gaspé de Beaubien.
For Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien, this is not the end of the Club of Intrapreneurs. It’s only a setback, and an interruption of Phase 2. They have every intention of picking up where they left off once it’s safe to do so.
Lessons learned
Despite this difficult period, the founders of the initiative and their team have grown from their memorable 5-year adventure. The lessons learned are worth more than the time and money that have been lost in recent weeks. Among these is one lesson in particular, namely, the importance of making an effort to earn financial aid and support. The principles of work and perseverance will remain at the heart of the initiatives of the Gaspé Beaubien foundation and will be passed onto future generations.
“We could never regret this experience. More than ever, we are convinced that this formula of the Club of Intrapreneurs is the key to solving the problems faced by young entrepreneurs today. “- Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien.
The second lesson articulated by Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé is to initiate young people interested in entrepreneurship very early on. It is essential to prepare them at a very young age, even before they decide to start their own businesses, in order to give them every chance to succeed.
From now on, Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien aims to share all the knowledge accumulated within the framework of the Club of Intrapreneurs to the entrepreneurs of the AquaHacking project. In addition, this experience will serve as a potential pilot for the youngest members of the family.
Hope for the Future
For the past 5 years, Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien have worked tirelessly to promote their values and the project across Quebec. Their goal was to expand the reach of this support system nationwide.
For them, it is high time to start forming an entrepreneurial culture that will last. The club was the best solution to the entrepreneurship problems of Quebec and Canada. After spending 50 years helping families around the world, they are convinced that this is the best system currently in place to help people realize their entrepreneurial dreams.
“What I want to say to people is: Never give up. There is always hope, there is always a way to succeed. As long as you believe in yourself and are ready to work, you will succeed. This is what we did with Expo 67. We proved to ourselves that we were able to do something in Quebec and it was one of the biggest exhibitions in the world. It was done here, with our people.” – Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien.
Mr. de Gaspé Beaubien wants to see other families, the government and other institutions join this system to make it last. Through its determination and passion, the Gaspé Beaubien foundation was there to start the initiative of the Club of Intrapreneurs, but it can’t keep it going alone. All in all, this experience has helped pave the way for the future of entrepreneurship in Quebec.
A successful merger and a promising future for the Family Entreprise Foundation“There is always a future. Always. As long as you are healthy, you can succeed and persevere with your ideas. For the moment, this is a setback. Afterward, though, we’ll keep going forward. “- Mrs. de Gaspé de Beaubien.
Business families are at the heart of the Canadian economy, generating 48.9% of private sector GDP and accounting for 63.1% of all domestic private companies. They have always faced common challenges that directly impacted not only their leadership role in our communities, but also their generational sustainability.
Supported by several partners, the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation created the Business Families Foundation (BFF) in Canada more than 30 years ago. Its goal was to help, support and encourage business families all over the world. the de Gaspé Beaubien family is thrilled and proud to see their initiative carry on, thanks to a strategic merger between the BFF and the Family Enterprise Foundation.
The Family Enterprise Foundation (FFE) is the product of this union. It comes into the world at a pivotal time, when the global economy is still recovering from the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than ever, family businesses need to seize every opportunity to contribute to the economic recovery, and to benefit from all the support and resources such a foundation can offer.
Business Families Foundation (BFF): A legacy rich in learning
Having a heart for helping Quebec and Canadian entrepreneurs along with their desire to sustain their family business for future generations led Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien to develop the Business Families Foundation over 30 years ago. Ever since then, they have developed a unique concept based on many years of involvement, both in terms of research and the development of support and mentoring resources with family businesses.
These types of resources were scarce when they began this work, with only legal and financial writings and services available to family businesses. They wanted to do more, not only for their own children, but for other families as well. They wanted to be able to pass along not only legal and financial information, but also other resources crucial to creating a successful family business, such as dealing with the importance of family dynamics, the notion of ownership and a philosophy of support between family members.
Their experience in setting up a large family media business encouraged them to join other entrepreneurial families. Thus, their support has not only helped these “learning families” and made them more self-reliant but has also contributed to an economic boom.
“We are very pleased and greatly reassured by the continuity of our family entrepreneurship support project. After investing more than 30 years of our lives in the Business Families Foundation, knowing that this project will continue over time is music to our ears. We wish the FFE a long life.” – Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien.
Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien will now serve as honorary members of the Board of Directors of the Family Enterprise Foundation (FFE), while continuing to serve as Presidents of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation. They devote their time and energy to philanthropy through their Family Foundation.
Imparting their wisdom and knowledge and serving others remain their passions and are at the heart of everything they do.
About the FEF (Family Enterprise Foundation)
As the unified voice of family businesses in Canada, the Family Enterprise Foundation (FEF) is a charitable organization focused on providing educational and other resources for the research and sustainability of these family businesses. It promotes the success and longevity of Canadian family businesses on a national scale.
As a representative of Canadian family businesses, the FEF develops tailored training and specialized educational tools, some of which also train and certify family business advisors.
Conclusion
The successful merger of the Family Enterprise Foundation heralds a bright future for entrepreneurial families and their businesses. The mission of supporting, assisting and encouraging business families will ensure their sustainability and harmony for generations to come.
Mr. and Mrs. de Gaspé Beaubien are convinced that it is through the support of organizations such as the BFF and the FFE that research can be conducted to better understand the challenges faced by family businesses in Canada and the opportunities available to them. Mr and Mrs de Gaspé Beaubien will continue to put all their heart and passion for family entrepreneurship into the FFE, alongside their dear partners and valued collaborators.
The Future of Family businesses is discussed in CharlevoixFrom November 15th to 17th, Charlevoix will host the first-ever Families Summit of Minds in North America. This joint initiative of the Monthly Barometer and the Business Families Foundation (BFF) will bring together entrepreneurial family members, investors, opinion leaders and change-makers to reflect together on the key issues that today’s businesses are facing.
Inspired Exchanges in an Inspiring Setting
The three-day summit aims to stimulate discussion and reflection on many aspects of the entrepreneurial reality of today and tomorrow, in a relaxed and positive atmosphere. Participants will have the chance to enjoy the enchanting natural environment of Charlevoix while taking part in the great brainstorming that will revolve around three main themes: family enterprise, macroeconomics and geopolitics, and well-being.
- On Thursday, November 15th, participants will have the opportunity, among other things, to attend discussions about the impact of physical well-being on a good decision-making, the importance of purpose, intrapreneurial mindset, as well as the duality between wealth capture and wealth preservation.
- Friday, November 16th, will offer a variety of outdoor and experiential activities followed by discussion sessions and a selection of theme dinners to deepen reflection on certain topics. The big panels of the day will focus on original investments, the role of culture in family business, how to think about the long-term in an era focused on instantaneity as well as women and leadership.
- On Saturday, November 17th, on the closing day of the summit, participants will have the opportunity to attend various thematic lunches followed by the final panels on the impact of the migration crisis on family businesses and the role of these families, as well as responsible investment in family businesses.
The full program of the summit is available on the website of the Families in Business Foundation.
A Family Matter
The Business Families Foundation (BFF) is an initiative of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation. The BFF is dedicated to supporting family businesses of all sizes on an international scale. Although the de Gaspé Beaubien family has made the decision to leave governance in the care of other highly competent families, it remains actively and financially involved with the BFF. Indeed, always committed to the success and evolution of family businesses, de Gaspé Beaubien continues to act as trusted advisors for the BFF.
As an expert in family entrepreneurship, Nan-B de Gaspé Beaubien will be participating in a panel discussion on Friday, November 16th about leadership and women alongside Rachel Kiddell-Monroe, Marie Pier Germain and Françoise Gagnon. A strong advocate of women’s business, she will discuss the involvement of women in family businesses and the impact of their inclusion on the performance of these companies.
The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation, which comes from a long tradition of family businesses, is proud to invest in ensuring the long-term success of family businesses. According to the vision of the de Gaspé-Beaubien family, it is through hard work, study and collaboration that family businesses can be helped to prosper and to carry out ambitious projects that impact small and big communities.
Nan-b and Philippe II de Gaspé Beaubien, at the heart of Expo 67’s 50th anniversary celebrationsOn April 25, Montreal will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Expo 67, the largest World Fair of all time. For the occasion, Montreal’s Place des Arts will host the the world premiere screening of the documentary Expo 67 Mission impossible, which showcases among other things the leading roles played by Mr. and Mrs. De Gaspé Beaubien, who will be taking part in the celebrations.
Celebrating the memory of Expo 67
This tremendous event attracted almost 55 million visitors to Montreal and left its mark on all of Canada while showcasing the know-how, can-do spirit and creative energy of Quebecers. This 50th anniversary is a chance to remember how Expo 67 introduced Quebec to the world and a whole new universe of future possibilities.
With “Man and his World” as its theme, Expo 67 was an opportunity to spread a message of openness and inclusion. According to Mr. de Gaspé Beaubien, “It was one of the most unifying events ever held in Quebec.” Organized by Productions de la Ruelle and the Society for the Celebrations of Montreal’s 375th Anniversary, the 50th anniversary celebration of Expo 67 is an opportunity to (re)experience Expo 67 and inspire a new generation.
The film Expo 67 Mission impossible takes a fresh look at the story of Expo 67 through personal accounts and a wealth of previously unseen archival material. Then in his thirties, the “Mayor of Expo 67” Philippe II de Gaspé Beaubien was its director of operations. Despite the succession of technical and political hurdles organizers faced, the Expo 67 team managed to create an island (Île Notre-Dame) in the middle of the river and build a metro line, a road network, 27 bridges, and 847 buildings—all in under three and a half years!
“You can achieve extraordinary things if you’re committed and enthusiastic, but you have to believe in yourself and have the courage to step outside your comfort zone,” said Mr. de Gaspé Beaubien. “Expo 67 changed attitudes and the way Quebecers saw themselves. The event gave the province a tremendous boost of confidence—we realized that we were capable of achieving great things.”
As one of the youngest members of the organizing team, Mr. de Gaspé Beaubien helped instil Expo 67 with its own unique atmosphere and identity. For him, the event marked the beginning of a long history of community engagement—a commitment that eventually led to the creation of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation.
About the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation
The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation is a multigenerational family foundation dedicated to helping people, family businesses and organizations become agents for positive and lasting change in their communities. The foundation focuses its efforts and resources on supporting initiatives that tie in with three pillars that underpin its core values: education, entrepreneurship, and the environment.
Source: de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation
Further information: Diep Truong; diep@exergue.ca; 514-524-7348
Mr. Claude Perras is appointed Executive Director of the de Gaspé Beaubien FoundationFor the past 6 years, Dominique Monchamp, our General Manager has managed our family foundation, the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation, with tremendous energy and passion. The success we have seen with the last two AquaHacking Summits is a tribute to this passion for freshwater conservation, which she shares with the rest of our family. We are very pleased and proud of her outstanding contribution over the years. We will continue to count on Dominique’s expertise as consultant to our AquaHacking 2017 project as well as pursuing her mandate of estate manager.
Effective immediately, Mr. Claude Perras will be managing the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation as Executive Director. Claude has over 25 years’ experience within global corporations, international development organisations and several not for profit. Until recently he was working as a Consultant in the Environment, Social and Governance Department at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. He is the former Vice President of Sustainability and a member of the Executive Committee of London Mining PLC, listed on London Stock Exchange. Claude’s extensive career includes notable roles at Rio Tinto, Alcan, UNITERRA, and CECI. He holds a Master of Management from McGill University; a Diploma in Social Development from the Coady International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University; Bachelor of Arts in Social Science with a double Major in Economics and Political Science from the University of Ottawa.
We invite you to join us in warmly welcoming Claude to our team and to offer Dominique all our best in her new role.
Cordially,
Nan-b de Gaspé Beaubien
Co-chair of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation
The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation announced an one million dollars donation over five years to the École de technologie supérieur (ÉTS). This donation will allow the creation of a new research chair and the launch of an entrepreneurship grant program.
“With its 9,000 students, of which nearly 500 are at the doctoral level, ÉTS is truly a hotbed of ideas. This donation aims to support research and innovation at ÉTS and stimulate the creation of young technology companies. Quebec has an abundancy of exceptional talent and a helping hand is often enough for these talents to blossom,” explains Mr. Philippe III de Gaspé Beaubien, president of the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation, at the launch of ÉTS’s major campaign.
Philippe III de Gaspé Beaubien first came into contact with ÉTS as cofounder of EERS, a company that specializes in the field of hearing. “The researchers and students at ÉTS work towards finding solutions to concrete problems. I really like their approach and wanted to support research in two areas that are close to my heart; namely, intraauricular research and water preservation,” he added.
An amount of $500,000 will thus be dedicated to the creation of the CRITIAS (Chaire de recherche industrielle en technologies intra-auriculaires Sonomax/EERS) laboratory.
An amount of $225,000 will also be provided to the research chairs of DRAME (Développement et recherche appliquée en modélisation de l’eau) and STEPPE (Station expérimentale des procédés pilotes en environnement).
In addition to health and water, the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation is actively involved in supporting entrepreneurship. That is why the Foundation will offer 25 grants of $10,000 to young entrepreneurs for the start-up of technology companies.
In conclusion, the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation and ÉTS will collaborate on the AquaHacking 2016 Summit, an event dedicated to water preservation through innovation. This event will take place in Montreal on October 6 and 7, 2016 at Palais de congrès.