Montreal, July 16, 2018
The Government of Quebec today announced the names of the eleven members who will serve on the Board of Directors of Entreprendre ici, the provincial organization established as part of the 2017–2022 Government Action Plan for Entrepreneurship (PAGE) to address the challenges faced by entrepreneurs from cultural communities throughout Quebec.
Chaired by Ms. Amina Gerba, President and Founder of Afrique Expansion, the Board of Directors includes the following members:
- MMs. Mary-Anne Carignan, President of Purkinje;
- Mr. François de Paul Nkombou, accountant and Chair of the Audit Committee of the Université du Québec à Montréal;
- Ms. Souad Elmallem, Managing Partner and Founder of 6Témik;
- Ms. Sylvie Madore, President and CEO of Promotions universelles S.M.;
- Mr. Pierre Naider Fanfan, President and CEO of Probiosphère;
- Ms. Thi Be Nguyen, Founder of UniAction;
- Mr. Stéphane Pipon, President of MDI conseils et technologies;
- Mr. Oscar Ramirez, architect and co-founder of the firm Cardin Ramirez Julien;
- Ms. Stéphanie Raymond Bougie, lawyer at NOVAlex and founder of the Génération d'idées group;
- Mr. Éric Sinopoli, President and co-founder of Cupcakes de Coquelikot.
In addition, Deputy Premier, Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation, and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy, Ms. Dominique Anglade, highlighted the appointment of Mr. Payam Eslami, a commercial financing expert, co-founder of the Quebec Iranian Community Chamber of Commerce, and host of La voix des bâtisseurs, as Executive Director of Entreprendre ici..
Quotes:
“The future of entrepreneurship in Quebec depends in part on entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. To provide them with the support they need to carry out their business projects, which will contribute to Quebec’s economic and social development, we have established Entreprendre ici. The members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Director of this organization stand out for their commitment and determination to foster entrepreneurship within cultural communities. I thank them for putting their remarkable expertise and experience to work to help more entrepreneurs succeed in Quebec. I am confident that they will carry out their roles with dedication and professionalism.”
Dominique Anglade, Deputy Premier, Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation, and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy.
“The formation of our Board of Directors and the appointment of our Executive Director bring us one step closer to establishing a true agent of change that will support and foster the entrepreneurial spirit among members of Quebec’s cultural communities. They are full of ideas and ready to roll up their sleeves to bring their projects to life, but they often face challenges such as a limited credit history or a lack of familiarity with the tools available to entrepreneurs. Our mission is to guide and support them so they can turn their dreams into reality while contributing to Quebec’s economic vitality.”
Amina Gerba, Chair of the Board of Directors of Entreprendre ici.
Highlights :
- The provincial organization Entreprendre ici — this link leads to a website that may not comply with the government accessibility standard — has a mission to provide personalized support to entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds in order to facilitate their entrepreneurial journey, help them overcome systemic barriers along the way, and guide them in accessing existing services within Quebec’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The organization works closely with economic partners to raise awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship from diverse communities. It also collaborates with organizations serving cultural communities to reach as many entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds as possible.
- En février 2018, le gouvernement du Québec a dévoilé cinq mesures afin de soutenir et d'accompagner les entrepreneurs de la diversité dans la réalisation de leurs projets d'affaires. Ces mesures, parmi lesquelles figure la création d'Entreprendre ici, seront mises en place dans le cadre du PAGE et représentent des investissements de plus de 15 millions de dollars d'ici 2022.
PThrough 34 measures, PAGE aims to achieve two ambitious and mobilizing targets by 2022:
- Create 125,000 new businesses, an average of 2,000 more per year .
- Reach 3,500 high-growth businesses, an average of approximately 50 more per .
Related Link
To learn more about the entrepreneurship support measures offered by the Ministry of Economy, Science and Innovation, visit them www.economie.gouv.qc.ca/entrepreneuriat/.