Isabel Dansereau devient directrice générale de la Société du Vieux-Port de Montréal

La semaine dernière, la Société du Vieux-Port de Montréal a annoncé la nomination de sa nouvelle directrice générale, Isabel Dansereau. Isabel est une participante actuelle de l’EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal.

Dans ses nouvelles fonctions, Isabel aura à gérer un site récréotouristique de 2.5 km accueillant plus de 7 millions de visiteurs par année et qui se trouve au tout début d’un important processus de revitalisation. Un de ses principaux défis au cours des prochains mois consistera à mettre en place une vision commune pour les deux unités d’affaires de la Société – soit le site du Vieux-Port et le Centre des sciences de Montréal – dans une organisation en pleine transformation.

«Il s’agit d’une opportunité extraordinaire. Grâce au cadre conceptuel développé à travers les divers modules du programme EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal et aux riches échanges avec mes pairs de la cohorte, je me sens parfaitement prête pour relever ce défi. Plus particulièrement, les notions vues au cours du module Collaboration m’ont permis d’acquérir des outils qui me seront très utiles pour libérer l’immense potentiel des équipes maintenant sous ma responsabilité.»

Isabel Dansereau a aussi été sélectionnée parmi les «2019 EMBA Best & Brightest» de Poets & Quants

Poets & Quants for Executives a publié sa liste des EMBA Best & Brightest de 2019. Cette année, parmi les plus impressionnants diplômés de programmes EMBA réputés à travers le monde, il y avait deux diplômés 2019 de l’EMBA McGill-HEC Montréal: Isabel Dansereau, et son collègue de classe Jason Taylor, Chef, Financement durable gouvernemental, Banque Scotia Services Bancaires et Marchés Mondiaux. 

Vous pouvez lire le profil complet d’Isabel ici.

Voici un extrait:

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? 

I consider myself very lucky to have successfully transitioned to a new leadership role in my organization while I was enrolled in the EMBA program. While it meant extra pressure in an already-full schedule, I benefitted from the experience, knowledge, and support of my 40 fellow students.

Why did you choose this executive MBA program? 

This was my big 40th birthday gift to myself. After 13 years at the Old Port, I needed to be challenged and to step out of my comfort zone. The EMBA program was to allow me to learn from the best practices in other industries and to allow me to meet other ambitious, curious and dynamic leaders – with added benefits of a bilingual environment and two prestigious academic institutions. To me, the choice was an easy one!

What did you enjoy most about business school in general? 

No hesitation on this one: the fantastic, generous, wise and bright men and woman – all great leaders – that I had the great privilege to study with over the 18-month period of the program. I learned from every single one of them.

Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family, and education? 

I take care of my ailing mother. She is slowly slipping away due to Alzheimer’s. While she has always been proud of my achievements, it was hard for her to understand and remember that I was back in school. During some of the more intense periods of the program, I found myself visiting her less than usual. Every time I would see her, I would apologetically tell her about school and how I felt overwhelmed. Every time, she would be surprised to hear that I was back to being a student. And so I started talking to her about my classmates: their jobs, their families, our times together. When I finally told her that I was graduating – done with school – she asked me if it meant that I would no longer be telling her stories about all my new friends. That moment of fleeting lucidity is something that I will cherish forever. 

What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program?

Do it!!! It truly is a great gift to give yourself. You will enroll for the knowledge, but you will leave with so much more.  And yes, you should read all of those required readings…

What is the biggest myth about going back to school? 

I expected to find myself surrounded by very serious, overly competitive and self-confident individuals. I was not expecting to have much fun. I thought it was going to be all business. I was wrong, wrong, and wrong. From the start, I had the incredibly lucky experience of being paired with a peer-group of 4 wonderfully open, diverse and like-minded classmates that put all those preconceived ideas to rest. All the way through graduation and beyond, we share a bond that goes much deeper than business. Amine, Florent, Laurent and Romeo: for me, they were definitely the best surprise of the program.