Press release
Montreal, April 2, 2024 – Following a rigorous recruitment process, Philippe Couillard, Vice President of Global Engineering at CAE and Chairman of the Board of the Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ), is pleased to announce Guillaume Côté as the newly appointed President and CEO of CRIAQ. His tenure begins immediately.
“Mr. Côté stands out by his energy, a quality he will put to good use with CRIAQ’s team, the members of the Board of Directors, and the entire Quebec aerospace ecosystem. We are delighted to welcome him in this role and assure him of our unwavering support in further propelling CRIAQ forward for the benefit of Quebec’s aerospace industry,” says Philippe Couillard.
Mr. Côté has an outstanding track record in the Quebec and Canadian aerospace ecosystem. His experience includes roles within the federal government, key industry bodies such as the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC), the Canadian Aerospace Consortium for Research and Innovation (CARIC), and his most recent strategic contributions at Collins Aerospace.
“It is an honour and a unique opportunity to join an organization that has made significant contributions to Quebec’s aerospace ecosystem! As we look ahead, we anticipate numerous challenges in the horizon. These include the realization of our ambitious Roadmap 2035, the implementation of the Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology (INSAT) by the federal government, and the imminent establishment of the Aerospace Innovation Zone. Working collaboratively with CRIAQ’s team and members, we have the chance to shape future of the aerospace industry,” says Guillaume Côté.
He succeeds Alain Aubertin, who has been a member of the CRIAQ management team for the past 12 years, serving as Vice President of Business Development and International for seven years and as President and CEO from 2019 to 2024. He will continue to contribute as a Special Advisor for Governance until October 2024.
“I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Alain for his brilliant contribution to the development of cutting-edge technologies, and for his vision that has inspired the Board of Directors and CRIAQ members to be bold in their strategic actions. Alain was a visionary and a strong advocate for our industry to become even more sustainable, and for the actions of all our project stakeholders to be guided by principles of social acceptability,” adds Philippe Couillard.
About CRIAQ
The Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ) is a unique model of collaborative aerospace research carried out by companies of all sizes, involving universities and research centres. Its mission is to enhance the competitiveness of the aerospace industry by stimulating business innovation through collaborative R&D. It also aims to develop a new generation of innovators to reinforce Quebec’s technological leadership in cutting-edge aerospace applications: digital aviation, air mobility of the future and sustainable aerospace.
More than 220 completed and ongoing projects, worth close to $300 million, have involved more than 1,900 scientific researchers and academic members, and 2,200 students over the 20 years of CRIAQ’s existence.
www.criaq.aero
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For more details:
Benoit Cyrenne, Director of Communications
benoit.cyrenne@criaq.aero Tel: 514-999-0219
