RDV Forum 2025
Program

Étienne Ferland

Managing Director

Etienne Ferland is a seasoned leader with deep expertise in the aviation industry. He holds a degree from ENA and a Mechanical Engineering degree from ETS. Etienne furthered his education with a master’s in Aerospace Engineering from McGill University in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency and completed an Executive MBA from Paris Dauphine-UQAM. With over 25 years of experience in the aerospace sector, Etienne is recognized for his ability to drive change and achieve results, earning him progressively greater responsibilities throughout his career. During his 18 years at Pratt & Whitney Canada, he held various roles across Engineering, Aftermarket, Quality, Cost, and Operations, where he managed different market segments and engine families. In 2023, Etienne joined H55 as the Managing Director of its Canadian branch, where he is responsible for establishing and operating the new production facility and developing the local engineering branch to support H55's North American customer base.

Julien Caudroit

CCO & CBDO, Chief Communications and Business Development Officer

With a decade of experience working with various organizations in the Canadian and Quebec innovation ecosystems, Julien has extensive knowledge and experience in managing innovation and aerospace organizations.
In recent years, Julien has held the position of Vice-President and Partner at Innovitech, an innovation consulting firm, and for many years held a number of management positions within organizations such as the The Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ), the Consortium for Aerospace Research and Innovation in Canada (CARIC), the Green Aviation Research and Development Network (GARDN), the IRT Saint Exupéry Canada (Canadian branch of the Institut de recherche technologique de Toulouse), but also in other sectors such as MEDTEQ+.
Julien has also evolved in governmental and international contexts, with several experiences at the United Nations and Investissement Québec.
Involved today and in the past on various committees and boards, such as the McGill Institute for Aerospace Engineering (MIAE) and the Cercle international des jeunes leaders (CIJL), he is also Administrateur De la Relève (ADR. – Next generation Administrator).

Maud Cohen

Chief Executive Officer

An accomplished manager who is highly valued and respected by her teams and stakeholders, Ms. Cohen brings strategic leadership with accents on innovation, agility, individual development and continuous improvement.
Ms. Cohen holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Polytechnique Montréal (1996), an MBA from HEC Montréal (2004) and a designation as a certified corporate administrator from the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés of Université Laval (2012). She has a brilliant track record in ethics and the sound management of organizations with key missions in our society.
From 2014 to 2022, Ms. Cohen was President and CEO of the Fondation CHU Sainte-Justine. In this role, she oversaw the continued growth of the Foundation, enabling it to engage the community and support the Sainte-Justine university hospital in its pursuit of excellence and its commitment to providing children and mothers with one of the highest levels of health care in the world, now and in the future. Prior to this, from 2009 to 2012, she served three consecutive terms as President of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, making her the third woman to hold this position since the organization was founded in 1920.
Her career also spans the globe. She led major projects in Europe and the United States as a project manager for Walsh Automation Inc. and Walsh Europe Limited. She was also a Director at CGI Group from 2008 to 2011, as well as for Invensys Systems Canada from 2001 to 2007.
At the same time, she has sat on various boards of directors for the past several years. Loto-Québec, Gestion FÉRIQUE and Aéroports de Montréal are among the organizations that have benefited from her expertise. Between 2021 and 2022, she put her experience in scientific governance to use as Chair of the committee of independent experts on the architectural and urban integration of the REM de l’Est.
In 2010 and 2018, Ms. Cohen was named one of Entreprendre magazine’s “100 Women Leaders of the Future.” In 2012, she was named a Fellow of Engineers Canada (FEC) for her commitment to the engineering profession. Also, in 2011, she received the jury’s special award in the category of executive, manager or professional in private enterprise from the Réseau des femmes d'affaires du Québec.

Raphael Blais

Student in aerospace engineering

Raphaël Blais is master's student in aerospace engineering at Polytechnique Montréal. He specializes in guidance, navigation and control, with a specific interest in spacecraft control systems. He obtained his bachelor's degree in engineering physics from Université Laval, with a specialization in aeronautics and aerospace. During his graduate studies, Raphaël did an internship at MDA Systems Ltd. in Richmond, British Columbia, where he worked on the automatic processing of radar images captured by the RADARSAT-2 satellite and the RADARSAT Constellation (RCM). He then had the chance to work at the Canadian Space Agency, as a spacecraft control systems trainee, on multiple projects related to attitude determination and control systems.

Rose Malenfant-Poulin

Student in aerospace engineering

A fourth-year undergraduate student in aerospace engineering at Polytechnique Montréal, Rose Malenfant-Poulin co-manages the technical society Oronos Polytechnique, a student team dedicated to the design, manufacture and launch of experimental rockets. Passionate about sustainable development, she is particularly interested in the evolution of innovative materials and their integration into aerospace technologies. Her objective is to help make the aerospace industry more sustainable and innovative. Through her involvement with Oronos, she is developing her technical skills while pursuing her mission to advance aerospace by combining performance and sustainability.

Mélanie Lussier

Chief Executive Officer

Mélanie Lussier has nearly 25 years of experience in the transportation sector. She spent more than 15 years at Bombardier, where she led many strategic projects to improve costs, optimize supplier relationship management and implement Lean practices. She then joined Aéro Montréal, Québec’s aerospace cluster, where she led the cluster’s action plan by implementing economic measures, programs and awareness actions; flagship projects that increased reputation and productivity in the aerospace industry. In January 2021, she was appointed Vice President, Operations and Administration of Propulsion Québec, the cluster for electric and smart transportation. She contributed to the creation of a project office and worked to improve the mobilization plan for the cluster’s working groups and communities of interest. Ms. Lussier returned to the aerospace sector in January 2023, assuming role of President of Aéro Montréal.

Marie-Pierre Habas-Gerard

Chief Executive Officer

Currently Chief Executive Officer of the industrial consortium Confiance IA, Marie-Pierre Habas-Gerard comes from R&D in Quantum Physical Chemistry as a Ph. D and post-doctoral student at several european universities. She added to her academic DNA, 25 years in the private sector in roles as director of digital transformation programs, AI Practices leader and as an entrepreneur and Associate in a Montreal startup in 2018.
Her approach to AI is pragmatic: AI must be applied to the business challenges of industries and must be a vector of growth for our Quebec and Canadian SMEs. Ethical and trustworthiness issues are intrinsically linked to the AI implementation and its adoption. The need to go beyond R&D in AI, to favor a faster and innovation-oriented approach applied to business performance challenges, to bring together a diverse and multidisciplinary set of industries around common use cases, is obvious to her. Able to challenge the status quo and unite around her vision, she works with industries to propel the creation of pre-competitive tools and to develop methods to qualify and quantify trustworthy AI.

Emmanuel Levitte

Chief Technology and Product Officer

Emmanuel Levitte is CAE’s Chief Technology and Product Officer. Emmanuel leads the global technology teams, shaping the company’s strategic direction to maximize business growth while maintaining CAE’s market leadership. He also drives alignment and integration of Global Technology and Products across CAE’s Civil and Defense & Security divisions, ensuring a cohesive approach to product management and innovation.
Emmanuel’s experience in aerospace spans over 20 years, taking off at Dassault Aviation and advancing through Bombardier before landing at CAE where he has held various leadership roles in Defense & Security, Engineering, and Global Procurement. He also previously diversified his skillset as Principal Product Manager at Amazon, where he managed the entire product lifecycle from concept to launch, sharpening his focus on speed and scaling technology to enhance customer value.
Emmanuel’s academic credentials include an MBA from HEC Montréal, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Sherbrooke University, and a Mechanical Engineering degree from the Arts et Métiers ParisTech engineering and research institute.

Xavier Louis

Xavier LOUIS is Thales Canada Avionics Director, Research and Technologies based in Montreal.
He has dedicated more than 25 years to aerospace research and innovation, managing collaborative projects between industries, academia and research centers, in north America and Europe.

Kathy Baig

Director General and Chief Executive Office

Kathy Baig, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of ÉTS since June 2024, is a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ), a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, a graduate of Polytechnique Montréal and an MBA graduate of HEC Montréal. Ms. Baig served as President of the OIQ from 2016 to 2022 and performed a variety of functions as president of Engineers Canada from 2021 to 2024. Before that, Kathy Baig held the positions of Vice-President, Positioning and Business Development and Principal Director, Transport Operations – Montréal Métropolitain for the consulting engineering firm Stantec. She has also held engineering and management positions with IBM Bromont, PyroGenesis Canada Inc., Aéroports de Montréal, and Johnson & Johnson, where she worked in research and development. Deeply involved in her community, Ms. Baig has received a number of awards and distinctions and has served on numerous boards, including those of VIA Rail Canada, Fondaction, Nav Canada, the Institut sur la gouvernance d’organismes privés et publics and the Institut national d’optique. Recognized as one of Canada’s most influential engineers, she received an honorary doctorate from ÉTS in 2021 in recognition of her exceptional leadership and commitment to promoting women in engineering. In 2023, Concordia University awarded her the same honour for her positive impact on the profession. Her strategic approach, ability to inspire people, and her strong management experience are invaluable assets that will help build the profile, reach and growth of ÉTS.

Rui Pedro Silva

Vice President, Engineering Functions, Research & Technology

Rui Pedro Silva is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in the aerospace industry, having led multidisciplinary teams across multiple Bombardier’s sites with focus ranging from Flight Testing, Product Development and Supplier Integration. As Vice President of Functional Engineering, Research and Technology at Bombardier, Rui Pedro is responsible for the development and retention of all Engineering skills and expertise so that Engineering teams are readily scalable to support the company’s future growth, as well as setting goals and defining priorities to ensure the successful execution of Research and Technology projects. Prior to this appointment, Pedro served as Bombardier’s Senior Engineering Director for Structures Integration and Aircraft Interiors where he was responsible for Design and Operational Support for both the Interiors and Green Aircraft for the Global platforms. Pedro holds a bachelor’s degree of Mechanical Engineering from École de Technologie Supérieure in Montreal, Québec.

William de Keyser

General Manager

William De Keiser is an aerospace engineer, licensed pilot, and General Manager of the Centre d’excellence sur les drones (CED) in Alma, Quebec. Since 2018, he has also led the Drone Technology Cluster (ACCORD). With recognized expertise in Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA), he has spearheaded innovative projects such as the Horizon Project and the planning of the Mirabel Advanced Aerial Mobility Experimental Zone (ZEMAM), aimed at establishing cutting-edge infrastructure for sustainable air mobility.
His career includes key roles at renowned companies like Pratt & Whitney Canada and Thales Canada, as well as experience with automated solutions and artificial intelligence technologies. Under his leadership, the CED achieved groundbreaking certifications for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, driving growth and regulation within Canada’s drone industry.
As President of the RPAS "Chantier" at Aéro Montréal, William actively contributes to advancing the aerospace industry. A sought-after speaker, he shares his vision of the sector through local and international initiatives, asserting his leadership in technological innovation and stakeholder mobilization for the sustainable development of the industry.

Guillaume Blanchette

Director of Laser and Technology Development

Guillaume is an electro-optic expert with several years hands-on experience developing high power ultrafast lasers for multiple companies. He was also Product line manager at Electro Scientific Industries (Now MKS instruments) and at Smiths Interconnect. At Smiths, he was instrumental to the introduction and development of optical transceivers for satcom and for defense observatory satellites applications. At Volta, he leads the development of high power spaceborne lasers and telescopes. He holds a degree in Physical engineering from Polytechnique de Montréal.

Ghislain Robichaud

Regional Director and Senior Trade Commissioner

With Global Affairs Canada since 2007, Ghislain Robichaud is Director and Senior Trade Commissioner, of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service - Quebec and Nunavut Regional Office since June 2021. Prior to this assignment Ghislain has been Counsellor (Science & Technology) and Senior Trade Commissioner in Germany, Counsellor and Senior Trade Commissioner in Egypt, and Deputy Director - Invest in Canada. Ghislain had previously held various positions related to international relations within Natural Resources Canada. He holds degrees in economics and political science from the University of Ottawa.

Mouhab Meshreki

Director General, Aerospace research Centre

Dr. Mouhab Meshreki is the Director General of the Aerospace Research Centre at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). He is also an adjunct professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department at McGill University. Previously, he was the Director of the NRC's Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies Centre. Dr. Meshreki has played a key role in the development of the new Aerospace Research Centre's strategy. He brings a breadth of scientific competence and an empathetic and inspirational leadership style with a demonstrated experience in building and nurturing stakeholder relationships with industry and academia. He has over 20 years of experience in national and international research and development in aerospace and non-aerospace sectors as a researcher, group leader, program thrust leader, director and university professor. He conducted research and development projects with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and small and medium-sized enterprises in the aerospace manufacturing sector with a strong background in manufacturing-related activities in the areas of machining, metal and composite processing as well as robotized processes. He has led long-term strategic collaboration projects with national and international aerospace OEMs. Dr. Meshreki has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University in the dynamics of multi-axis milling of thin-walled aerospace structures and Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the American University in Cairo with specialization in control and dynamics. He has published more than 50 publications including journals, conferences, book chapters, and technical reports.

Éric Laurendeau

Full professor, Mechanical Engineering Department

Dr. Eric Laurendeau (B.Eng., McGill U., Canada, DEA SupAéro, France, PhD U. Washington, USA) is full professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Polytechnique Montréal and member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. Following his studies, he joined Bombardier Aerospace in the Advanced Aerodynamics Department (1996-2011), before joining Polytechnique Montréal in 2011. He holds the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (2018-2024, renewed 2024-2031) in aircraft aerodynamic analysis and design, as well as the NSERC/CRIAQ/Bombardier Industrial Chair (2019-2025) in interdisciplinary aerothermodynamic analysis and design methods for transport aircraft. He sits on Aéro-Montréal's innovation monitoring and strategy working group and on the scientific council of Calcul Québec. His work covers aerodynamic modeling applied to aircraft, including aero-icing and aero-elasticity, as well as high-performance computing.