MONTREAL – An experienced research leader will take over as president and CEO of FPInnovations on Dec. 14. Stéphane Renou replaces Pierre Lapointe, who has held this position since December 2008.
A native of Montréal, Stéphane Renou has a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. In 2015, he earned an MBA (Innovation Management) from the University of Colorado.
In 2000, Mr. Renou moved to the United States to join General Electric’s research centre, where he took on increasingly senior positions, heading a number of divisions at various locations in the United States as well as in Florence, Italy. Within his various responsibilities, he led teams in both GE Aviation and Oil & Gas divisions. Most recently, he was the leader of industrial outcomes optimization at GE Global Research.
A statement from FPInnovations says these varied experiences “enabled him to acquire a vast background of R & D combined with commercial knowledge and a strong sense of entrepreneurship.” Renou holds eight patents, in addition to having published numerous scientific articles.
“We are confident that Stéphane, working closely with the members of our senior management, will further increase our current momentum and take FPInnovations to the next level,” emphasized Yvon Pelletier, chair of the FPInnovations board of directors. “Stéphane’s background and interests fit very well with FPInnovations’ strategies and plans for the future, and we are confident that he has the skills and competencies that will make him a successful president and CEO.”
FPInnovations is a not-for-profit organization that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector’s global competitiveness. It has more than 430 staff members, and R & D laboratories in Quebec City, Montreal, and Vancouver.