Marc Bedard has served as Lion’s CEO—Founder and as a member of Lion’s Board since Lion’s incorporation in 2008. Prior to founding Lion, Mr. Bedard served as vice-president and chief financial officer of Les Entreprises Barrette Ltée, a leading manufacturer of wood and vinyl products for construction and exterior use in North America, from 2003 to 2007. Previously, Mr. Bedard was a partner at Pricewaterhouse LLP, a national partnership of professional accountants and consultants, from 1996 to 2003. Mr. Bedard is a certified chartered professional accountant and has been a member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec since 1987. Mr. Bedard holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC), Université de Montréal.
Nicolas Brunet is the President of Lion since September 2023. He previously was Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer since 2019. Prior to joining Lion, he was a Managing Director in BMO Capital Markets’ Montréal Investment and Corporate Banking Group, specializing in capital markets advisory and financing solutions. Mr. Brunet held various positions in the field of investment banking from 2004 to 2019, both at BMO Capital Markets and at NM Rothschild & Sons. From 2012 to 2020, he sat on the Board of the Fondation Jeunes en Tête, a non-profit organization focused on the mental well-being of Québec’s youth, and acted as its treasurer from 2015 to 2020. Mr. Brunet holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University and graduated with Great Distinction.
Richard Coulombe is the Chief Financial Officer of Lion since September 2023. He was previously Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives since 2021. Prior to joining Lion, Mr. Coulombe held several CFO positions at Alstom, Bombardier Transportation and Pratt & Whitney, where he was involved in all aspects of strategic financial planning, including mergers and acquisitions, auditing and accounting. Mr. Coulombe holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).
François Beaulieu is the Chief Information Officier of Lion since June 2021. Mr. Beaulieu brings with him over three decades of experience leading information system design in a variety of industries in both Canada and Europe, including banking, insurance and telecommunications, where he served as CIO at Cogeco, one of Canada’s top providers in the segment. Since 2011, Mr. Beaulieu has worked in a variety of consulting capacities, managing major digital infrastructure transitions and optimizing back-office platforms for clients such as Banque Nationale, WSP and Air Canada, among others. Most recently he served as a strategic technology advisor for Eficio’s CIO on Demand service, which helps organizations of various sizes achieve their digital transformation goals by providing I.T. expertise. Mr. Beaulieu holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Master's degree in Information Technology from HEC Montreal. He also holds several professional certifications related to his field of expertise (PMP, PMS, SAFe 5).
Nathalie Giroux is the Chief People Officer of Lion since August 2021. Prior to joining Lion, she served in the same role at Uni-Select, an automotive aftermarket and refinishing specialty company, a company she joined following several years in the aviation industry, having held the position of Vice President of Human Resources, Defense and Security at CAE, and has also previously served in a management role overseeing global rewards at Molson Coors. Her past experience includes membership in several human resources and governance committees in numerous positions, and she has contributed to a number of successful corporate mergers and acquisitions.
Mrs. Giroux holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a Minor in Business Studies from Concordia University. She also retains a fellow position at the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and is a Certified Corporate Director, in addition to serving as a Board Member of the Collège André-Grasset Foundation.
Dominique Perron is the Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Lion since June 2023. Prior to joining Lion, Ms. Perron was Vice-President, Legal Affairs at Sagard, a multi-strategy alternative asset management firm, specializing in private equity and venture capital investments. Prior to Sagard, Ms. Perron was a Director, Legal Affairs at PSP Investments, one of Canada’s largest pension investment managers, advising on infrastructure, private equity and real estate transactions. Ms. Perron started her career as an Associate at Stikeman Elliott LLP focusing on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and securities law. She serves as a board member of Dress for Success Montreal and previously served as chair and board president for a number of not-for-profit governance, community and fundraising initiatives. Ms. Perron holds a Civil Law (LL.L) degree from Laval University and a master’s degree (LL.M) from McGill University. She is also a member of the Quebec bar.
Brian Piern is the Chief Commercial Officer of Lion since June 2021. Prior to joining Lion, Mr. Piern most recently served as Vice President, Sales and Marketing at XL Fleet Corp., where he directed the development of the firm’s commercial team. Prior to this role, he served as Senior Vice President of Sales at Element Fleet Management and previously held the same position at GE Capital, leading the development and execution of multimillion-dollar sales strategies. He has also served in senior roles at Schneider National, Lockheed Martin, and Citicorp. Mr. Piern holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Towson University in Maryland and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Phoenix.
Yannick Poulin has served as Lion’s Chief Operating Officer since April 2016. From October 2013 to April 2016, Mr. Poulin held positions of increasing responsibility at Paradox Security Systems, an international security and alarm systems manufacturer and solutions provider, including the position of Chief Operating Officer and Plant General manager. Previously, Mr. Poulin held various positions related to production and manufacturing at Electrolux, an international home appliance manufacturer. Mr. Poulin holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the John Molson School of Business, Concordia University.