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Michel Rochette has been at the heart of Quebec’s economic and political ecosystem for more than 20 years and is the president of the Quebec section of the Retail Council of Canada since 2021. An outstanding communicator, Mr. Rochette has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of public policy and trade issues affecting the retail sector in Quebec. A university lecturer, he is also the author of the book 150 ans de petites et grandes révolutions, published in 2017. Earlier in his career, Mr. Rochette served as vice-president of the Conseil du patronat du Québec (CPQ), as an executive with the renowned public relations firm NATIONAL, and in political and government circles in Quebec.

Jo-Ann has spent her career building consumer and retail brands at Molson, Procter and Gamble, Unilever and Cadillac Fairview.

As Division President of Molson Coors and a member of its North American Management Board, Jo-Ann led the charge to sell more beer more profitably.
As founding partner and president of Nourish Food Marketing, Jo-Ann now builds powerful food and beverage brands in Canada, the United States and Europe, developing marketing strategies that help move products from the shelf to the consumer’s shopping cart, to their plate and to their heart.

She has worked with entrepreneurs to launch award-winning products and with municipal, provincial and federal agencies to create programs that support the Canadian food industry. She has also been an instructor at the Schulich Executive School of Business, FoodStarter (a food incubator), and the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada and the Association of Canadian Advertisers.

Jo-Ann is the Founding Chair of the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada, Past President of the Empire Club of Canada, where she has hosted leaders from around the world, and Past President of ABC Life Literacy Canada. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Chapter of the Dames d’Escoffier.

Stéphane has helped organizations create powerful branding and meaningful communication campaigns rooted in an in-depth understanding of consumers, markets and cultural truths for 30 years.

He’s held marketing management positions at both client and agency level, leading brand strategy and positioning for a wide range of companies, from start-ups to to national market leaders throughout the Canada and US.

For Stéphane, a deep understanding of the consumer behavior, the product category and retail environment is critical. Creative and visionary, he’s contributed to the success of brands such as, CF Montréal, Nortera (Arctic Gardens, Del Monte), Nutrinor, St-Hubert Retail, Royale, Cavendish Farms, Danone, Vintners Quality Alliance of Ontario (VQA), Unibroue (Sleeman), Lavo, Dainty, Abbott Nutrition, Fontaine Family, Perdue Farms and I.D. Foods, to name a few.

Stéphane’s analytical mind and intellectual curiosity, coupled with decades of experience in marketing communication and branding, make him a dedicated brand specialist and true strategic partner.

Zeeshan Fazal is a Regional Manager at EDC, responsible for a team of Relationship Managers supporting Canadian companies to penetrate, grow and succeed internationally. He is also responsible to strategically increase EDC’s support to Québec companies in Agriculture and Agri-food sectors.

Mr. Fazal has significant experience in assisting Manufacturing, Technology and Innovation companies to go, grow and succeed internationally. Prior to his appointment to the Business Development team, Mr. Fazal held various underwriting positions for Accounts Receivable Insurance, Bank Guarantees and Loan Guarantees. He was also a Lean Sustainability Advisor where he collaborated closely with internal stakeholders to help lead projects, improve operational efficiencies and client communication processes.

Outside of EDC, Mr. Fazal was a lecturer at McGill University where he taught International Finance, Corporate Finance and Financial Statement Analysis. Most recently, he also taught a course on Business Valuation at the Smith School of Business at Queens University. Furthermore, he taught CITP professional designation courses on Global Value Chain and International Trade Finance.

Mr. Fazal holds a Master of Business Administration from the Smith School of Management (Queens University), a bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting and Biology from McGill University. He is also a Certified International Trade Professional (CITP | FIBP).

Julie Daigle supports the Canadian food and beverage sector to help them develop their businesses and bring new and innovative food products and technologies to market. She has spent years providing She has spent years providing mentoring and marketing services to startups and SMEs in the food sector, helping these fast-growing companies expand into new markets. She also gained extensive experience in the seafood sector during her time in Mexico and with Les Pêcheries Marinard, where she oversaw international market development for their biotech by-products.

Julie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of Victoria and a Master’s degree in Fisheries Management and Marketing from the Université du Québec à Rimouski. Her more than 23 years of experience include positions as Executive Director of Créneau d’excellence Aliments Santé – a food and nutrition industry cluster focused on innovation – and MYCÉLIUMaQuebec City-based food gas pedal and incubator. Julie is passionate about innovation and co-creation in food and beverage, nutrition and functional foods, and helps members access food industry financing and marketing strategy resources.

Julie is fluent in French, English and Spanish, and is an excellent resource for members who wish to work with a Regional Innovation Manager ( RCIA ) and food industry expert who can converse with them in any of these languages.

BK Sethi, President of BK Sethi Marketing Ltd. with over 35 years of experience in importing, distributing and marketing authentic ethnic food products from around the world, offers his experience as a consultant to many multinationals, trade consulates, exporters and merchants, providing planning, execution, channel selection and communication strategies in the growing Canadian ethnic market.

His practical, hands-on experience is key to short and long term business growth plans for progressive companies who want to enter and grow their business in the Canadian market, a gateway to North America.

Robert Dion a une vaste expérience dans le domaine du commerce de détail et des services alimentaires. In 1984, he founded his very first company specializing in the importation of European non-alcoholic beers and fine products. After the purchase of his company by a Quebec distributor, Robert Dion continued to build his experience in the food industry by becoming a sales representative and then an account manager for the food service division of J.M. Schneider’s, now known as Maple Leaf Foods.

In addition to his experience in retail and foodservice, Robert Dion is the creator and editor of the specialized magazine Hotels, Restaurants & Institutions, a leader in Quebec since 1996 because of its high quality content that meets the needs of industry professionals. In the early 2000s, his company took the technological turn by offering its customers a complete, user-friendly and dynamic website: www.hrimag.com.

Over the years, Robert Dion has established a respectful relationship with his readers and collaborators and has become an influential resource in the agri-food family. Today, in addition to being the editor of this renowned magazine, Robert Dion acts as a facilitator, speaker and consultant, both in Quebec and abroad.

Robert Dion has received many honors, including the Personality of the Year Award from the Société des chefs du Québec and the prestigious Sandy Sanderson Award from the Canadian Culinary Federation for his journalistic integrity.

With over 20 years in the organic food sector, Kim brings a wealth of supply chain and non-profit experience to the role of Member Relations & Business Development Manager at the Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA). Honoured with the 2016 Canadian Health Food Association Organics Achievement Award, Kim continues to diligently strive to bring value to the organic sector. Kim serves COTA members through an array of benefits programs and funding opportunities which assist members in strengthening their organic businesses.

COTA is the national membership-based association for organic agriculture and products in Canada. Members include growers, processors, handlers, certifiers, provincial organic associations, distributors, importers, exporters, manufacturers, brokers and brand management companies, consultants, retailers, and all points along the organic value chain.

The COTA mission is to promote and protect the organic sector and encourage the universal adoption of organic. To achieve this mission, COTA works on regulatory affairs, government relations, trading relationships, market research, market access, organic integrity, and builds public trust in organic through a variety of consumer-facing programs. Through industry task forces, webinars, or buyer missions, COTA assists businesses, whether in start-up phase or established players, to navigate the organic marketplace to discover ways to optimize their organic business portfolios.