Former Videotron CEO Manon Brouillette named chair of Hydro-Quebec board

Hydro-Quebec head steps down Sophie Brochu, the head of Hydro-Quebec, said she is stepping down this spring after three years at the helm.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced the arrival of the new chairwoman of the board of directors of Hydro-Quebec on Twitter on Wednesday night.

"I am proud to announce the appointment of Manon Brouillette as the new Chair of the Board of Hydro-Québec. She is a woman with an exceptional background who will be able to meet the energy challenges of Quebec," said Legault.

The council of ministers announced the appointment of Manon Brouillette, by way of a news release Wednesday evening.

She is the former CEO of Videotron, who also recently held a position as vice-president and CEO of Verizon, a US telecommunications company specializing in mobile telephony.

"Brouillette also has extensive experience as a corporate director, having served on the boards of several Quebec and international companies, including National Bank, Cirque du Soleil, BFA Industries, Sonder, Lightspeed, Altice France and Altice USA. Her social commitment has also led her to sit on the boards of the École de technologie supérieure, the Quartier de l'innovation de Montréal and Sainte-Justine Hospital," reads a Hydro-Québec news release.

"We are all pleased that a woman of this stature is taking over from Jacynthe Côté, whom I would like to thank once again for her great contribution over the past four years," said Hydro-Quebec interim CEO Pierre Despars.

Despars has been in his post since the departure of Sophie Brochu.

The name of the person who will succeed Brochu has not yet been announced.

As for Brouillette, she will take office on June 2 for a five-year term.

"Together with the other members of the board of directors and the Quebec government, she will continue the work in progress leading to the appointment of a new CEO," the Hydro-Quebec news release said.

"I am extremely proud to join the women and men who make up this great organization," said Brouillette in a tweet. "What a great privilege! Hydro-Quebec is a unique organization. In addition to delivering an essential service, this organization is a marker of our collective identity."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 11, 2023.