Board Chair Series Episode 3: Françoise Bertrand
In this episode of the Board Chair Series, we welcome Françoise Bertrand for a focused conversation on Crown corporation governance versus widely held public company governance.
With more than 40 years of experience as a senior executive, board director, and chair, Françoise brings a rare dual perspective. She recently stepped down after eight years as Chair of VIA Rail Canada, a federal Crown corporation. She also spent 11 years on the board of Québecor, serving as Chair for the final three years, giving her deep experience in shareholder-driven, market-facing governance.
Drawing on leadership roles that include President and CEO of Télé-Québec, Chair of the CRTC, President and CEO of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, and advisory work across multiple federal institutions, Françoise offers practical insight into how governance responsibilities shift across public-interest mandates, regulatory environments, and capital structures.
This conversation will explore:
- Key differences between Crown corporation boards and public company boards
- How the role of the board chair changes when accountability is to government, shareholders, or the public
- Navigating political, regulatory, and reputational risk
- Balancing long-term public mandate with operational performance
- Lessons learned from chairing boards in highly visible, high-stakes environments
A must-watch discussion for board chairs, directors, and executives seeking a clear-eyed understanding of governance at the intersection of public trust, regulation, and enterprise performance.
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Speaker Highlights
Skills matrix and influence outside the boardroom
Françoise Bertrand was describing what happens when you try to expand your influence beyond the boardroom in a Crown corporation.
Vision beats quarters: why controlled companies win long term
Françoise Bertrand shared an observation from when she was involved in a study of North American cable companies.
Reputation in the social media era: stakeholder mapping and proactive governance
The "tour de table" changed how I think about board leadership. I watched Françoise Bertrand use this technique.
Françoise Bertrand
Françoise Bertrand, one of Canada’s most accomplished board chairs and governance leaders, for a focused conversation on Crown corporation governance versus widely held public company governance.
With more than 40 years of experience as a senior executive, board director, and chair, Françoise brings a rare dual perspective. She recently stepped down after eight years as Chair of VIA Rail Canada, a federal Crown corporation operating under intense public scrutiny, political oversight, and regulatory complexity. She also spent 11 years on the board of Québecor, serving as Chair for the final three years, giving her deep experience in shareholder-driven, market-facing governance.
Drawing on leadership roles that include President and CEO of Télé-Québec, Chair of the CRTC, President and CEO of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, and advisory work across multiple federal institutions, Françoise offers practical insight into how governance responsibilities shift across public-interest mandates, regulatory environments, and capital structures.
Our Hosts
David R. Beatty, C.M., O.B.E., F.ICD, CFA
One of the world’s most experienced corporate directors and educators, David has served as a Director on 40 boards in Canada, America, Mexico, Australia and England and been chairman of 9 public and 2 private companies.
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