In the Heart of the Action: Looking Back at the Hélène Demarais Building’s First Year

September 04, 2024

This time last year, we were celebrating the grand opening of the Hélène Desmarais Building in downtown Montreal. This choice location in the heart of the city has had a number of benefits, both for the local business community and for clients from around the world.

Strategically positioned for success


Being only a two-minute walk from the Square-Victoria–OACI metro station and a 20-minute drive from Montréal-Trudeau International Airport is a big plus. It means that our programs are now even more accessible to learners in Montreal, and worldwide. In the past year, the over 9,000 people who have trained with us or attended one of our events have been instantly won over by the quality and convenience of our state-of-the-art facilities.

“Learning at HEC Montréal downtown is great: the rooms are well appointed and user-friendly, and the lecturers are of a very high calibre. With this new and easy-to-get-to location, I can balance work, family and professional development perfectly.”

- Hind Belqorchi, Certification in Ethics and Compliance participant

A one-of-a-kind venue for world-class events


The ultramodern building in Montreal’s central business district has been an ideal backdrop for several major events in the past year. One of these was the UNICON Team Development Conference, attended by 260 representatives of such leading universities as Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Cambridge. The sold-out conference cemented our reputation as a global hub of excellence in executive education.

Another event hosted by Executive Education HEC Montréal in 2023–2024 was the very first Measuring Beyond conference, which brought together scholars, thought leaders and professionals from across the planet, thus confirming our status as a top authority in sustainable and responsible management.

“It was a great pleasure speaking at the meticulously organized Measuring Beyond Conference at HEC Montréal. The conference was a testament that the school has established itself as a premier institution educating businesses in matters of sustainable business and finance.”

- Amir Amel-Zadeh, Associate Professor of Accounting, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Popular events catering to the need of the business community


Other events held during the year included:

  • The 5th annual Next AI Venture Days, showcasing 45 startups and attended by 450 people
  • Two webinars in partnership with La Presse, which drew over 1,000 participants, as well as our very first in-person Rendez-vous ED event, which took a deep dive into leadership in sports
  • A celebration of the second anniversary of First Nations Executive Education (FNEE), with more than 250 Indigenous and non-Indigenous guests

A growing international client base


Our central downtown location makes it even easier for us to play host to groups coming to us from many different countries for our short-term “Learning Expeditions.” The immersive experience offered through these programs combines academic excellence, innovation and the opportunity to explore one of the most beautiful cities in North America.

The year in numbers
  • 4,665 participants in open-enrolment courses
  • 2,320 participants in custom training programs
  • 780 FNEE participants
  • 650 founders, mentors and investors through CDL-Montréal (4 streams)
  • 1,000+ founders and members of the startup community through Next AI Montréal
  • 9 major events
  • 2 webinars in conjunction with La Presse
  • 25+ networking activities

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