<!–[CDATA[
Please join the Center on Global Energy Policy's Women in Energy program for a virtual roundtable discussion with Sophie Brochu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec. Ms. Brochu will discuss her career and life path to becoming the first female CEO of Hydro-Quebec, North America’s largest renewable energy generator. She will also comment on the importance of accelerating regional decarbonization efforts to tackle the climate change crisis and share her vision for more equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Biography
Sophie Brochu took office as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec on April 2, 2020. She is the first woman in the company’s history to hold that office on a permanent basis.
Ms. Brochu has over 30 years of experience in the energy sector. She began her career in 1987 as a financial analyst with Société québécoise d’initiatives pétrolières (SOQUIP), a Québec government corporation responsible for developing the natural gas network in the province. In 1997, she joined Énergir (formerly Gaz Métro) as Vice President, Business Development, and subsequently went on to head other departments, including those in charge of sales and customer services, regulatory affairs and community relations. In 2007, she became Énergir’s President and Chief Executive Officer, a position she held until the end of 2019. Under her guidance, the Québec natural gas distributor added renewable natural gas to its supply portfolio and became an important player in the wind and solar energy spaces, in both Canada and the U.S. In the mid-2000s, Énergir acquired Vermont electric utility Green Mountain Power, which later acquired Central Vermont Public Services, creating a customer-centric electricity provider.
Sophie Brochu holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Université Laval and sits on the board of Banque de Montréal (BMO). Very active in the community, she has been involved with Centraide of Greater Montreal for many years and co-founded ruelle de l’avenir, a non-profit organization that encourages students in the Centre-Sud and Hochelaga neighborhoods of Montréal to stay in school. She chairs the board of Fondation Forces AVENIR, which supports activities designed to foster and celebrate community involvement by high school, college and university students. In addition, she is a leader of L’effet A, an initiative whose aim is to promote the participation of women at all organizational levels. Ms. Brochu was awarded honorary doctorates by Université de Montréal (HEC Montréal) and Bishop’s University. She is a member of the Order of Canada.
—
This event will be hosted via Zoom. Advance registration is required. Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with access details. The event will be recorded and the video recording will be added to our website following the event.
For more information, please contact Jully Merino Carela (jem2245@columbia.edu) or Nicolina DueMogensen (energypolicyevents@columbia.edu).
]]–>