$1699.94. This is the amount of the bill for a meal paid by HEC Montreal at the very chic Club Saint-James in March 2022 to welcome evaluators from the organization that oversees MBAs around the world, we have learned The newspaper.
$352 of wine, $144 of AAA beef fillet, $117 of beef tartare… the school management explains that this meal followed two days of work sessions linked to the renewal of AMBA accreditation , which took place at HEC Montréal.
Asked by The newspaper after obtaining this invoice in response to an access request, HEC Montréal provided details on this evening paid for from its coffers.
Provided by HEC Montréal
“Suitable place»
Why not welcome these guests within the walls of HEC Montréal?
“The meeting must be held in a suitable location, conducive to discussions, hence the choice of this location,” responds Andréanne Gagnon, spokesperson for HEC Montréal.
In total, four AMBA evaluators and six senior managers from HEC Montréal took part in the evening at the upscale club on Union Street, downtown.
“This notably allowed the evaluators to visit, at their request, our new downtown building, then under construction,” we emphasize. HEC Montréal indicates that it must renew the agreement with the association “every five years”.
Select club
“Only people directly concerned by the teaching and research aspects of this file were present,” it is emphasized.
The Saint-James Club was founded in 1857 under the name Saint James’ Club of Montreal. Michel Patry, CEO of the HEC Montréal Foundation, is also an administrator of the select club frequented by CEOs.
Michel Patry is a director of the Club Saint-James and CEO of the HEC Montréal Foundation.
“Provided by Club Saint-James”
Do not enter whoever wants to the club at Saint-James. The establishment has set strict rules to ensure that only high-level business figures attend.
“You must be part of the senior management of a recognized organization or own your own business. Membership rates are established based on several criteria, including age, place of business, university attended,” it says on its website.
“Entry fees to the Saint-James Club of Montreal vary, depending on the type of membership, from $900 to $3,600 and the annual fee for an individual membership from $1,225 to $2,250 and corporate membership for 2 to 8 delegates from $2800 to $7290,” we note.
More than 600 people are members of the Saint-James Club, 87% of whom are French-speaking.
Barely 17% are women.
-With the collaboration of Martin Jolicoeur