This text is part of the special Women’s Leadership booklet
True pioneers, Anne-Marie Croteau and Maud Cohen are the first women appointed to their respective positions in two major Montreal establishments.
Anne-Marie Croteau: providing a space for success for women
In 2017, Anne-Marie Croteau was named Dean of the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, becoming the first woman to hold this position, for a five-year term that has just been renewed.
Punctuated by diplomas and roles on a host of boards of directors, her exemplary career impresses. After studying actuarial mathematics and management, she completed a doctorate in management of organizational information systems at Laval University and became a professor of information technology at Concordia, where she taught for more than 25 years. Since 2016, she has been a member of the Board of Directors of Hydro-Québec.
“When I proposed myself as dean, I wanted to stay for ten years, because we had several deans who were successful, but who did not stay long,” says Anne-Marie Croteau. I thought it was important to bring stability. »
The one who describes herself as an introverted person, but accessible and attentive to people, is aware that she can and must change things. From the start of her first mandate, Anne-Marie Croteau brought more women to decision-making bodies. Under her leadership, John-Molson became the first business school to obtain Parity Certification from the Women in Governance organization.
“When I was appointed, there was a wave of pride within the faculty and I realized that young women needed role models. It’s important to offer a space where you can fulfill yourself professionally as a woman and where everyone has access to the same chances of success. I often approach women to encourage them to take on leadership roles, but they are often hesitant, especially if they have young children. However, if you have ambition in administration and management, you should not wait until the children have finished school. You have to gain experience from the start of your career. »
According to a study published by the firm McKinsey in 2022, women have lost ground in the business world, a situation that concerns Anne-Marie Croteau.
“The pandemic and teleworking are partly responsible for this decline,” she said. Women are more likely to opt for telecommuting because it facilitates work-life balance, but care must be taken that this does not result in a return to old reflexes when it comes time to grant a promotion. If you decide to work from home, you have to be strategic and develop other mechanisms to still be visible. For their part, companies must be aware of the phenomenon and adjust so that women are not penalized. »
Maud Cohen: welcoming more women in engineering
In August 2022, Maud Cohen became the first woman in history to become CEO of Polytechnique Montréal. An emblematic and forward-looking appointment, at a time when the world of engineering needs women to meet the challenges of our time.
Herself a graduate in industrial engineering from Polytechnique, Maud Cohen was president of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec from 2009 to 2012, before making a brief leap into politics as a candidate for the CAQ in the 2012 general election, where she was not elected. She was then CEO of the CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation from 2014 to 2022.
“My time at Sainte-Justine helped me better understand that I want to focus my career on roles that make a difference in society,” says Maud Cohen.
“Polytechnique is my alma mater and the place where I started to get involved in various committees, she recalls. I feel a sense of belonging and I think that Poly has an important role to play in facing current challenges, especially when it comes to climate change. In engineering, we are at the heart of current issues and we must train the new generation to make them capable of finding solutions. »
And women have a key role to play in science and technology to meet these challenges. “I realize very well what it means to be the first woman to hold this position, for a university in a field that has long been male. But we have come a long way. At the baccalaureate level, our last cohort comprised 33% women. Having programs in chemical, industrial and biomedical engineering helps to attract them. Nevertheless, they need to have more role models. »
The tragedy of December 6, 1989 certainly played a role in Polytechnique’s desire to become a model of inclusion where women could flourish in a career related to engineering, according to her.
“In Quebec, serious substantive work has also been done to better welcome young women in science and technology, starting in high school. We must continue to make them feel welcome in engineering, as well as all people from diverse backgrounds. It’s a long-term job. When I finished my studies, in 1996, we were 20% women. Almost 30 years later, we are at 30%. Would we be able to reach 40% within ten years? It is an ambitious goal. »
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.