Retrospective 2023 | These business people who left us

Over the last 12 months, the business world, in Quebec and elsewhere, has lost these entrepreneurs, investors, builders and philanthropists.

Pierre Lesperance (February 27, 84 years old)

A pioneer of Quebec publishing, Pierre Lspérance bought his first bookstore at the age of 22. Later, he saw to the creation of the Sogides group, a merger between Éditions de l’Homme and his family’s other companies. He remained director of Éditions de l’Homme for 50 years.

Gordon Reid (July 8, aged 89)

Founder of the Giant Tiger stores, this Canadian businessman spent most of his youth in Montreal. He founded his first store in Ottawa in 1961. When he died, the chain had 265 branches and 10,000 employees.

Ghislain Dufour (July 16, 88 years old)

Former president of the Conseil du patronat du Québec (CPQ), the largest group of employers in the province. He joined the CPQ from its founding in 1969 and rose through the ranks. He was its president from 1986 to 1997, then president of the board of directors in 1997-1998.

Mohamed Al-Fayed (August 30, 94 years old)

A businessman of Egyptian origin and multi-billionaire, he was, among other things, the owner of the Harrods store in London and the Ritz hotel in Paris. Father of Dodi Al-Fayed, who died with Lady Di in a car accident on August 31, 1997 in Paris.

David Frank Sobey (September 18, 92 years old)

A Canadian entrepreneur originally from Nova Scotia, Mr. Sobey was CEO and president of the Sobeys grocery chain founded by his father. Vice-president from 1982 to 1986, he became president and CEO from 1986 to 1995. He was chairman of the board of directors from 1995 to 2001, the year he retired.

Léon Courville (September 26, 78 years old)

An economist by training and university professor, Léon Courville began a management career by becoming vice-president and chief economist at the National Bank, where he became president and head of operations in the 1990s. He retired at 53 and becomes a winemaker in Lac-Brome.

Bernard Lemaire (November 8, 87 years old)

An engineer by training, Mr. Lemaire became a businessman and co-founder with his brothers Alain and Laurent of the Quebec company Cascades, specializing in the circular economy. One of the builders of Québec Inc., Mr. Lemaire was president of Cascades for nearly 30 years. He also co-founded Boralex.

George Cohon (November 24, 86 years old)

A Toronto businessman of American origin, Mr. Cohon played a key role in establishing the McDonald’s fast food chain in Canada and Russia.

Charlie Munger (November 28, 99 years old)

Businessman, board chairman and philanthropist, Charlie Munger was Warren Buffett’s business partner and vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Without having studied finance, the “oracle of Pasadena” had a fortune estimated at $2.5 billion and extraordinary business acumen.

Patrick Morin (December 2, 96 years old)

Founder of the hardware stores of the same name whose chain currently manages 22 branches in Quebec. He and his wife Denise Benny founded their first store in Sainte-Marcelline-de-Kildare (Lanaudière) in 1960. The Turcotte Group became the majority shareholder of the chain in February 2021.