Our team: Collaboration, rigour and mutual support

Normand Lebeau

President & Chief Guardian of the Mandrake Experience

514 878-4224, ext. 234

Upon completion of a Bachelor of Commerce degree at West Florida University (Tennis Scholarship, NCAA division II), Normand Lebeau joined the team of Trans-Canada Glass Inc. as an intern in marketing management focusing on brand image and business development.

In 1986, Mr. Lebeau left Trans-Canada and, with the help of another partner, founded what was to become one of the largest point-of-sale promotional materials companies in Canada. After having contributed to the growth of the business in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa, he divested his financial interests in the business towards the end of 1996 to join the Mandrake team as partner and general manager at the Montreal office. He has since developed a multi-specialist practice in the search for middle and senior executives in the Quebec market.

In September 2014, Mr. Lebeau was elected President of the International Executive Search Federation at the Annual General Meeting in Delhi, India. He served as Global President of the IESF through 2018 inclusively. He now sits on the Leadership Council of the organization. IESF is the largest retained executive search group in the world identifying talent and leadership through its 80 offices in 22 countries globally. In 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, he was awarded the prestigious Cross-border Assignment trophy at the IESF annual congress in Bangkok, Milan, Montreal, Hamburg, and Sydney.

Throughout his career, M. Lebeau has served as Executive Vice President of the Montreal Young Chamber of Commerce in 1991, as well as Chairman of the Chamber’s 1989 and 1990 fund-raising campaigns. In March of 2000, the Quebec division of the SCSP gave him their Leadership Award for his enthusiasm and contribution as a member of the Quebec business community. Since 2008, Mr. Lebeau has been a mentor in the Montreal Young Chamber of commerce program. Currently, Mr. Lebeau is the Chairman of the Board of the Montreal Board of Trade’s Foundation as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the Montreal Economic Institute also serving as the Chairman of the Admission’s and Human Resources Committees.

Danny Savard, Ing.

Vice President, Corporate Development

514 244-6867

After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering degree, Mr. Savard held a variety of positions, primarily in the areas of strategic sales organization and management, business turnaround, and the organization and management of operations management. He has worked for several leading organizations such as Hewitt Equipment, Mecfor, Cegertec WorleyParsons, Wajax Equipment, Goodfellow and Symbiose & Strategies. He has held positions in sales management, general management, sales/marketing vice presidency, executive presidency and presidency.

Throughout his career, Mr. Savard has been exposed in the front line to the real and practical challenges of a business manager focused on concrete results: strategic development of organizations, implementation of operational processes and performance indicators, and selection/development of employees.

With the combination of all his past experiences, he is able to fully understand the operational requirements of his clients. His practical expertise allows him to advise and support his clients in the definition and realization of their executive search mandates. In addition, his extensive network of contacts in the fields of engineering, equipment, industrial production, logistics, mining & metals and information technology allows him to constantly keep abreast of technological developments and market trends.

Mr. Savard has developed a strong passion for interpersonal relationships and talent management. In addition to intimately understanding the needs of his clients, he is able to draw an accurate portrait of the profiles sought and recommend the appropriate candidates who will integrate perfectly in the organization.

Isabelle Girard

Vice President & Practice Leader

514 833-2201

Isabelle Girard has provided executive search services to companies in all sectors of the economy. She has also collaborated with many Canadians and International companies in identifying top talent that has brought significant value to the organizations. Isabelle Girard worked for two of the major international executive search firms, Korn/Ferry International and Russell Reynolds Associates where she was responsible for recruiting senior executives. She also worked for local search firms. Mrs Girard began her career with an international conference planning firm. She carried out research and consultations with leaders in all areas of the economy for the purpose of producing conferences tailored to selected audiences. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations from the Université de Montréal, a certificate in occupational health and safety and a certificate in marketing, both from the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Isabelle Girard has hands-on experience in executive recruitment. With her training in Industrial Relations, she has acquired a very good understanding of companies’ organisational structures and of the relationship between key roles and executives. Her broad skills, knowledge and experience in all facets of strategic research and recruitment of executives make her a versatile, adaptable and efficient consultant much appreciated by her clientele. She is recognized for her relational skills and her capacity to establish business connections based on trust and honesty.

Isabelle Girard has successfully recruited executives for Canadian and international clients in the private (for which some are quoted on Stock Exchanges), public and para governmental sectors. She has developed customized search strategies based on the needs of local and international clienteles and recommended top talent with impressive records of achievement. She also recruited several candidates outside big city centers.

Denise Brisebois

Vice President & Practice Leader

514 234-9986

Ms. Brisebois has a very accomplished track record. She rose through the ranks in human resources primarily in the financial sector, notably at Desjardins Group, Laurentian Bank and BNP Paribas, in addition to spending ten years at accounting firm Deloitte & Touche. As Senior Vice-President and Executive Vice‑President – Human Resources, she successfully implemented and completed a number of strategic projects, headed large teams and sat on various committees within these firms, such as the Executive, Management and Efficiency Committee, and on the HR committees of boards of directors.

In 2011, Ms. Brisebois joined the Desjardins Group and became Senior Vice‑President – Human Resources, Consulting. In that capacity, she is responsible for a team of approximately 150 people whose mission is to support the HR function for all Desjardins Group corporate sectors and entities, whose mission is to support the HR function for all Desjardins Group corporate sectors and entities, representing more than 25,000 employees. These entities comprise two insurance companies and one securities firm, including the retail and capital markets sector, the investment portfolio and investment funds sectors, and a number of other banking and insurance sectors. Her team also supports corporate sectors such as finance, IT, communications and marketing. More specifically, her role is to take part in the strategies of various management tables, present files to various boards of directors, coach her team and managers at the Executive VP and VP level, and ensure people development. These many accomplishments include a number of organizational transformations within the personal insurance firm and the wealth management sector. She is also an active agent for culture change in order to break down silos and create cross-functional bodies. She has spent her career very actively recruiting senior executives.

Ms. Brisebois holds a bachelor’s degree in administration as well as an MBA in financial services from Université du Québec à Montréal. She has also taken part in many discussion groups within the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés du Québec and is a member of the Association des femmes en finance du Québec.

Maxime Lebeau

Vice President & Practice Leader

514 878-4224, ext. 239

As proud successor to the firm, he has big ambitions for the future of the company. Having led a number of initiatives such as the database of Quebecers abroad, he takes pride in finding innovative ways to push conventional boundaries.

Fascinated by Executive Recruitment and Interpersonal Relations, Maxime has supported or led more than 100 assignments since his beginning in 2015.

Before joining the team, Maxime completed a bachelor’s degree in Demography at the Université de Montréal, a university recognized for having laid down the first demography department in North America. As part of the completion of his baccalaureate, Maxime had the chance to spend two years abroad: at first in Nice, France, at the University Sophie Antipolis in economics, and second, in Minneapolis at the University of Minnesota in urban geography.

Since 2017, Maxime has been involved in various organizations and groups of a political nature and economic development such as the “Groupe la Relève en famille, en affaires! “.

Since 2015, Maxime has been an active member of the “Jeune Chambre de Commerce de Montréal” (JCCM). In addition to serving on the JCCM’s Executive Committee in 2016, Maxime will hold several management positions within the JCCM. Since 2019, Maxime has been involved in his community by sitting on the board of directors of a NPO in the Villeray-Parc-Extension neighbourhood, which helps disadvantaged youth to give them the tools and resources to reach university. Maxime wants to actively participate in the international reputation of local businesses by matching the needs of these companies with the profile of the ideal candidate.

Maxime has been an ambassador of Mandrake’s values from his very beginning with the organization.

Brigitte de Champlain

Director, Executive Search

514 703-2015

Brigitte de Champlain has more than 20 years of tangible achievements with North American and European organizations as an executive-level manager, member of management committees or as an expert consultant. Throughout her career, Brigitte has worked on strategic planning, development, restructuring, market analysis and conquest, company positioning, product launches and divisions while ensuring the impact on internal resources as well as organizational development and operational optimization needs. She has supervised and led hundreds of employees and numerous managers in significant change management and organizational transformation contexts.

She has held leadership and vice presidency roles in operations, marketing, sales, and distribution, as well as customer experience and customer contact center leadership. She has always considered human capital to be one of the main success factors of any business. Selecting the right resources according to business challenges, mobilize them by defining clear objectives while valuing their talents, accelerates the implementation of action plans and the delivery of strategic orientations.

Brigitte has been using this applied know-how in an executive search practice for more than 12 years. She combines her business acumen, her analytical skills, her in-depth knowledge of organizational realities and challenges with the leaders’ profiles and expectations. Her ability to consider the multiples variables surrounding the recruitment needs, refine the research strategies and better present the position in the market to the proper candidates. Results: relevant, aligned and added-value recruitment interventions and solutions. She has contributed to several hundred executive search and recruitment mandates in multiple sectors for organizations of various sizes: private, public or NPOs.

Renowned for her professionalism, a great respect for people, the delivery of high standards of service, Brigitte values relational efficiency both in her contacts and follow-ups with customers and with the identification and preparation of executive candidates for their next professional challenge.

Geneviève Guité, CRHA, CPCC, PCC

Executive Onboarding Coach

514 250-0794

Founder of Audacio, Geneviève has more than 25 years of experience in talent management.

She has worked in entrepreneurial and creative cultures and has developed her expertise in talent management and coaching leaders.

Sidlee, Zoom Media, MEGA Brands, Behavior Interactive, Thinking Capital (now Driven) and Purpose Financial are all entrepreneur-run businesses where she left her mark as an HR leader and senior executive.

Geneviève has been a professional coach and member of the ICF since 2014. She supports senior leaders and executives who wish to develop their full potential and maximize their impact. She also provides support in integration coaching.

She is a certified talent optimization consultant, member of the Ordre des CRHA, certified facilitator on the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method and certified trainer by Emploi Québec.

Marie Beaulieu

Executive Assistant & Office Manager

514 878-4224, ext. 233

Marie Beaulieu is a passionate team leader with over 12 years of experience in the retail industry, specializing in telecommunications. Recognized for her people-centered approach and commitment to customer satisfaction. She is also an entrepreneur, a SME owner, where she combines her personal and professional passions.

Throughout her career, Marie has held various key positions which have contributed to her expertise in leadership and training. She was a team leader for corporate stores and a store manager, where she played an essential role in creating a dynamic and performance-oriented work environment. Her leadership has always been associated with fostering a stimulating and convivial environment.

In addition, Marie has developed solid experience in recruitment and personnel management. She successfully led the recruitment, selection and onboarding process of new team members. Her expertise in talent identification and selection has been crucial to forming high-performance teams, while fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment.

As a training specialist and instructional designer, she has acquired skills in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of training plans. She excels at presenting complex information in a clear and concise manner, making her an effective trainer for a variety of audiences.

Marie has expertise in comprehensive business management, having planned and managed all aspects of her business, from design to sales, marketing, purchasing, accounting, and customer service. Thanks to her unwavering commitment to quality, she has managed to develop strong relationships with several outlets in record time.

Her leadership skills, her creative spirit, her training know-how, her commitment to excellence and her ability to develop and supervise high-performance teams make her a valuable asset within Groupe Mandrake.

Alexandre Raymond

Vice President & Practice Leader

514 805-1364

His practical experience in executive recruiting and his interpersonal skills combined with his understanding of organizations allow him to act as an influential leader and to advise and support clients working in complex environments. His knowledge of the business environment, both locally and internationally, greatly contributes to the development of promising research strategies in order to identify the best talents.

Over the years, start-ups, SMEs, NPOs and large organizations have entrusted him with multiple recruitment mandates in several sectors of economic activity where he has been able to develop complete expertise in all of the major functions of companies namely, human resources, information technology, marketing, operations, sales, etc.

Since the start of his career, he has been exposed to the challenges of an entrepreneur allowing him to develop a keen sense of business development and planning. With great ease in optimizing business processes and technological systems, he began his career by implementing human resources management strategies and SAP-HR on behalf of an international firm.

Mr. Raymond has a keen interest in organizations that contribute to the well-being of their community and charitable associations and is actively involved in these various organizations.

Johanne Laramée

Director, Executive Search

Throughout her career, Johanne Laramée has developed extensive expertise in the areas of sales, customer experience and marketing.

For more than 20 years, in roles leading sales teams, business development, and operational management, she has dealt with thousands of Quebec and Canadian companies, from SMEs to very large business. Her range of action has extended to sectors as varied as retail, manufacturing, industrial, service, corporate, media, health, telecommunications, advertising, and import/export.

A person of both strategy and action, Johanne has contributed to business start-ups, negotiated international partnership agreements, recruited resources across Canada, set up sales coaching plans, and acted as a change ambassador during major business transformations.

Her spirit of synthesis, active listening, passion for people and understanding of needs are implemented in her mission to find the best talent for the mandates entrusted to us.