Catherine Dagenais will be the SAQ's new president and chief executive officer effective June 26, 2018

Montreal, June 20, 2018 - The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) is pleased with the appointment of Catherine Dagenais as its next president and chief executive officer. Under the Act Respecting the Société des alcools du Québec, the Quebec government appointed Catherine on the recommendation of the Board of Directors.

Holding an executive MBA (McGill-HEC Montréal) and a bachelor’s in business administration, Catherine has solid experience in retailing and sales network management. A member of the SAQ team since 2000, she has acquired a 360° knowledge of the company, rising through the ranks and holding the positions of Vice-President, Sales Network, then Vice-President, Retail Strategy and Customer Experience, and, in 2017, Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer. In the last, she led more than 6,000 persons, namely all the employees dedicated to sales, merchandising, the supply chain, real estate development and sustainable development. In recent years, Catherine oversaw a major organizational transformation that resulted in the introduction of an omni-channel customer experience, including the Click, Purchase, Pick Up service and SAQ Inspire experience. The appointment is all the more gratifying for the SAQ in that Catherine will be the first woman to occupy the top position of the government corporation.

Catherine will officially assume her new duties on June 26, 2018.

The SAQ wants to thank Alain Brunet for his many accomplishments, in particular the series of initiatives aimed at bringing innovative products and services to customers, including the popular Taste Tags. Alain was also a key player in the development of the Origine Québec product category. In addition, he led the SAQ to record high profits even as he significantly improved the organization’s performance. Until the end of his term, in the fall of 2018, he will continue working to set up the Société québécoise du cannabis, an SAQ subsidiary whose mission will be to distribute and sell cannabis in a way that protects public health, the goal being to integrate consumers into the legal cannabis market and keep them in it without actually encouraging cannabis use.