Person of the Year Awards to laud present and future leaders
As part of its 70th anniversary celebrations, Quebec accounting firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton is looking toward the past, present and future.
The firm and Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB) have partnered together to launch the Person of the Year Awards, an innovative contest that strives to seek out and recognize businesspeople who are making a difference and driving the business community, as well as tomorrow’s talent that will one day shape business. The winners will be unveiled at a gala on May 9, 2019, at Windsor Station, and will be simulcast online.
It’s a unique endeavour that celebrates both current leaders and emerging talent, recognizing that you need both when it comes to building a strong economy. Both organizations wanted to pay tribute to those in C-Suite or investment team positions with an instinct for growth, while giving support to the next generation.
“It’s in our DNA to be close to people,” said Emilio B. Imbriglio, president and CEO of Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton. “We’re committed to the success of our clients, and a company’s success can only be achieved through its people’s talent and devotion. It’s people who make a true difference for companies, as no success can be achieved without them. We build relationships based on confidence and trust, so it’s only natural for us to recognize people behind a company’s success.”
Imbriglio said the proud partnership with JMSB was an ideal fit specifically because the school is responsible for “training the next generation of business people.”
According to the firm, this association works because JMSB has a similar track record of contributing to the dynamism of businesses in Quebec. It’s also a chance for some cross-pollination between the anglophone and francophone communities, as JMSB has its roots in the former while Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton — the only international accounting firm headquartered in Quebec — is better known in the latter.
“It’s a natural association in ensuring the future of our profession, as our experts get their starts in state-of-the-art and forward-looking educational programs such as JMSB,” Imbriglio said.
Mentorship and community involvement are equally important to both institutions and form the basis for how they’ll go about picking their recipients.
“We firmly believe in the necessity, for both today and tomorrow’s leaders, to be committed to their communities,” Imbriglio emphasized.
The awards promise to offer a new way of celebrating talent in business. For one thing, it’s open to all types of leaders in Quebec in any sector or organization, whether they’re in high-profile business growth positions, or performing invaluable work in relative obscurity. Bringing together and celebrating a variety of decision-makers with a track record of elevating their own areas of expertise in innovative ways will, no doubt, create real opportunities to mesh together the business world and the educational milieu.
What also makes the contest unique is the criteria being used to define a leader. The 16 finalists on the business side will be judged based on four categories that go to the heart of what makes someone an innovator. Nominees will vie for: the Eclipse award, which goes to whomever redefines their industry or creates a new one altogether; Glocal, which recognizes achievements in both the local and global spaces; Instinct, which celebrates a key team in a complex and innovative transaction; and the overall Person of the Year prize to the candidate that best exemplifies vision, leadership, community and social life, mentorship qualities, and a sense of innovation — all values that embody Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton’s and the JMSB’s vision of the future.
The contest aims to redirect achievement awards from established companies to the people who make them successful. This twist on the usual way things are done — with company names typically being lauded first and foremost — will hopefully rectify the lack of emphasis awards place on individuals and teams within an organization.
Focusing on the individual is how Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton can maintain a personal touch while being anchored to its strong brand. It also serves as a roadmap for how both current and future businesspeople can achieve their goals.
“We believe that great leaders are passionate, have ideas that are good for the community, and are actively involved in the advancement of their profession, their industry and the next generation,” Imbriglio said.
The deadline for candidates to apply is Dec. 20. The gala will be held May 9 at Windsor Station. For more information visit