‘Serial entrepreneur’
Immigrant Olivier Bertrand will be guest speaker as part of Co-op and Small Business Week
Olivier Bertrand has lived through great and varied business experiences over the past 25 years, both in his native France and in New Brunswick.
Now, the man who calls himself a “serial entrepreneur’’ will share his perceptions and advice on entrepreneurial life during two free Island events on Tuesday, Oct. 16 in Summerside at noon and in Charlottetown in the early evening.
Bertrand, who is also president of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Canada, Atlantic Network, will be coming to the Island on the occasion of Co-op and Small Business Week. He was here last March as one of the three judges of RDÉE P.E.I.’s Dragons’ Contest.
Bertrand will first be guest speaker at the Entrepreneurs’ and Co-operators’ Luncheon, being staged by the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of P.E.I. and the Wellington Rural Action Centre.
This event takes place at the Centre Belle-Alliance in Summerside at noon. His theme is “The importance of bilingualism in business, especially in the context of the coming of the 2019 World Acadian Congress’’. He feels that the congress will bring a vast array of golden entrepreneurial opportunities; businesses must get ready to take full advantage of the thousands of extra visitors who will be right on their doorstep.
For more information, contact Simone Gallant at 902-854-3439, ext. 228 or at simone@rdeeipe. org.
Bertrand will then head to the Carrefour de l’Isle-Saint-Jean in Charlottetown to attend the a reception for newcomer entrepreneurs from 5-7 p.m. This event, which is open to all Frenchspeaking business people, will begin at 5 p.m. with a bit of networking and hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar service will be available.
Next, participants will get to hear brief presentations by several providers of entrepreneurial services and grants: Wellington Rural Action Centre, RDÉE P.E.I., Canada Business, CBDC Central P.E.I. and the Greater Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce.
During the last half hour, Bertrand will share his experiences as a francophone immigrant entrepreneur in Atlantic Canada.
For more information, contact Chérine Stevula at 902-370-7333, ext. 404, or at cherine@rdeeipe. org.