This interim designation, approved by the Québec government’s Conseil des ministres, was made necessary by the July 31 departure of Christophe Guy, outgoing CEO. Professor Bertrand will act in the interim until the Conseil des ministres officially appoints the next CEO.

During this period, Professor Bertrand will continue to manage the Research, Innovation and International Affairs department.

A professional engineer, Professor Bertrand earned his PhD in chemical engineering from Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine in 1996. He also holds bachelor’s (1983) and master’s (1985) degrees in mathematics, as well as a bachelor’s degree in computer science (1992), from Université Laval.

Professor Bertrand joined Polytechnique Montréal as a research associate in the Department of Chemical Engineering in 1993, becoming a researcher in 1997, an assistant professor in 2000, an associate professor in 2003 and a full professor in 2007.

Professor Bertrand was Chair of Polytechnique Montréal’s Department of Chemical Engineering from 2013 to 2016. In addition to his teaching, research and management activities, he served on the institution’s Research Committee and Sub-Committee on Advanced Studies, as well as on the Executive Committee of the Institut de l’énergie Trottier. He was appointed to the position of Director of Research, Innovation and International Affairs last January for a five-year term.

The Board of Governors is very confident in Professor Bertrand’s ability to handle this major responsibility effectively and competently on an interim basis. The Board wishes to thank him for his commitment to Polytechnique and pledges its full co-operation.

Professor François Bertrand's expertise

Appointments of the Conseil des ministres

About Polytechnique Montréal

Founded in 1873, Polytechnique Montréal is one of Canada's leading engineering teaching and research institutions. It is the largest engineering university in Québec for the size of its graduate student body and the scope of its research activities. With over 45,757 graduates, Polytechnique Montréal has educated nearly one-quarter of the current members of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. Polytechnique provides training in 15 engineering specialties, and has 250 professors and more than 8,200 students. It has an annual operating budget of over $210 million, including a research budget of over $70 million.

François Bertrand, interim Chief Executive Officer of Polytechnique Montréal.