School BeauceSchool invites you to an immersive experience with Diane Lanctôt, owner of Lanctôt Ltd., on April 4–5, 2024, as part of the Élite Program.

Diane Lanctôt has been president and owner of Lanctôt Ltd. since 1981, the year she took the helm of this family-owned business, a Canadian leader in the distribution of sporting goods and eyeglass frames. Her career path led her to the presidency of Vuarnet International from 1986 to 1989, where she successfully launched the global Vuarnet Textile division to diversify the renowned sunglasses brand. An expert in organizational development, business process optimization, new business development, and marketing, Ms. Lanctôt has received numerous accolades over the past decade for her contributions to the business community. 

Winner of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2012, she was also named Business Leader of the Year by the Saint-Laurent–Mont-Royal Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2016 and received the International Businesswoman of the Year Award from the Quebec Businesswomen’s Network in 2015. An active member of the global Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) since 1992, she is also a member of the QG100 group, which brings together Quebec’s leading companies with an international presence. She has also served on numerous boards of directors, including the board of the Société générale de financement (SGF), which later became Investissement Québec, from 2005 to 2013. She currently serves on the board of Le Massif (with the upcoming opening of Club Med) and on the board of Concordia’s international MBA competition. She has also contributed to certain courses at HEC through presentations to MBA students.

She has also been a frequent guest speaker in the business community and contributed to a book on the rise of entrepreneurship in Quebec titled *Guerriers deÉmergence, published by Éditions Québec/Amérique. With over 25 years of experience in strategic business development and corporate management, she stands out for her ability to develop business strategies, her expertise in business acquisitions, and her knowledge of risk management in both organizational and international trade contexts. Under her leadership, Lanctôt Ltd. has become one of Canada’s best-managed companies according to Deloitte, a distinction it has maintained annually since 2013.

Included in the course:

Meal & 1 night's stay atEEB

This course will give course a taste of our Élite Program, as you’ll join our place cohort of entrepreneur-athletes.