Our Story

Mr. Thomas M. Birks is the Chairman of Birinco Investments Inc., a merchant bank with investment portfolios ranging from private equity to passive investments.

Mr. Birks previously served as the President of Henry Birks and Sons Ltd. from 1985 to 1989 and has extensive global experience having worked in various countries including Australia, Japan and South Africa for Coles-Myer, Mitsubishi Bank, and Van Zwam, Vladykin and Douglas, respectively.

Mr. Birks has served as Chair of the board of directors of Viterra Inc. as well as Chair and board member of numerous corporations (including Prenor Inc., Télécité Inc., Société Générale de Financement and Air Canada), educational institutions, hospitals and foundations.

Mr. Birks graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts and holds a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School. He has studied at the University of Lausanne, the University of Fribourg and the University of Paris. Mr. Birks has also attended programs in corporate governance at the Harvard Business School.

Graduate of both the engineering (B.Sc. Industrial Eng.) and business schools (MBA) of the Université de Montreal, Mr. Brosseau joined the CN Investment Division in 1978 and was involved in virtually all areas of activity of the Division. He reported to the President and, in his last year with the Division, he combined the functions of Manager, Oil and Gas, Manager, Private Placements, and Manager, International Investments. As a senior manager of the Division since 1981, he was actively involved throughout in setting overall investment policy for the CN Pension Fund. From 1981 to 1987, he was particularly active in the oil-and-gas industry and set up the pension fund’s wholly owned oil-and-gas subsidiary. He founded Letko Brosseau with Mr. Letko in 1987.

Graduate of McGill University (B.Com.), Mr. Letko is also a CFA® charterholder. He joined the CN Investment Division in 1972 and was involved in virtually all areas of the CN Pension Fund’s activities. He reported to the President as Manager, Investments. As a senior member of the Pension Fund’s staff, he had responsibilities in the determination of investment policy for the Fund, as well as specific responsibilities for the management of portions of both private and publicly traded equities. He also represented the Pension Fund as a director on the boards of companies in diverse industries including leasing, real estate, oil and gas, and venture capital. He founded Letko Brosseau with Mr. Brosseau in 1987.

Mr. Jean-André Élie is a corporate director having served on the boards of public and private companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
He has served on the boards and audit committees of various entities such Alimentation Couche-Tard, Hydro-Quebec, Loto-Quebec, Industry Canada, and Office of the Comptroller General under the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. He was also a director of IIROC, the Canadian investment industry’s regulatory body. Over the years, Mr. Élie has also been involved as director of several community and cultural organizations, including the OSM.
After twelve years at Rolland Inc., one of Canada’s important producers and distributers of fine paper, where he held the position of Vice-President, he pursued his career as an investment banker at Burns Fry (today BMO Nesbitt Burns) from 1981 to 1995 where he acted as VP and Director of Government and Corporate Services. He subsequently served as General Manager for a Canadian bank owned by Société Générale (France) from 1998 to 2002.
Mr. Élie is a recipient of the Order of Canada for his ongoing contributions to governance in the arts and for his philanthropy in support of numerous causes. He is also a recipient of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award (Governor General Award) for voluntarism in the Performing Arts and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal for his contribution to the community.
Mr. Élie has a BA from the University of Montreal, a law degree B.C.L. from McGill University and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario.

Nathalie Francisci holds a master’s degree in Human Resources Management from the Institut de gestion sociale (IGS) in Paris. A member of the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréées du Québec (CRHA), she also completed the McGill and Rotman Directors Education program and the Harvard Business School Executive Leadership Development program.
Founder of Venatus Conseil and then Associate with Odgers Berndston for several years, she is currently Regional Executive President – Eastern Canada for Gallagher Group. In addition, she is an Associate Professor of Governance at McGill University (Desautels Faculty) and has been a columnist with Les Affaires newspaper for the past 20 years.
Throughout her career, she sat on the board and committees of various firms such as Sphère Média, the Quebec Institute of Corporate Directors (IAS Québec), along with several charities, cultural organizations and associations. She currently sits on the board of directors of Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. and LG2, a Canadian creation and communication agency.

Jean Gattuso holds a Commerce degree from McGill University and an MBA from the École des sciences de la gestion (ESG, UQAM). He spent 34 years at Lassonde Industries, including 12 as President and Chief Operating Officer until 2021.
He sat on the board of Investissement Québec and the Cercle des présidents. He also co-chaired the National Supply Chain Task Force / Transport Canada. In 2001, he co-founded the Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec (CTAQ), where he served as Chairman of the Board for several years.
He is currently an advisory board member with InterSand Group Canada Inc., Burnbrae Farms Limited and Les Aliments Activ Inc. He also sits on the board of Colabor Group Inc. and La Tablée des chefs.

Dr. Robert Marien is a retired orthopedic surgeon. He was a practicing surgeon from 1985 -2022 in various Montreal hospitals including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal General Hospital and Lasalle General Hospital.

Dr. Marien was also Assistant Professor of Surgery at McGill University. He was awarded the Teacher of the Year Award in 1995.

He was president and vice president of the orthopedic examination board of the College des Medecins du Quebec from 1993 -1997 and was an examiner for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons from 1995-2000.

Dr. Marien has been an active lecturer with a particular focus on his specialty, injuries and surgeries of the lower limbs and Sports Medecine.

Dr. Marien received a B.Sc. (Hon) Biology from Queen’s University and an M.D.C.M. from McGill University. He completed his residency in orthopedics at McGill and fellowships in knee and shoulder surgery at the University of British Columbia and the University of Western Ontario.