For its 18th Annual General Meeting - Montréal International presents its record results for 2013 and unveils a new visual identity

MONTREAL, April 24, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - During its 18^th Annual General Meeting, attended by around 300 people, Montréal International presented record results for 2013 and unveiled its brand new visual identity-including a new logo and website (montrealinternational.com).

Highlights of last year's results include MI's strategic contribution to 39 foreign direct investment projects totalling $1.28 billion, which will result in the creation or maintenance of more than 2,700 jobs in Greater Montréal. MI also helped strengthen the international organizations community and the metropolitan region's pool of qualified workers.

"Montréal International's success in 2013 has given us tremendous momentum. In addition, our team now has one more card in its game: the new brand image of Montréal International. A strong and forward-looking identity, which represents the uniqueness of Greater Montréal, its various components and partnerships, its many strengths, its diversity and its infinite possibilities", said Dominique Anglade, President and CEO of Montréal International. "This new branding is part of Montréal International's 2014-2018 strategic plan designed to create even more wealth for Greater Montréal by attracting more foreign investments, international organizations, and skilled workers, which in turn will lead to better jobs and higher tax revenues for the region," she added.

To take on this challenge, Ms. Anglade wants to strengthen the partnership with the private and public sectors. "Together with our private- and public-sector partners we will open a new chapter in Greater Montréal's development, with drive, determination and desire to succeed. I thank our partners for their valuable contribution and renewed confidence, and I encourage the entire business community to take action to help revitalize Greater Montréal," said Ms. Anglade.

MONTRÉAL INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
During its Annual Meeting, Montréal International also nominated and extended the tenure of several members of its Board of Directors, which is comprised of the following individuals (N = new member, R = returning member):

Private sector

• Dominique Anglade, President and Chief Executive Officer, Montréal International
• Francis Baillet, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Ubisoft (N)
• Éric Bédard, Managing Partner for the Québec region, Fasken Martineau
• André Boulanger, President, Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie (R)
• Jean-Jacques Bourgeault, Vice Chairman of the Board, Montréal International and Practice Director - Pauzé Coaching, Groupe Pauzé
• Renaud Caron, Senior Vice President – Strategic Development, CGI Group
• Suzanne Fortier, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, McGill University (R)
• Marie-Josée Gagnon, CEO and Founder, Casacom (N)
• Yves Lalumière, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tourisme Montréal (R)
• Jean Laurin, President and Chief Executive Officer, NKF Devencore
• Guy LeBlanc, Managing Partner, Montréal Office, PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Normand Legault, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Montréal International (R)
• Jean-François Lépine, international analyst and President, Observatoire sur le Moyen-Orient et l'Afrique du Nord (OMAN), Université du Québec à Montréal (N)
• Tony Loffreda, Treasurer of the Board, Montréal International and Regional Vice President, Commercial financial services, Western Québec, RBC Royal Bank
• Jean-Luc Monfort, General Manager, BatHium Canada
• Pierre Pilote, Leader – Government Affairs Industry Group and Partner, Gowlings (N)
• Philippe Rainville, Chief Financial Officer, Aéroports de Montréal (N)
• Louise Roy, Chancellor and Chairman of the Board, University of Montréal and President of the Board, CIRANO (R)
• Jean-Pierre Sablé, Executive Vice President Marketing, Strategy & Innovation, Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec (N)
• Jean Wilhelmy, Senior Vice President Aerospace, Construction, Services and Transportation, Solidarity Fund QFL

Public sector

• Jean Bouchard, Mayor, City of Mirabel
• Harout Chitilian, Vice President of the Executive Committee, City of Montréal (N)
• Denis Coderre, Mayor, City of Montréal and President, Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (N)
• Richard Deschamps, Councillor of the City of Montréal, LaSalle Borough (R)
• Virginie Dufour, Member of the Executive Committee, City of Laval
• Manon Gauthier, Member of the Executive Committee, City of Montréal
• Claude Haineault, Mayor, City of Beauharnois (R)
• Caroline St-Hilaire, Mayor, City of Longueuil (N)

Observers

• Marie-Chantal Girard, Vice President, Policy and Communications, Canada Economic Development for Québec regions (N)
• Yves Guérin, Vice President Administration and Corporate Secretary, Montréal International
• André Lavallée, Associate Secretary General for the Montréal region, Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine, ministère du Conseil exécutif

2013 RESULTS IN DETAIL
Foreign direct investment (FDI)
In 2013, MI helped to attract 39 FDI projects worth a total of $1.28 billion, which will result in the creation or maintenance of over 2,700 jobs in the metropolitan region. European companies made 83% of the investments facilitated by MI-an increase of more than 25 points compared to 2012. Moreover, according to the analysis by sector, 62% of the total investments made by foreign companies in Greater Montréal were made in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.

International organizations
On the international organizations (IO) front, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) decided to maintain its operations in Montréal and Airports Council International (ACI) expanded its operations in the wake of its Airport Excellence (APEX) training program deployment. ACI, which represents civil airports the world over, relocated its headquarters from Geneva to Montréal in 2011-thanks in part to Montréal International's support. In 2013, MI also held 63 foreign prospecting missions and 36 targeted activities to foster the development of international organizations already established in Montréal.

Strategic talent
Thanks to the financial support of the Conseil emploi métropole as part of a pilot project, Montréal International multiplied the number of initiatives in 2013 to help companies in Greater Montréal recruit highly qualified and experienced workers, primarily in Aerospace, ICT, and Life Sciences and Health Technologies (LSHT). MI coordinated the participation of 30 companies from Greater Montréal-40% more than in 2012-in three recruiting missions in the United States and Europe organized in conjunction with the Government of Québec, which led to the hiring of more than 185 skilled workers.

Moreover, Montréal International helped 640 international workers relocate to Greater Montréal (work permits, study permits and entry visas). They work at 120 companies, institutions and international organizations located in the region. 695 strategic workers also attended one of the 88 information sessions organized by MI on the benefits of permanent residency, a high value-added service that helped strengthen the metropolitan region's talent pool.

Montréal International's complete 2013 annual report is available at report2013.montrealinternational.com

ABOUT MONTRÉAL INTERNATIONAL (WWW.MONTRÉALINTERNATIONAL.COM)
Created in 1996, Montréal International (MI) is the result of a private-public partnership. Its mission is to act as an economic driver for Greater Montréal to attract foreign wealth while accelerating the success of its partners and clients. Its mandates include attracting foreign direct investments, international organizations and international strategic workers as well as promoting the competitive and international environment of Greater Montréal. Montréal International-a non-profit organization-is funded by the private sector, the governments of Canada and Québec, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (Montréal Metropolitan Community) and the City of Montréal.

Since its creation, Montréal International has helped to attract $10.6 billion in foreign direct investments to Greater Montréal. From these investments, 52,000 jobs have been created or maintained. To date, MI's activities have also allowed almost half of some 60 international organizations to establish themselves in the city and attract and retain more than 9,000 international strategic workers.

SOURCE: Montréal International

Céline Clément, Director, Public Relations, Montréal International, Tel.: [phone], celine.clement@Montréalinternational.com