MARIE-JOSÉE
GAGNON
CEO AND FOUNDER, CASACOM
“Making a difference, having an impact, is the only option.”
Marie-Josée Gagnon is recognized across Canada for her ambitious and forward-thinking vision of public relations and strategic communications. Over the past 30 years, she has advised nearly 1,000 executives from local, national, and international companies.
Her purpose is to elevate organizations and individuals so they can live the journey they are destined for. In her public speeches, she advocates authenticity as an anchor, courage as a driver of change, and positive impact as a guiding principle for both people and businesses.
A born entrepreneur, Marie-Josée founded CASACOM in 2001. With offices in Montreal and Toronto, the renowned public relations and integrated communications firm serves clients such as Toyota, Kiewit, Aeroplan, Agropur, Investissement Québec, and Pharmascience.
In 2017, to further her involvement in supporting women’s success, Marie-Josée launched Brave, a podcast series featuring touching and inspiring interviews with women who show exceptional courage.
A graduate in political science from the Université de Montréal and an alumna of Harvard Business School (Owners President Management Program), Marie-Josée had an impressive start to her career. After working as a journalist, she spent six years as a press secretary in the offices of both the Leader of the Opposition and the Premier of Quebec. She later held senior positions in major organizations such as the Quebec Government Office in Paris, Laurentian Bank, and AXOR.
Over the years, she received many awards whether from the Fellowship from Canadian Public Relations Society, the 2023 Mercuriades award for Exceptional Women Leader, SME’s category and the Canada’s Most Powerful Women : Top 100™ in 2024.
Marie-Josée is also actively involved in Montreal’s business community. She is a board member of Fondation Montréal Inc. and Bonjour Startup Montréal, and she is engaged with Garde-Manger pour tous, an organization that serves hot meals to 3,000 schoolchildren in need across Montreal.
Marie-Josée is married to corporate litigation lawyer Louis-Martin O’Neill and is the mother of two sons, Philippe and Henri.
TOPICS:
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COURAGE: LIVE YOUR "BEST LIFE"
Having interviewed more than 30 women on the crucial role of courage with her podcast Brave inspiration and having experienced its benefits in her personal and professional life, Marie-Josée Gagnon knows that courage can transform an ordinary life into an extraordinary one. Interspersed with personal stories or from her interviews, her remarks will encourage you to take the necessary steps to live a full and satisfying life allowing you to be fully yourself, in addition to having a significant impact on the world around you. For Marie-Josée, courage is contagious, acquired as a skill and should become a habit. Ready ?
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FROM INDIVIDUAL TO COMPANY: COMMON CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Just like individuals, companies have an identity, character traits, a way of doing things. Likewise, they have activities, behaviors and relationships and the quality of these forge their reputation. Marie-Josée Gagnon makes you think about the development of your business by drawing parallels with personal development. You will come out of this conference with a new perspective and a way forward allowing you to solidify the foundations of your organization in order to elevate it even higher.
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ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS THROUGH COMMUNICATION
Audience of business leaders who want to understand how to elevate their businesses with com. With more than 30 years in public relations and communications, advising nearly 1,000 executives, Marie-Josée Gagnon can help you gain new perspectives on a number of topics including:
- 3 steps to build a distinctive brand
- How to prevent crises and prepare for them?
- How to attract, motivate and keep the best employees?
- How to raise your reputation?
- 10 steps for a successful landing in Quebec or Canada?
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FEEDBACK: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
In this hour long conference on feedback, Marie-Josée Gagnon explores the three actions around this concept that are so important for self-development: giving, receiving and asking for feedback. Her goal: to get her audience to change their (often negative) perspective on feedback and see it as something not only entirely doable, but highly desirable.
From the outset, she tackles the issues related to feedback, then quickly falls into concrete stuff. She discusses the importance of the balance between kindness and honesty, the question of blind spots and of course the best practices for giving and receiving feedback.
Constantly exchanging with her audience, Marie-Josée Gagnon makes people think and move forward through questions and discussions.
LANGUAGES :
LOCATION : MTL, TORONTO - CAN
PUBLICATIONS:
Article ''les affaires'':
''Let's talk about courage: the one of youth and the one of entreprises.''
Interview - Podcast:
" Unapologetically determined with Marie-Josée Gagnon. "
COURAGE, COMMUNICATION, ANIMATION
Marie-Josée Gagnon reconnue parmi les 100 femmes les plus influentes du Canada
TESTIMONIAL: