Aéro Montréal and Espace Aéro Announce Two Strategic Appointments at Their First Joint Annual General Meeting

MONTRÉAL, April 28, 2025 – Aéro Montréal and Espace Aéro, Québec’s aerospace innovation zone, held their very first joint Annual General Meeting on Friday, April 25, 2025, at Hôtel Place d’Armes in Montréal. The event brought together more than 150 members of Québec’s aerospace cluster to celebrate a year of achievements and the beginning of a new chapter for the ecosystem.

Two major announcements highlighted the event:

Appointment of Pascal Désilets as CEO of Espace Aéro
Espace Aéro is solidifying its position as a strategic innovation zone by appointing its first Chief Executive Officer. Pascal Désilets, who brings 29 years of experience, has been Director of the École nationale d’aérotechnique (ÉNA) since 2019. A long-standing contributor to Québec’s aerospace ecosystem, he previously chaired the board of the Trans-Tech Network and served on the boards of Aéro Montréal, Développement économique Longueuil, and the CTA. His appointment represents a milestone in strengthening Québec’s aerospace innovation expertise and accelerating the sector’s sustainable transformation.

Appointment of Michael Nault as Chair of the Joint Board of Directors of Aéro Montréal and Espace Aéro

Michael Nault, General Manager of Bell Textron Canada, succeeds Sylvain Boisvert, Managing Director Canada – Safran Engineering Services, as Chair of the Board of Aéro Montréal and becomes the first Chair of the joint Aéro Montréal/Espace Aéro Board of Directors. The organization extends its warm thanks to Mr. Boisvert for his leadership over the past two years.

Quotes

“Aerospace is a tremendous asset for Québec’s economic future. By strengthening our industrial cluster and aerospace innovation zone, our government confirms its ambition to consolidate Québec’s position as a global leader in innovation in this strategic sector. More than ever, it is essential to invest in technology, support our companies, and accelerate the commercialization of innovations that will increase our resilience and long-term competitiveness.”
— Christine Fréchette, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region

“It is a privilege for me to contribute to this new stage in the evolution of Aéro Montréal and Espace Aéro, an organization that reflects both the maturity of our ecosystem and its ongoing drive to innovate. The collective work of the past few years has created a strong, forward-looking structure that positions us to support the aerospace sector’s sustainable transition while enhancing its manufacturing competitiveness. I am convinced that together we can propel our industry to the next level of its development.”
— Michael Nault, General Manager, Bell Textron Canada, and Chair of the Aéro Montréal/Espace Aéro Board of Directors

“We are at a pivotal moment in the development of our ecosystem. By joining forces under a common governance structure, Aéro Montréal and Espace Aéro are equipping themselves with a powerful lever to structure innovation, stimulate investment, and strengthen our global positioning. In the face of multiple transitions—technological, economic, and environmental—we share a collective responsibility to build a more agile, more sustainable, and more sovereign aerospace sector.”
— Mélanie Lussier, President and CEO, Aéro Montréal

About Aéro Montréal
Created in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a strategic think tank that brings together the top leaders of Québec’s aerospace sector, including industry, educational institutions, research centers, associations, and unions.
Its activities are made possible thanks to the participation of the Governments of Canada and Québec, the Montréal Metropolitan Community, as well as the member companies of the cluster.

SOURCE Aéro Montréal

For further information:

Léa Guicheteau
Aéro Montréal
514-550-7494
lea.guicheteau@aeromontreal.ca