Leadership Montréal = Leadership Montréal, 1 novembre 2001, Anglais

publication by Greater Montreal Leadership Network LEADERSHIP Mnntrpsl November 2001 VOLUME 4 * Njmber 8 Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal World Trade Centre Montréal « The first Montreal mayoralty debate: a Boatd of TratJe « initiative PAGE 4 ROFILE fftstiane Ayotte: * * scientist with integrity apd Ôassion for truth If ' PAGE 5 H ¦w.-to WÊ 'J DOSSIER # 0 Biotechs: SMrs driven by patents and venture Ct,pita,pAGE10 From the page 3 EDITOR S DESK pages 7, Partners Agenda paqe 17 N EWS 2 0 F MEMBERS Leadership Montréal - November 2001 FLASH : NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS A NEW CORPORATE SIGNATURE FOR Ogilvy Renault The merger of law firms Meighen Demers and Ogilvy Renault announced a few months ago has just become effective.This move by two partners renowned for the excellence of their specialized services and innovative business-minded approach will enable clients to benefit fully from the partners' renewed and improved expertise.Their new corporate identity will strengthen the firm's competitive position and place clients even closer to the heart of the action by offering integrated legal solutions that are more innovative and better designed to meet their needs.The firm's new signature "Expertise par excellence" will be accompanied by a new logo.?— .% .J -4 , - 'l.-JL '0 ee our m in .while you stay in the driver's seat, with Meloche Monnex insurance solutions.Automobile, home and small business insurance Friendly and knowledgeable personnel Emergency service that never lets you down, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year A free personalized client card giving you access to an international assistance network Competitive rates and discounts along with superior product quality You could vnjlthe New C240 Classic!* Get a direct auto quote! www.melochemonnex comfS Recommended by Meloche Monnex Where insurance is a science .and service, an art Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal *Eight other prizes will be given away during the contest period.To receive the complete rules and regulations of the contest, please write to: "free your mind.and win!" Contest do Meloche Monnex, 50 Place Crémazie, 12th Floor, Montréal H2P 1B6 TO RAIN.OR NOT TO RAIN "The energy resulting from Quebec's 30,000 megawatts of installed capacity and the 5,000 megawatts at Churchill Falls is subject to unpredictable precipitation which, over the past ten years, would have fallen short of the levels expected by forecasting models."Meanwhile, demand for electricity continues to grow from year to year and, if nothing is done, the likelihood of a shortfall in capacity will intensify.We cannot bet our future on the hope that more rain will fall." This is an excerpt from a speech given by Robert Tessier, president and chief executive officer of Gaz Métropolitain, at a Board of Trade business luncheon on Tuesday, October 16, 2001.The entire text of this speech may be viewed on the Board of Trade's Web site at www.btmm.qc.ca A few days earlier, Gaz Métro had announced the introduction of 22 energy-efficiency programs for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional customers.For more details about Gaz Métro's many programs, consult its Web site (www.gazmetro.com).A NEW ROLE FOR THE Eaton Building In early October, Ivanhoe Cambridge announced that Computershare Trust Company of Canada will occupy the 7th floor and part of the 6th of the former Eaton building on St.Catherine St., which has stood vacant for several months.The prestigious seventy-year-old commercial property played a key role in Montreal's economy.The once single-purpose building will take on a new multi-functional role, with a retail gallery and office space.Excellent news: the architectural integrity of the restaurant on the 9th floor, which, in 1930, was patterned after the dining room on the luxury liner l'île de France, will be preserved.page 7 ? FROM 1 [HE EDITOR'S D ESK 3 Leadership Montréal November 2001 IT'S BUDGET SEASON Take out your magnifying glass and your calculator: between now and mid-December, the governments of Canada, Quebec, as well as the new City of Montreal will all table their new budgets.The economic circumstances of Montrealers, Quebecers, and Canadians will force our elected representatives to revise their budget estimates.The events of September 11, the shrinking of new-economy companies, and numerous lay-offs have all contributed to the atmosphere of recession we are now experiencing.Anxious to fully understand the impact of measures that will be applied by the various levels of government, the Board of Trade will carefully monitor the budget presentations and publicize its position and expectations.To this end, the Board of Trade will invite the Quebec finance minister, Pauline Marois, to explain her budget at a special business luncheon on November 8.On November 15, the Chair of the Montreal Transition Committee, Monique Lefebvre, will be guest speaker at a New perspectives breakfast meeting, where she will present the year one budget of the new City of Montreal.I hope you'll join us! You will find all the registration details for this event on page 17.In this November issue, Leadership Montreal turns its attention to Greater Montreal's biotechnology industry.Rémi Thibault provides an update on this industry and, in particular, the question of venture capital available to it.You'll discover that this important sector of Montreal's economy includes 133 companies and that, in the province as a whole, the biotechnology sector benefits from 17 percent of the available venture capital, with investments totalling $226 million.In this industry as elsewhere, the recruiting of qualified research scientists is a major concern, a sign that our universities are unable to produce enough researchers and professors to meet regional demand.The Electronic Commerce Institute (ECI) offers suggestions on how to strengthen customer loyalty and retain clients.You will learn that it is ten times more costly to attract a new client than to keep an existing one and that every dollar invested in customer loyalty generates $60 in earnings.The proposed strategies range from personalized service to customer loyalty programs and newsletters.ECI also explores the importance of strategic intelligence to companies.Whether you engage in sector surveillance, technology watch, competitive or strategic intelligence, you can increase your understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing your market.Montréal TechnoVision weighs in with a portrait of the photonics industry in Montreal, counting some forty companies and generating 8,000 jobs.In this issue's Profile section, Joëlle Ganguillet will introduce you to Dr.Christiane Ayotte, head of the Doping Control Laboratory, INRS - Armand-Frappier Institute, the only Canadian laboratory accredited by the International Olympic Committee.A genuine Montrealer, Ayotte has achieved international notoriety in sports, scientific, and government circles.The Board of Trade's new season is well underway! Two photo reports illustrate key moments of two events held in October: the annual meeting of members and the mayoralty debate between Pierre Bourque and Gérald Tremblay.Are you looking for strategic information?Cindy Desmarais, of the Info entrepreneurs Centre, brings us the latest on the services offered by the organization.Consultation services, a documentation centre, Internet access, and research agents are all available to entrepreneurs, who may request information either on site, by telephone, or by e-mail.Good news! In the past few years, the number of women on the boards of directors of companies and institutions has grown significantly in both the public and private sectors.Nicole Ranger, director of the Equality 2005 project, delivers a progress report and introduces us to a few businesswomen recently appointed to the boards of directors of Montreal companies.Happy reading! ¦ Published by Greater Montreal Leadership Network LEADERSHIP 5 Place Ville Marie Plaza Level, Suite 12500 Montreal (Quebec) H3B 4Y2 Tel.: (514) 871-4000 Fax: (514) 871-1255 Web site: www.btmm.qc.ca E-mail: info@ccmm.qc.ca President Guy Fréchette Editor-in-chief and Managing editor Madeleine Murdock Collaborators Sylvain Bouffard Marie-Ange Bourdon Cindy Desmarais Francine Dumont Joëlle Ganguillet Francis Letendre Nicole Ranger Rémi Thibault Nadia Tripodi Production and advertising assistant Sylvie Paquette Advertising Johanne Gagné Réginald Godin Design and production Talengo Design inc.Printer Imprimeries Transcontinental inc./ Division Transmag Subscription fee $25 (9 issues) + taxes Front page photograph: Mario Beauregard ISSN 1480-4638 Legal deposit National Library of Québec National Library of Canada For everyone who drives growth with innovation In an increasingly competitive environment, innovation is paramount if you want to transform change into rapid growth.BDC offers unconventional and flexible financing to support your innovation strategies and to help you compete successfully both here and abroad.1 888 INFO BDC / www.bdc.ca Canada £ BDG Business Development Bank of Canada In Business For Small Business EVEN1 4 Leadership Montréal - November 2001 THE FIRST MONTREAL MAYORALTY DEBATE A BOARD OF TRADE INITIATIVE On October 10, at the Centre Sheraton hotel, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal hosted the first public debate between the candidates for the mayoralty of the new City of Montreal, Pierre Bourque and Gérald Tremblay.The Board of Trade undertook this initiative to educate business-people about the campaign issues and the respective visions of the two principal candidates concerning the many questions raised by the creation of the new City of Montreal and its economic development as well as the direct influence of the city's new administration on its ability to compete.In addition to the RDI (Réseau de l'information), which broadcast this face-off live, more than 30 media representatives attended the debate, which was moderated by Pierre Maisonneuve in front of a full house.The questions proposed by the members were grouped into broad categories.After the candidates had spoken briefly about each one, they debated each issue for several minutes.As we have seen, this debate changed the complexion of the electoral campaign.¦ The candidates react to the words of Mr.Maisonneuve: “I'll let you in on a little secret.after 25 years in the suburbs, I'm now a citizen of Montreal.So you have the amazing opportunity to convince me who I should vote for!' Board at “The borough is the personality, the identity of the neighbourhoods.We must put the citizen back into the very heart of the borough." "For me, businesspeople for me, are the 3,000.5,000 downtown merchants who worked together.it's the rebirth of St.Catherine Street." The debate took place before a full house.More than 600 businessmen and -women, members and friends of the Board of Trade, attended."One of people's major concerns is labour relations.Personally, I wouldn't want to be head of human resources in the City of Montreal, because it won't be an easy job!' "It will take cohesiveness (.) well need somebody, a leader who will act as conciliator among the 27 borough presidents." Gérald Tremblay: “In terms of water management, our goal is that all water revenues will be devoted to operating and investing in the network." PROFIL 5 Leadership Montréal November 2001 CHRISTIANE AYOTTE : A SCIENTIST WITH INTEGRITY AND A PASSION FOR TRUTH By Joëlle Ganguillet Dr.Christiane Ayotte, a meticulous researcher, and a tough administrator.In addition to the financing of biotechnology companies with venture capital (see Dossier, page 10), there are also researchers working in those laboratories.Leadership Montreal wanted to learn more about what goes on behind those doors.Who better than Dr.Christiane Ayotte, research scientist, to give us a tour?Dr.Ayotte heads the Doping Control Laboratory INRS - Armand-Frappier Institute, the only Canadian laboratory accredited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).A pioneer in the science of doping, a meticulous researcher, and a tough administrator, Dr.Ayotte has earned international renown in sports, research, government, and media circles.Her positions and strong commitment to the fight against doping have taken her to all corners of the world in the past fifteen years.We met her at the INRS laboratory in Pointe-Claire a few days before her departure for Lausanne.She spoke to us about her career, the history of the fight against doping, the upcoming establishment of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in Montreal, and the importance of education.Here's what she had to say .about the origins of her passion for chemistry "My father was a biochemist at Sainte-Justine hospital, so I was exposed to science at a very early age.My brothers and sisters all pursued careers in science: one of my sisters is a doctor, another is a speech therapist, and my brother is a pharmacist.So science is really in our genes! I chose to go into organic chemistry because I had an aptitude for research, a keen interest in chemistry, and the opportunity to study with some inspiring teachers.After earning my Ph.D.in 1983, I did a two-year post-doctoral transfer of work at the INRS-HEALTH.At that time I was working on environmental pollutants, particularly PCB degradation in the body." .about the history of doping control "The history of doping control goes back to the 1960s.At that time, they were interested in stimulants such as amphetamines.A few spot checks were done during the Olympic Games and some international championships, but scientists did not yet have the equipment to do large-scale testing or efficiently detect masking agents.They hadn't even made the connection between certain accidents and deaths in the sporting world and the abuse of medicines or drugs.You must understand that doping involves the use of medicines and drugs that are not necessarily illegal.Legitimate substances are simply used for illegitimate reasons.For example, testosterone absorption is beneficial to people lacking this hormone, but taking massive doses over and above what the body already produces is extremely dangerous." .about the shock of the Pana-merican Games in Caracas - a turning point in her career "It was only at the 1983 Panamerican Games in Caracas that the sports world really woke up to the problem.A dozen American athletes decided not to participate in the games when they heard there would be on-site drug testing.That was a real eye-opener, and the Canadian government decided to establish its own screening program to prepare for the Los Angeles Games.The INRS doping control laboratory, which was already in existence but had no specific function, decided to switched gears, and I began to focus on developing screening tests for anabolic steroids."Over the years, from one Olympic Games to the next, one scandal has followed another, and I have been dismayed by the proliferation of doping substances, food supplements, and even extremely dangerous growth hormones like EPO (erythropoietin).As the scandals have erupted and amateur sports stars like Ben Johnson, Javier Sotomayor, and Dennis Mitchell have been caught "red-handed," the world has discovered that the doping problem touches every country and every sport.In the 1980's, technology developed dramatically, particularly in terms of computers and microelectronics, allowing us to develop better and better tools to detect a variety of increasingly sophisticated doping agents.The expertise of our laboratory in this area has been acknowledged by the ICO and many international sport federations." .about the challenges of the profession “When I became head of the Doping Control Laboratory in 1991, I found myself in the public spotlight and often in danger of being "pied"! Several times, I have had to appear before sports tribunals to defend the results of our lab tests.In the case of Sotomayor, for example, the credibility of our lab was questioned when our experts were accused of deliberately placing cocaine in his urine.We are often accused of jeopardizing careers, although athletic suspensions are very temporary.Ben Johnson had three positive test results before receiving a lifetime suspension.The sports world and the general public worship heroes, and no-one wants to destroy a dream.You have to be very courageous to explode myths, especially when you're talking about the uselessness of certain food complements, something no one wants to hear about.Dr.Christiane Ayotte accompanied by colleagues in the laboratory at the INRS -Armand-Frappier Institute."It's very difficult to control doping when athletes are pressured to deliver extreme performances.Failing or admitting to limitations has become unacceptable in today's society.We would welcome the cooperation of pharmaceutical companies that develop legitimate drugs that are misused by athletes and by certain doctors who prescribe them for athletes.Some coaches also take advantage of the vulnerability of athletes by pushing them to consume stimulants to reach higher and higher performance objectives and thus make a name for themselves."In my opinion, this problem involves more than just a handful of amateur and professional athletes.The exploitation of vulnerability affects people everywhere who are taught to believe - and who desperately want to believe - that miracle products can help them lose weight, stay young, or build muscles.People are stuffing themselves with products whose effectiveness has not been proven.There are no standards governing the manufacture of natural products; quality control is voluntary, and yet the general public as well as athletes use creatine, food complements, and amino acids without really knowing the efficacy or purity of many products." .about the importance of harmonizing doping regulations and the role of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) “WADA was created following the Tour de France scandal in 1998, when the police seized drugs, including EPO, during a customs inspection.Players from around the world active in the fight against drug use in sports called a world conference in Lausanne leading to the creation of WADA in 1999.WADA is in some ways the embodiment of the IOC, with national Olympic committees, international sport federations, public authorities, and athletes all sitting down to talk at the same table.The main advantage of such an organization is that it groups together all the major players and can thus harmonize anti-doping regulations."We are very pleased that Montreal has been chosen as the location for WADA's permanent headquarters, a prestigious addition to our city.I am already very involved in that organization as a member of its Health, Medicine, and Research committee and of a task force of the IOC's Doping and Biochemistry of Sport Sub-Commission.WADA will lay down common, compatible anti-doping standards, implement educational programs, and promote research into doping detection methods.Our laboratory benefits from contracts specifically targeting research, whereas up till now, we have often had to scrape the bottom of the barrel of other programs!" .about the importance of education and prevention "/ participate in many training workshops for police forces, coaches, and other players in the sports world.I am convinced of the importance of educating people to the dangers of doping and its consequences.The education of young people is, in my opinion, essential.I also give talks in high schools, both to encourage students, particularly girls, to study and pursue careers in science and to teach teens to protect their health.Parental bias, no doubt, because I'm also a mother!" ¦ EVEN1 6 Leadership Montréal November 2001 The Annual meeting OF MEMBERS AND MAJOR ISSUES The Annual meeting of the members of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal was held on October 2, 2001, followed by a luncheon and presentation of the new president's program.Mr.Fréchette stated that he is both pleased and proud to be taking the helm of the Board of Trade at a time when Montrealers are facing a host of challenges with the creation of the new city on January 1, 2002.To ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE NEW city of Montreal.The new president presented the criteria that the Board of Trade considers essential for the new city to be highly competitive and successful: • organization of the new city • leadership and greater political powers • delivery of services and labour organization • sharing of responsibilities between the city-central and the boroughs He also stressed that the economic development plan to be prepared by the Montreal Metropolitan Community (MMC) must be coordinated by the elected officials of the new city of Montreal and the resulting strategies implemented by specialized organizations in the region.TO ENSURE THAT MONTREAL EXTENDS ITS REACH AROUND THE WORLD.The Board of Trade will continue its efforts in areas it considers essential for lasting economic development such as education and democracy.The reorganization of the electoral map is also a priority for the Board of Trade, which, as Mr.Fréchette explained, would like to see Montreal enjoy political clout commensurate with its economic weight so that it can meet the demanding challenges of the new economy and international trade.TO ENSURE THE RELEVANCE OF THE Board of Trade's initiatives.Mr.Fréchette stated that the upcoming year would be one of transition for the Board of Trade.New strategic analysis committees will be created, and the involvement of members who are experts in their respective fields will add relevance to the Board of Trade's positions and sector-based initiatives.¦ #1 Tribute to Pierre Laferrière, outgoing chairman of the Board of Trade, and presentation of a parting gift by Normand Legault.Guy Fréchette, new president of the Board of Trade, during his speech Board of Trade past-presidents, Patrice Simard (1995-1996) and Paule Doré (1996-1997) around Monique Lefebvre, president of the Transition Committee «a v Guy Fréchette, new president of the Board of Trade, and Marcel Caron, past-president of the Board of Trade (1963-1964) lhab Hanna, president of Uniglobe Voyage Lexus, presenting the door prize offered by his firm: Montreal-Paris return ticket for two to Ms.Thieu Quan Hoang, director of finance, Montreal Metropolitan Community. CDLLABORATQ R 7 Leadership Montréal - November 2001 PHOTONICS IN MONTREAL: A SECRET WITH A FUTURE Photonics is a well-kept secret and an under-exploited goldmine in Montreal.A study conducted in early 2001 by TechnoCompétences showed that companies operating in this sector accounted for, in spring 2001, for over 8,000 jobs in the Montreal area, including 50% specifically in photonics, across 40 companies.In fact, our photonics industry ranks among the 10 major photonics clusters in North America.What is optics-photonics?Photonics is the science of generating, manipulating, transmitting and detecting light.The resulting technologies have applications in a large variety of sectors such as telecommunications, manufacturing production processes, information technologies, healthcare, micro-electronics, defence, consumer products, aerospace and sensors.The optical components are generally found in systems with electronic or mechanical components, which are integrated into products or services sold.Context The ministère de l'Industrie et du Commerce (MIC), the International Institute of telecommunications (HT) and Montreal TechnoVision (MTI) have joined forces to conduct, in collaboration with the Réseau photonique Montréal, a study to identify the development issues in this sector and to propose strategic interventions that will bolster the industry.In the United States, the photonics sector has developed around some 10 clusters located in Rochester, Lehigh, Tucson, Denver, San Jose, Boston and Maryland.In Canada, the three major photonics clusters are found in the Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City corridor.In Quebec, optics-photonics has been a vibrant sector for over 40 years.The metropolitan area of Quebec City is a renowned research and development hub.Thanks to the sustained efforts of Université Laval, INO, and Cité de l'optique, the region has leveraged its innovation capacity to develop a manufacturing base that has spawned some 20 companies and over 2,000 specialized jobs in the industry.In Montreal, photonics firms are mainly engaged in manufacturing products for the telecommunications and electronics sectors and account for 30% of manufacturing jobs in the larger information technology and communi- cations sector (ITC).Their investment in photonics research or design is limited, as are their links with universities.Industry issues Over the next few years, photonics applications will undergo major transformations as a result of changing needs, technology convergence, industrialization of manufacturing processes and a production line.Growth in demand for photonics components will remain strong in the telecommunications industry while fibre optic needs will shift from wide-areas to local networks.Cost and performance will therefore supersede the importance of network capacity.The basis of the products will become standardized and integrated systems will be introduced.New manufacturing processes will be more automated, optimized, standardized and less labour intensive.Technology convergence will translate into the integration of optical and electronic components within a given product and later on, within a chip.Further down the road, we can expect to see fully integrated optical circuits.These transformations will result in the creation of a new production chain that is less vertically integrated and more fragmented.Component manufacturers will supply system specialists (JDS Uniphase, Corning, etc.), whose products will be integrated by subcontractors (Selectron, SCI, Celestica, C-Mac) before being delivered to large manufacturers (Nortel, Lucent, Alcatel, etc.).Montreal's photonics network In Montreal, the photonics cluster has been named the "Montreal Photonics Network." Although still in the start-up phase, it has already amassed some 20 companies.Strengthening the Montreal Photonics Network will make it possible to work with larger companies (Nortel, C-Mac, etc.) on joint initiatives, intensify networking and promote the development of specialized education and a critical mass in basic or applied research.Notwithstanding the current slowdown, Montreal must, like all the vibrant clusters in North America, continue to invest in the essential ingredients for the development of its photonics sector.Building a photonics industry The following guiding principles are essential to developing the photonics sector in Greater Montreal: • work together with the Quebec City area: support their core initiatives and leverage Montreal's singular characteristics; • encourage inter-relationships among the players (companies, teaching institutions, etc.); • influence education and research and take into account changes.In order to implement these principles, the players in the sector must take the following four actions: • Reinforce industrial leadership - Accelerate the development of the Montreal Photonics Network and encourage photonics firms to participate in major IT projects.• Build a pipeline for photonics students - Support the technical training and university projects proposed in the Quebec City and Montreal regions.• Promote the establishment of a critical mass in research - Support the PROMPT-Québec project by ensuring the industry's participation and facilitate access to, and the use of industrial scholarship programs.• Develop a strategy to optimize the role of subcontractors - Establish Montréal TechnoVision inc.mechanisms for collaboration between the integrators, subcontractors and teaching institutions.The board of governors of Montreal TechnoVision is prepared to offer the Montreal Photonics Network its expertise and strategic and technical support in carrying out its business plan.Photonics - building a bright future.¦ N EWS 0 F MEMBERS 4 page 2 FLASH: NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS Scéno Plus: a forward-looking COMPANY HITS THE MARK This Québécois firm has just announced the opening of its latest creation: the Casino de Hull Theatre - a state-of-the-art entertainment venue.Founded in 1985, the company offers integrated services in architecture, theatre design, specialized equipment, and project management.Its many impressive accomplishments include the Bellagio Theatre for the Cirque du Soleil's extravaganza "O" and the revolving stage for the Cité de l'Énergie in Shawinigan.Closer to home, their achievements include the Ex-Centris Complex, Usine C, the Centre Pierre-Péladeau, and the Paramount Montreal.Scéno Plus's next challenge: designing the Ceasar's Colosseum, one of the grandest and most luxurious showrooms in Las Vegas, where Céline Dion is scheduled to make her comeback.page 14 ? PARTNEI SERVIE 8 Leadership Montréal - November 2001 Institut du commerce électronique Hectronic Commerce Institute Pierre Lange!ier President and general manager Electronic Commerce Institute SEARCHING FOR STRATEGIC INFORMATION?HAVE YOU HEARD OF STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE?By Cindy Desmarais, research agent.Documentation centre, Info entrepreneurs mtrepren leurs Inundated with information, data and documents, business people want quick access to relevant information.Strategic intelligence allows companies to acquire the information they need to make strategic decisions and to develop a structured approach to leverage their information sources.An indispensable tool for decisionmakers, strategic intelligence is also known as business intelligence and competitive intelligence.Whether it is competitive, commercial, sector-based or technology, strategic intelligence facilitates: • the centralization and sharing of information; • the analysis of very specific and more pertinent information; • access to critical information at the right time (less information but more specific to the enterprise).It also allows employees to be better informed and therefore more pro-active, and promotes the creation of products and services better suited to the markets and customers to which they are destined.Strategic intelligence tailored to YOUR BUSINESS OBJECTIVES To gain a better understanding of your market or IT trends, customers or competition, you must tailor the intelligence to your company's needs and tie them closely to your business objectives based on your area of activity (telecommunications, manufacturing, transportation, export, health, finance, services, etc.).To support companies in their e-commerce initiatives, the Electronic Commerce Institute offers a strategic intelli- gence service that includes several aspects such as: • research and analysis • guidance - consulting • strategic intelligence training • a weekly electronic newsletter - subscribe, it's free! The Institute prepares various types of documents for its clients, according to criteria and frequencies established with the company's representatives.These documents include, for example, intelligence reports and capsules (daily, weekly or "alert") as well as documentary research, when required.Strategic intelligence training Strategic intelligence training allows the participants to become "the" resource of choice for their company.The key elements essential to effective intelligence are presented, including: • an analysis of trends, concepts and different types of intelligence • the use of tools specific to business intelligence • various strategic intelligence concepts Marketing, research and communications professionals, among others, can benefit from this training.It is especially geared to intermediate and advanced Internet users interested in performing searches with sophisticated software and automatically monitoring their industry on the Web.Business intelligence managers and anyone actively involved in an intelligence cell will also benefit from this program by honing their skills.To find out more about the advantages of strategic intelligence for your company, contact the Electronic Commerce Institute at (514) 840-1297, or by e-mail: veille@institut.qc.ca ¦ Did you know that the team at the Info entrepreneurs documentation centre can help you track down the information you need?If you feel overwhelmed by the multitude and diversity of available information sources or just don't have the time to wade through them, you could benefit from the research services offered at the documentation centre as well as the expertise and enthusiasm of the research agents prepared to serve you! How long would it take you, for example to establish how many Americans wear dentures, locate data on the evolution of the agrifood business in the United States, find import and export statistics for the furniture industry, research trends in the fuel cell market, or find lists of manufacturers of natural products in France, Quebec automobile-parts distributors, or fairs and exhibitions in the clothing industry?TOO MUCH, YOU SAY?The role of the information specialists at the documentation centre is to help you find and sift through information sources and provide you with access to reliable, high-quality business data.It is for this very purpose that Info entrepreneurs offers documentation services.Exactly what are those services?To meet the various information requirements of our business clientele, a range of research services has been developed.Clients may choose to consult documents themselves on-site, avail themselves of a free research service, or request a more exhaustive fee-based service.On-site consultation service Every day, the documentation centre is visited by people wishing to consult our collection of printed books* containing almost 6,000 titles (including directories of manufacturers, distributors, and trade fairs, market studies, and statistics) and making good use of our five computer terminals to consult CD ROMs, data banks, and business Web sites, all at no charge.In addition to accessing the various information sources, visitors also benefit from the experience and expertise of our research agents.Free research service The research agents are more than happy to comply with straightforward research requests taking fifteen minutes or less at no charge.In fact the public is invited to submit their information requests to the documentation centre either in person or by telephone, fax, or e-mail.Fee-based research service If your request for information is more complex and time-consuming, requiring more in-depth research, you might choose to take advantage of the valuable fee-based service offered by Info entrepreneurs.Our information specialists will use their research skills to do an exhaustive investigation using the multitude of information sources available to them.They will then quickly examine their findings, retaining only the pertinent information and saving you a great deal of time and effort.A letter outlining the information sources consulted and the time spent will accompany your research results.This service is competitively priced at $80 per hour, with a $40 minimum charge, for the general public.Members of the Greater Montreal Leadership Network (Board of Trade, Electronic Commerce Institute, and WTC Montréal,) and the Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal enjoy a substantial reduction on the hourly rate ($55 instead of $80).We look forward to the opportunity to include you among our customers.Our services could contribute to the success of your company, enabling you to target new markets and new clienteles.¦ *Consult the collection on our Web site: www.infoentrepreneurs.org/eng/collec-tion.cfm THE BEST RUN E-BUSINESSES RUN my SAP.Com The Electronic Commerce Institute is supported by: Canada Economic Development, ministère de l'Industrie et du Commerce du Québec, ministère des Affaires municipales et de la Métropole and also the Conseil du trésor. PARTNEF 9 Leadership Montréal - November 2001 THE PROBLEM OF INFIDELITY: WHAT CAN YOU DO TO KEEP YOUR CLIENTS?By Nadia Tripodi, analyst.Electronic Commerce Institute Customer relationship management has become a priority for many companies.Indeed, it could even be said that 2001 will be "customer loyalty" year.Businesses place great importance on this aspect because it is far less costly to keep customers by winning their loyalty than to acquire new ones.Beyond the issue of the cost, there is the matter of revenue.It is in the company's best interest to keep its customers.A loyal customer spends more money.And strategies aimed at forging solid customer relationships provide a major competitive edge.A recent study by Creative Good indicates that each dollar invested in customer loyalty brings $60 in revenues, compared with $5 for each dollar invested in advertising.As well, enterprises must maximize the profits generated by each customer while minimizing the expense incurred to attract them and to deliver an offer suited to their needs.Why win customer loyalty?Very simply, it is far more profitable to increase revenues from existing customers than to acquire new ones: • According to Harvard Business Review, an increase of 5% in the customer loyalty rate yields a 25-95% increase in profits.• On average, it is 10 times more costly to win a new customer than to keep one.Companies can increase their revenues by knowing the buying habits of their customers and their propensity for acquiring new services.They must do all they can to make sure the surfer wants to return.Personalization An easy and effective way to win customer loyalty is to make sure the user has a good experience on the Web.If the company does not meet its customers' needs, they will find a competitor who will.The stronger the competition, the greater the need for companies to use distinctive, personalized strategies to preserve its most important capital: its customers.Personalizing a corporate website by offering a unique, user-friendly browsing environment is one way of winning customer loyalty.The case of Nike is an often-cited example.On the company's website, the customer can first customize his Nike shoe by selecting the colour and style, and even by signing his name.Nike, however, was not the creator of this unique concept; it was the brainchild of Kickers Belgique, which was the first to offer a white shoe divided into four parts for the consumer to personalize by selecting a colour from a palate of 20 shades.Companies that offer online services need tailored solutions to effectively and efficiently respond to customer questions, problems and e-mails.Loyalty programs The Internet offers a variety of new ways to win the confidence of consumers.A number of programs are available not only for large companies but also for SMEs.The loyalty mix must be tailored to the company's strategy, its environment, and of course, its customers, in order to effectively manage the customer relationship.While sometimes costly, loyalty programs such as loyalty cards, customer clubs and newsletters generally produce excellent results.Loyalty cards Generally designed for online purchases, these cards allow customers to earn points after performing various actions on the site, as well as by downloading, participating in a survey, subscribing or simply visiting the site.These points can then be redeemed for gifts, discount coupons, etc., making each new purchase an incentive to return and purchase again.Loyalty cards make it possible to, among other things, offer more personalized products or services while encouraging customers to return again and again.It also prevents them from going the competition, whose prices could be higher.It bears mentioning, though, that a loyalty card alone may not be enough to guarantee a sale.Customer clubs Another loyalty tool, clubs are based on the concept of privilege.Customers join these clubs, which offer additional services such as more detailed information, advice and free offers.Customer clubs offer added value to consumers and encourage them to purchase online, thereby allowing merchants to set themselves apart from the competition and win the loyalty of their cus- tomers by developing a sense of belonging and privilege.Nintendo, for example, created the Nintendo Club, which boasts 2 million members.These members benefit from additional advantages such as a magazine that presents varied topics of interest, game clues and new games.They also have access to call centres for their questions or problems.Newsletters Newsletters are e-publications to which surfers can subscribe online to regularly receive condensed recent information related to the site.These publications allow merchants to regularly communicate with their clientele while offering real value to the subscriber.Through this channel, a company can send its customers corporate information, articles on current events or drawn from other publications; as well as promotions and announcements regarding various activities.The newsletters contain hyperlinks to the vendor's Web site, where readers can find out more about the topics covered.It is important, however, to offer useful and interesting content and to personalize the newsletter so that the subscribers feel that the information has been tailored especially for them.Lastly, so long as companies do not place the customer at the heart of their strategies, gaining consumer loyalty on the Net will remain a major challenge.All these strategies and tools can help you in this respect, but in the end, there is really no one magical solution.¦ Electronic Commerce Institute - Training and certification program NOVEMBER 2001 October 29 E-Commerce Week to November 2 Hilton Montréal Bonaventure November 2 - 6 p m.E-Commerce Gala (part of E-Commerce Week) Windsor Station, Concourse November 14 Formation en veille stratégique - 9 a.m.to noon Electronic Commerce Institute's premises (in French) Information: institut@institut.qc.ca Tel.: (514) 840-1288 THE BEST RUN E-BUSINESSES RUN my SAP.Com The Electronic Commerce Institute is supported by: Canada Economic Development, ministère de l’Industrie et du Commerce du Québec, ministère des Affaires municipales et de la Métropole and also the Conseil du trésor.wmmmmmm Montreal Laval Trois-Rivières Quebec City Chicoutimi Montreal Laval Trois-Rivières Quebec City Chicoutimi Montreal Laval Trois-Rivières Quebec City Chicoutimi Montreal Laval Trois Rivières Quebec City Chicoutimi Montreal Laval Trois-Rivières Office space for rent from 300 ft2 to 63,000 ftf 1 80© 463 Montreal Laval Trois-Rivières Quebec City Chicoutimi INDUSTRIAL ALLIANCE f INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES * Industrial-Alliance Lite Insurance Company D OSSIEf 10 Leadership Montréal - November 2001 BIOTECHS: SME'S DRIVEN BY PATENTS AND VENTURE CAPITAL Treatments against Alzheimer's and cancer, spider's silk more resistant than the Kevlar extracted from transgenic goat's milk, computer-designed synthetic bones and lumbar discs.this is just a brief glimpse into the future of Montreal biotechs.By Rémi Thibault.A DEMOGRAPHIC TREND In human health, the expansion of the global biotechnology industry is being driven by a very simple fact: a growing number of people will live longer.And what that means is that we will need more care as time goes on.Globally, coronary and central nervous system diseases, as well as infectious pulmonary and gastro-intestinal disorders will top the list of illnesses by 2020, while chronic diseases associated with aging will explode.Man's future appears to lie in healthcare.Biotechs are technology SMEs fuelled by creative ideas and venture capital.In human health, these highly innovative SMEs often grow alongside large multinational pharmaceutical firms that constantly need new products and treatments.Montreal jumped on the biotech bandwagon some ten years ago and has never looked back.Today, over 85% of Quebec biotechnology activities are concentrated in the metropolitan area.The cities of Saint-Hyacinthe (Agri-food science park) and Quebec also play a leading role in some highly promising research fields.A YOUNG INDUSTRY The biotech playing field spans the globe.According to Richard Garant, director of health policies at Merck Frosst, countries interested in developing such an industry must comply with some very specific criteria: 1) they must have laws to protect intellectual property 2) they must have the ability to finance development through direct access to markets (for large pharmaceuticals) and venture capital (for biotech SMEs), and 3) they must have local expertise (universities, research centres, researchers) to ensure the availability of the required human and intellectual capital."The next factor that must be taken into consideration is the business environment and tax advantages," adds Mr.Garant."For example, in Quebec, the savings in R & D are channelled into attractive compensation packages to attract foreign researchers.The five-year tax exemption granted to foreign researchers who come to Quebec has also been a very strong incentive." Developing an industry in high-risk sectors of the knowledge economy also requires the right mix of initiatives by private and public stakeholders.And the game is never over: "In these industries, you can never rest on your laurels.You must always look ahead and try to anticipate the future in order to maintain your competitive position," concludes Mr.Garant.The past decade has seen the Montreal biotech industry blossom, sustained by increasingly diverse venture capital sources such as private companies, large institutional portfolios, and gradually, financial institutions.Still, this young industry that accounts for 15,000 jobs and that has been growing an average of 17% per year since 1990 remains fragile and hinges "on its ability to foresee the needs of the industry in the future," insists Mr.Garant."Notwithstanding, our sector remains competitive, even against the United States, which has the advantage of volume." VENTURE CAPITAL MEETS BIOTECHNOLOGY Between 1999 and 2000, venture capital under management in Quebec continued to grow, from $6.3 billion to $8.6 billion, while capital available for investment climbed from $1.3 billion to $2.0 billion.Is the biotech industry getting its fair share?A NET GAIN Venture capital breathes life into ideas but at a high level of profitability.In biotechnology, these profit horizons are distant: ten years or more, a timeline that does not make the sector especially attractive at first glance.Yet the gains can be substantial.Has venture capital kept pace with this industry?In 1980, the Rapport Descoteaux stated that Quebec reaped only 10% of the venture capital available in Canada.Whether the research is regarding masking agents or genetics, biotech companies require venture capital to breathe life into their ideas.1 : ms Types Number of companies Main activities Jobs 133 pharmaceutical and biotech companies Subsidiaries of large foreign pharmaceutical firms (Merck Frosst, Biochem Pharma, etc.) 36 Basic and applied research; manufactures pharmaceutical products 8137 Local bio-pharmaceutical SMEs (Axcan Pharma, Neurochem, etc.) 97 Basic and applied research; manufactures pharmaceutical products 3614 12 clinical research centres Clinical and pre-clinical research enterprises (Phoenix, ClinTrials, BioRecherches, etc.) 12 Contract research or clinical and pre-clinical trials 2690 Total 145 14 441 76 public research centres Public and para-public research centres (Universités de Montréal and McGill, Institut de recherche en biotechnologie (CNRC), the Biotech City (INRS- Armand-Frappier Institute) * students and researchers 76 Basic research 5930* Source: Montreal International/E&B DATA; 2001 Today, that figure is approaching 45%, and the sources of financing are much more diverse.Notwithstanding this gain, certain figures cast a doubt on the future.A NET DROP Based on data compiled by Macdonald & Associates for Réseau Capital, Quebec's association for venture capitalists, our share of venture capital has been dropping since 1998 while investments in Ontario and abroad have been picking up speed.Competition among sectors It is a fact that biotechnology is in competition with other sectors.For 11 Leadership Montréal - November 2001 What is a biotech?The term biotech is generally associated with a local SME that uses live organisms or enzymes to perform transformations that are useful in chemistry, pharmacy and agri-food.The term pharma applies to large international biophar-maceutical companies that use an increasing number of biotechnology processes to develop medications.Biotechnology laboratories In laboratories, living molecules are examined in three disciplines: genomics seeks to identify genes and their sequencing on the chromosomes of all living things; proteomics tries to understand the action of proteins and their interaction with foreign human cells and organisms that trigger disease; and finally, gene therapy seeks to replace defective genes with healthy ones.Industrial biotechs This refers to a manufacturing plant and involves bio-fermenters filled with basic microorganisms such as the E.coli bacteria and used to produce, for example, human insulin.But other more complex organisms can also be used, such as alfalfa or.a transgenic goat.Instrumental biotechs You need sophisticated tools to analyze and work with living molecules, for example, laboratory kits for accelerated DNA sequencing, and biopharmaceu-tical software to virtually create new molecules.Adapted from: La Biopharmaceutique en pleine expansion, Yan Barcelo, Affaires Plus, vol.23, no.7, July 2000 centres.They initiate these upstarts to the ins and outs of business and support their development for 12 to 18 months, at which time institutional partners are generally prepared to invest in products that are at a more advanced stage of development.Solid reserves Once firmly in the saddle, some biotechs try to offset their dependence on venture capital by developing mixed strategies, financing part of their innovations by immediately selling their more commercial products.All biotechs should have solid cash reserves (two years or more if possible) to weather the long trek across the desert (10 or even 15 years) and inevitable stock market turbulence.The sector is constantly changing, with mergers and acquisitions expected to multiply in the foreseeable future.Any biotech can become fair game at any given moment in its development.Such was the case with powerhouse BioChem Pharma, sold for $6 billion to the British firm Shire.Today's new generation of biotechs is trying to develop Year Quebec (%) Ontario (%) Abroad (%) 2000 21 47 20 1999 27 46 8 1998 38 32 10 Year Share of the biotechnology sector (%) Investments in millions 2000 17 226 1999 11 78 1998 11 68 Source: Réseau Capital / Macdonald & Associates example, not long ago, dotcoms were especially popular.And now?The biotech industry seems to be faring quite well against other technology sectors (Internet, information technologies, electronics, communications), even increasing its share to 17% in 2000 despite the arrival of doctcoms on the scene.The situation for 2000 is not yet clear as the data are still incomplete.According to a press release issued by E & B Data, a firm that conducts an annual benchmarking study for high-tech sectors in 15 North American cities, "Between 2000 and 2001, the business environment expanded for the biophar-maceutical industry (5%) while shrinking for information technologies (-3%) and aerospace (-8%)." The events of September 11 and their devastating effects on certain sectors of the economy have changed the situation.However, according to the same source, the biotechnology industry may not be suffering as much: "While the growth of the biopharma-ceutical industry has not been hurt by these events, the aerospace and IT industries are bearing the brunt," states the E & B DATA press release.A HEALTHY INDUSTRY According to the Guide des services aux entreprises 2000, there are over 60 financing companies in Quebec.Some of them have subsidiaries that spin off venture capital firms to invest exclusive- ly—or substantially—in biotechnology.The large portfolios of BioCapital, CDP Sofinov, Solidarity Fund QFL, Innovatech and others more specialized such as GeneChem or T2C2, share the common trait of investing in a complex sector where scientific knowledge plays a key role (particularly at the start-up stage).In the past decade, biotech venture capital firms have evolved to keep pace with the needs of their clientele but at the same time have tightened their investment criteria.Venture capital firms are not moneylenders or research philanthropists.They are, strictly speaking, investors who expect a substantial return (from 18% to 30%) for the high risks they take.Indeed, not all biotechs are destined to become BioChem Pharma.Investment criteria To find a receptive ear with venture capital firms, biotechs must first knock on the doors of those who specialize in biotechnology and meet certain criteria to minimize risk.A solid business plan, patents, sound finances, several products in the discovery pipeline and a competent management team are the sought-after assets.Most venture capital firms support biotechs after the start-up phase (the riskiest) and until the IPO stage.Others, like T2C2, get involved from the get-go, identifying promising ideas the moment they sprout in the research business plans that will allow for independent growth internationally in very specific niches.GLOBAL RECRUITMENT OFFENSIVE Our universities, which are just emerging from a difficult decade, are not producing a sufficient number of researchers and professors—an obstacle to the growth of the biopharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.Stiff competition Global competition is fierce between tech cities, with each one vying for high-calibre researchers.A survey by Montreal TechnoVision underscores that "at the current rate of attrition and emigration, the gap between supply and demand over the past three years (1998-2001) stands at 912, which is almost the same as the number of Quebec graduates in 1998-2001." In other words, the industry needs twice as many of graduates."Part of the problem lies in the fact that the fields of research and high-level education are super-specialized.Moreover, it is difficult to foresee what the field du jour will be in a few years," explains Richard Garant, director of health policies at Merck Frosst.According to this study, "Over 86% of the companies surveyed felt that the lack of specialized competencies will impede their growth over the next three to five years." The problem is most acutely felt in the number of PhD and post-doctorate graduates.Seasoned PhDs (with five or more years' experience in the industry) are an even rarer commodity.A recent joint initiative between Montreal TechnoVision and the industry aims to improve this situation."Montreal TechnoVision is a not-for-profit organization that mobilizes the leaders of high-tech companies," explains Charles Bourgeois, president of the organization."We help them identify core projects.Recruitment difficulties remain a key issue for everyone.Already, there are small, well-funded companies facing recruitment challenges.But even international corporations are not exempt.Internet offensive in 20 countries The biopharma-montreal.com Web site arose from the Plan Biopharma 2000 put forth by Montreal TechnoVision.The bilingual site was officially launched at the annual meeting of Bio-Québec.Made possible by the financial support of the industry and the Table métropolitaine d'Emploi-Québec, the site aims to meet recruitment needs by reaching out abroad.But how do we attract researchers?"The site's objective is to recruit around the world.To this end, people have to know that it's fun to live in Montreal, that it has a vibrant cultural life, universities, many companies and venture capital.In short, researchers who come here have not shortage of career opportunities." Leveraging the interactive features of the Internet makes it possible to better match supply and demand.Candidates from around the world can register on this site, at no charge, and present their specific research skills.They may be asked to provide additional information.Thanks to a partnership with a specialized international firm, the positions offered on the site will be promoted in some 20 countries in Europe and America.Will the sites serve both the university and industrial milieus?"I would say that both sectors go hand-in-hand," concludes Mr.Bourgeois.Another initiative, this time on a local scale, promotes competition and recognition of players in the field: the creation of the Genesis awards.Created by Bio-Québec, Quebec's bioindustry association, these awards recognize the success of individuals and companies that have made their mark in health sciences.On May 3, the Innovation Award was presented to Neurochem, the Entrepreneurship Award to Axcan Pharma, the Transfer/Emergence Award to Advitech Solutions and the Brio Award to Genome Canada.¦ ACTIVITIES 12 Leadership Montréal - November 2001 NEW PERSPECTIVES AUTUMN 2001 CALENDAR Topical issues brought to youby industry leaders Presented during breakfast, presentations are followed by a question period October 2001 *5 U Inter-Continental Montreal Hotel, 7:30 to 9 a.m.Claude Martinand Chairman of the board Institut de la gestion déléguée, France Public-private partnerships: The French experience November |T 2001 I O Hilton Montreal Bonaventure Hotel, 7:30 to 9 a.m.^ Monique Lefebvre President Montreal Transition Committee The "year one" budget for the new City November aa 2001 Inter-Continental Montreal Hotel, TfM to 9 am | Claude Béland President and CEO Société d'implantation du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal 6000 Saint-Denis: A university hospital worthy of the XXIst century December a a 2001 I