Company : Leadership

You are here: / Company : Leadership

Leadership

Leading the Way with Real-Time Simulation

OPAL-RT’s executive leadership team possesses expertise and experience in research and development, business strategy and executive management. The company’s management group comprises recognized entrepreneurs, professional managers and technology innovators who are acknowledged leaders in the real-time simulation sector.

As an electrical engineer, Jean co-founded OPAL-RT in 1997, and built it with the vision of bringing high-end real-time simulation tools to all engineers and scientists. Today, under his direction and technological leadership, OPAL-RT has become a world-renowned developer of state-of-the-art real-time simulators capable of simulating all types of mechanical and electrical systems. Prior to founding OPAL-RT, Jean led a successful career at Hydro-Québec in the domain of power system design and simulation and is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Connect with:

As an electrical engineer, Jean co-founded OPAL-RT in 1997, and built it with the vision of bringing high-end real-time simulation tools to all engineers and scientists. Today, under his direction and technological leadership, OPAL-RT has become a world-renowned developer of state-of-the-art real-time simulators capable of simulating all types of mechanical and electrical systems. Prior to founding OPAL-RT, Jean led a successful career at Hydro-Québec in the domain of power system design and simulation and is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Connect with:

Jean Bélanger
Co-Founder, CEO and CTO

As a mechanical engineer, Lise co-founded OPAL-RT in 1997. Over the years, Lise has contributed to the financing of the company, has organized the company to achieve its sales, marketing and production goals, has taken care of the legal and administration departments, and has grown human resources until recently, when she transmitted those responsibilities. Today Lise is preparing the next generation of managers motivated by our customers’ technological challenges, and able to provide the level of innovation requested by our clients.

Connect with:

As a mechanical engineer, Lise co-founded OPAL-RT in 1997. Over the years, Lise has contributed to the financing of the company, has organized the company to achieve its sales, marketing and production goals, has taken care of the legal and administration departments, and has grown human resources until recently, when she transmitted those responsibilities. Today Lise is preparing the next generation of managers motivated by our customers’ technological challenges, and able to provide the level of innovation requested by our clients.

Connect with:

Lise Laforce
Co-Founder and Executive Vice-President

Under his leadership, OPAL-RT has set new records for sales, demonstrating its position as a leader in power electronics real-time simulation for the automotive, aerospace and industrial markets.

Connect with:

Under his leadership, OPAL-RT has set new records for sales, demonstrating its position as a leader in power electronics real-time simulation for the automotive, aerospace and industrial markets.

Connect with:

Pierre-François Allaire
Vice-President, Sales & Marketing

With over 20 years’ experience in engineering, Yanique has worked with multiple industrial and technological leaders, in both fast-paced and innovation-driven markets. With the help of his team of senior leaders, Yanique spearheads OPAL-RT’s R&D strategy and leads the Production/Integration functions.

Connect with:

With over 20 years’ experience in engineering, Yanique has worked with multiple industrial and technological leaders, in both fast-paced and innovation-driven markets. With the help of his team of senior leaders, Yanique spearheads OPAL-RT’s R&D strategy and leads the Production/Integration functions.

Connect with:

Yanique Martin
Vice-President, Technology and Operations

With over 30 years’ experience in managing global Customer Support, Professional Services, Acquisitions and most aspects of IT, talent and culture, Maria leverages her passion for people to be a driving force in helping others to become the best version of themselves while making a difference.

Connect with:

With over 30 years’ experience in managing global Customer Support, Professional Services, Acquisitions and most aspects of IT, talent and culture, Maria leverages her passion for people to be a driving force in helping others to become the best version of themselves while making a difference.

Connect with:

Maria Anzini
Vice-President, Employee Experience (HR & IT)

For the past 20 years, Irène has enjoyed supporting OPAL-RT’s evolution by leveraging her technical background and her interest for collaborative management. Her team assists managers’ decision-making through data-driven analysis and portfolio monitoring and reinforces project management and quality control best practices across departments.

Connect with:

For the past 20 years, Irène has enjoyed supporting OPAL-RT’s evolution by leveraging her technical background and her interest for collaborative management. Her team assists managers’ decision-making through data-driven analysis and portfolio monitoring and reinforces project management and quality control best practices across departments.

Connect with:

Irene Peres
Director, Enterprise Project Management and Quality Office

Jean-Nicolas leads expert services and consulting activities at OPAL-RT. Under his guidance, his multidisciplinary team of experts offers assistance to the various sectors served by OPAL-RT, by delivering advanced modeling, on-site or in-house testing and power system study services.

Connect with:

Jean-Nicolas leads expert services and consulting activities at OPAL-RT. Under his guidance, his multidisciplinary team of experts offers assistance to the various sectors served by OPAL-RT, by delivering advanced modeling, on-site or in-house testing and power system study services.

Connect with:

Jean-Nicolas Paquin
Director, Application eXpertise and Electrical Simulation (AXES)

As the company’s financial controller, Mélanie leads all aspects of financial management, including corporate accounting, regulatory and reporting, budget, and forecasts. She plays a key role by providing insightful information to all OPAL-RT’s departmental heads.

As the company’s financial controller, Mélanie leads all aspects of financial management, including corporate accounting, regulatory and reporting, budget, and forecasts. She plays a key role by providing insightful information to all OPAL-RT’s departmental heads.

Mélanie Vaillancourt
Financial Controller

Having practiced law for over 30 years and holding an MBA from HEC Montreal, Cédric has worked in both medium and large companies--including his own law firm. Inspired by an entrepreneurial spirit, he uses his experience in law and his extensive business skills to advise the OPAL-RT group on all its legal issues.

Connect with:

Having practiced law for over 30 years and holding an MBA from HEC Montreal, Cédric has worked in both medium and large companies--including his own law firm. Inspired by an entrepreneurial spirit, he uses his experience in law and his extensive business skills to advise the OPAL-RT group on all its legal issues.

Connect with:

Cédric Gagnon-Ducharme
General Counsel

International Leadership

François Deudon defines and implements OPAL-RT’s strategy in Europe and Africa. With his team, he is responsible for handling business development, marketing, and communication as well as insuring customer satisfaction by overseeing technical operations. François holds an MBA from HKUST business school, and an Engineering degree from ESIEE Electrical engineering school.

Connect with:

François Deudon defines and implements OPAL-RT’s strategy in Europe and Africa. With his team, he is responsible for handling business development, marketing, and communication as well as insuring customer satisfaction by overseeing technical operations. François holds an MBA from HKUST business school, and an Engineering degree from ESIEE Electrical engineering school.

Connect with:

François Deudon
Managing Director, OPAL-RT Europe

Girish’s team is responsible for handling operations for the entire Indian subcontinent and is equipped to handle pre-sales efforts from commissioning and training to post-sales support.

Connect with:

Girish’s team is responsible for handling operations for the entire Indian subcontinent and is equipped to handle pre-sales efforts from commissioning and training to post-sales support.

Connect with:

Girish Nanjundaiah
Managing Director, OPAL-RT India

Hervé, with 15+ years’ experience in the automotive field, leads our focus on autonomous vehicle technology. As General Manager of OPAL-RT Intelligent Transportation Systems, Hervé is responsible for defining our strategy, roadmap and partnerships.

Connect with:

Hervé, with 15+ years’ experience in the automotive field, leads our focus on autonomous vehicle technology. As General Manager of OPAL-RT Intelligent Transportation Systems, Hervé is responsible for defining our strategy, roadmap and partnerships.

Connect with:

Hervé Pollart
Managing Director, OPAL-RT Intelligent Transportation Systems

Ravi is developing OPAL-RT’s technical and commercial strategy in Germany, focusing on collaborative R&D with academia, national labs and industry. He brings 20 years of experience in real-time simulation in the aerospace, automotive and renewable energy sectors to the projects that he leads.

Connect with:

Ravi is developing OPAL-RT’s technical and commercial strategy in Germany, focusing on collaborative R&D with academia, national labs and industry. He brings 20 years of experience in real-time simulation in the aerospace, automotive and renewable energy sectors to the projects that he leads.

Connect with:

Ravinder Venugopal, Ph. D.
Managing Director, OPAL-RT Germany

Victor Hirata is responsible for managing OPAL-RT’s sales team in Latin America, comprising countries from Mexico to Argentina. He has been working for multinational companies for more than 20 years such as Alstom, General Motors and NI with a concentrated business acumen in the Automotive, Aerospace and Energy sectors.

Connect with:

Victor Hirata is responsible for managing OPAL-RT’s sales team in Latin America, comprising countries from Mexico to Argentina. He has been working for multinational companies for more than 20 years such as Alstom, General Motors and NI with a concentrated business acumen in the Automotive, Aerospace and Energy sectors.

Connect with:

Victor Hirata
Managing Director, OPAL-RT Brazil

Weihua teams up with the members of the OPAL-RT Beijing Technical Center to support the distributors and clients in the Asia Pacific region. Backed by his hands-on experience with OPAL-RT products for more than 10 years, the team has commissioned and has been maintaining a few of the largest real-time simulators worldwide for complex AC/DC networks and renewable energies.

Connect with:

Weihua teams up with the members of the OPAL-RT Beijing Technical Center to support the distributors and clients in the Asia Pacific region. Backed by his hands-on experience with OPAL-RT products for more than 10 years, the team has commissioned and has been maintaining a few of the largest real-time simulators worldwide for complex AC/DC networks and renewable energies.

Connect with:

Weihua Wang
Managing Director, OPAL-RT China