Claude Pinard has been President and Executive Director of Centraide of Greater Montreal since July 2021. Centraide is a strategic social investor that provides regular annual support to a network of 350 agencies and collective projects that fight poverty and social exclusion.
Before joining Centraide, Claude oversaw the activities of the Mirella and Lino Saputo Foundation, a private family foundation devoted to improving the well-being of individuals living with disabilities, seniors, and people from immigrant backgrounds, as its executive director from 2013 to 2021. Prior to this position, Claude developed his career in both the public and private sectors, as he held management and leadership positions at Saputo Inc. and acted as a special advisor to the president of Hydro-Québec.
Claude is a strategic manager whose vision is oriented toward innovation and collaboration as drivers of solutions to current social issues. For example, he conceptualized, helped set up and chaired the board of directors of the Maison de l’innovation sociale. He was involved in creating the Academy for Collaboration with Ashoka Canada and Philanthropic Foundations Canada, of which he was also a board member. With HEC Montréal, he participated in creating the very first incubator for newcomers, an initiative that has been recognized by the OECD and the European Commission as a model for newcomer inclusion. He is a member of the Impact Canada Initiative Advisory Committee, which advises the Impact and Innovation Unit of the Government of Canada’s Privy Council Office on trends and best practices for improving the impact of public programs.
Claude has a degree in Political Science and also studied Communications. His skills include public relations, philanthropy, marketing and sports management. He is currently president of the Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes.
