Emilie Fortin-Lefebvre, Ph.D.
Emilie Fortin-Lefebvre is a professor of entrepreneurship and management at University of Quebec in Montreal since 2017. Her research focuses on the economic autonomy of Indigenous peoples and explores how entrepreneurship and economic development can support long-term self-determination.
Since 2019, she has directed the IPEA Study Centre (Study Centre for Indigenous People’s Economic Autonomy), which brings together Indigenous and academic expertise to co-produce knowledge grounded in the priorities of Indigenous communities. Through partnerships with Indigenous organizations, public institutions, and economic development actors, the IPEA Study Centre develops applied research and collaborative initiatives that support First Nations and Inuit economic development.
Emilie is also the founder of Beyond Research, where she develops research-driven tools, analytical frameworks, and strategic perspectives for organizations working on complex economic and governance challenges. Across these roles, her work connects academic research, collaborative knowledge production, and practical implementation.
Guillaume Decouflet, MBA
Guillaume Decouflet is a cultural strategist and entrepreneur. He holds a Master’s degree in Anthropology from EHESS (Paris) and MBA from HEC Montreal (Sept 26).
Guillaume brings over 15 years of experience at the intersection of cultural strategy, organizational management, and creative industries. He founded Valeo Arts Management in 2017, where he represented internationally acclaimed artists including A Tribe Called Red / The Halluci Nation, Jean-Michel Blais, Jeremy Dutcher, managing strategic business development, partnerships and operations.
His anthropological training informs a distinctive approach to management and research that centers cultural context, stakeholder perspectives, and systemic understanding. At Beyond Research, Guillaume leads client engagement, strategic partnerships, and project management, bringing a practitioner’s lens to the firm’s research-driven methodology.