Mr. Michel Perron Appointed Vice-President, External Affairs and Business Development at CIHR

OTTAWA, July 10, 2014 /CNW/ - Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Michel Perron to the position of Vice-President, External Affairs and Business Development effective Tuesday, September 2, 2014.

Since 1999, Mr. Perron has served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) where he championed a national, collaborative approach to preventing and addressing the impacts of substance abuse. Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Perron spearheaded the creation of a national action plan on substance abuse and initiated the development and implementation of national strategies to address such issues as prescription drug and alcohol abuse. Under his leadership, CCSA also produced internationally recognized standards aimed at preventing youth substance abuse. In addition to his role as CEO of CCSA, Mr. Perron also chaired the Vienna Non-Governmental Organization Committee on Drugs, which brings together not-for-profit organizations involved in drug policy, strategy and control, in order to provide a common civil society voice in advising the United Nations on international drug policy. Mr. Perron is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg and of the Harvard Business School. 

In the position of Vice-President, External Affairs and Business Development, Mr. Perron will provide CIHR with leadership on all matters related to political and strategic relations, partnerships, communications and public mobilization. In this role, he will also ensure that CIHR's strategic partnerships and relations with various stakeholders promote the advancement of health research in Canada and maximize its impact. Finally, as a member of Science Council, he will participate in defining and managing the organization's strategic directions.

Quick Facts

• The Government of Canada is the country's single largest investor in health innovation – primarily through grants funded through CIHR.
• Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,200 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

Quotes

"I am delighted that Mr. Perron has accepted to join the CIHR leadership team. I have no doubt that the exceptional leadership, highly collaborative spirit and transformative vision that he has demonstrated during his tenure at the CCSA will be tremendous assets for our organization.

Dr. Alain Beaudet
President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research

"I am very pleased to join CIHR and bring my expertise to the outstanding work and scientific excellence generated by the leadership team, its 13 Institutes and thousands of researchers. Collaboration and partnerships are central to CIHR's success and I look forward to supporting and maximizing the impact of this collective work to improve the health of all Canadians."

Michel Perron

Associated Link

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,200 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

Image with caption: "Michel Perron. (CNW Group/Canadian Institutes of Health Research)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140710_C1980_PHOTO_EN_4217.jpg

SOURCE: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

David Coulombe, Media Relations, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 613-941-4563, [email protected]