Sovereign digital infrastructure is a matter of national security.

President & Co-founder

Paul Allard

CEO, Persevere Consulting Inc.

Paul is a serial entrepreneur specializing in data governance and sovereign AI, with over 20 years of experience in sustainability, sustainable finance, ESG and impact investing. As CEO of Persevere Consulting, he advises governments and multinational organizations on operationalizing digital sovereignty. He leads the development of SOVERENTIA™, the sovereign AI governance platform. Formerly CEO of impak Analytics, he sits on the board of directors of Caisse du Plateau Montroyal and the mission committee of Banque Wormser Frères. Paul holds an MBA in Finance from HEC Montréal.

Vice-president

Marc Laporte

EvoluData · WikiSuite

Marc Laporte is a recognized Quebec social entrepreneur with expertise in open source software, wikis and collaborative solutions. For over two decades, he has worked to democratize access to powerful digital tools and promote technological sovereignty for organizations. In 1999, he founded EvoluData.com, a pioneering company helping organizations transition to Open Source solutions, reducing costs while gaining autonomy and security. In 2011, he launched WikiSuite.org, an ambitious project building an integrated suite of open source software to meet the complete needs of modern organizations. A recognized thought leader in the Open Source community, he actively advocates for open technology adoption and a more ethical, sustainable and equitable digital future.

Treasurer

Benoit Martel

R2i

President, co-founder and sole shareholder of R2i, a Canadian company specializing in IT and cloud infrastructure, Benoit Martel leads more than 70 experts in Montreal and Toronto.

Secretary

Véronik Aubry

A data governance and technology transformation professional, Véronik Aubry works at the intersection of strategy, operations and digital sovereignty. She helps organizations implement data management frameworks.

Director

Pierre-Philippe Côté

ORIO Cloud

Pierre-Philippe Côté, known as Pilou, is a Quebec entrepreneur and composer from Val-des-Sources who has been active for over twenty years in film, television and video game music. Trained in classical double bass in Montreal and Toronto, he has collaborated with artists such as Jorane, Elisapie and Ariane Moffatt, and achieved international success with 'Alive Again' (DJ Champion). Committed to Quebec cultural sovereignty, he co-founded BEAM, created Studio Le Nid and Birdhouse Publishing. In 2025, he launched ORIO, a technology initiative offering sovereign and eco-responsible cloud infrastructure for creative industries and Canadian businesses. He also develops the 1606 and BTU projects, combining real estate, heritage and energy innovation.

Director

Florian Brobst

CORPIQ · gouvernance.ai

CTO of CORPIQ and founder of gouvernance.ai, Florian Brobst has over 25 years of experience in cloud architecture, sovereign hosting, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

Director

Geneviève Fabio

Geneviève Fabio works in data governance, technology transformation and strategic advisory. She has hands-on experience implementing management frameworks and digital transformation.

Director

Zoé Feger

Axelia (Axelys)

An engineer, project director and product owner at Axelia (Axelys), Zoé Feger has led projects in digital transformation, sovereign AI, technology innovation and intellectual property commercialization.

Director

Edith-Anne Murray

Aude Inc.

President and founder of Aude Inc., a firm specializing in AI governance and responsible adoption, Edith-Anne Murray has experience in the federal public service, compliance, college teaching and board governance.

Director

Bahador A. Zabihiyan

Mantle Technology

Vice-president and shareholder of Mantle Technology, Bahador A. Zabihiyan works across digital infrastructure, data centres, government affairs, media relations and regulatory issues.

Executive Director

Gilbert Ouellette

Gilbert Ouellette is a recognized leader in the media, technology and creative industries, with over 30 years of experience in strategic development and governance. He distinguished himself in the management of business associations, notably as Executive Director of the Association des producteurs en multimédia du Québec. He also led the Regroupement des producteurs multimédia and held key roles in sectoral organizations, including Xn Québec. As an entrepreneur and consultant, he led Groupe Évolumédia and RADAR services médias, supporting numerous organizations in their growth and strategic positioning. He developed expertise in business intelligence and strategic research focused on the evolution of digital media, artificial intelligence and related fields. As Executive Director of Données Souveraines Québec, he now mobilizes economic stakeholders around the issues of data sovereignty and value creation.