geneviève bich started her career in Bell as a law student. She later rose through the ranks and became vice president of this telecommunications giant for almost a decade. Until the “changing of the guards” at Bell, she served as strategic adviser to Michael Sabia, former president and CEO of the company.
With her orange-like mane and her high fashion clothes topped by a denim vest, geneviève bich left a significant mark wherever she went – particularly in the higher echelons of Bell, where the traditional shirt and tie was de rigueur.
Known by her friends and colleagues as someone special and unusual, this influential and super-active lady is aware that she is different and accepts it fully. “I am a free spirit who works hard to be recognised. When I was younger, I had to engage in intellectual debates so people will come to know my worth”, she explained.
More experienced today, she realises that she prefers to exert an influence over people she wants to convince. “I now consider myself living in a situation where there are concentric circles; in a milieu where I am surrounded by talented people who are free to express their creativity.” As a widely-recognised leader, her competence is clear to all.
When she was 13, she gave in to peer influence and decided to change her name by writing it in small letters, thus: geneviève bich. With a small g and a small b.
However, this desire to follow the herd immediately changed into a movement characterised by a mini-revolt. “When the others stopped the practice, I decided to continue with it. This stubbornness caused me to systematically lose two points in each of my homework papers; this went on until my fifth year in high school.” It was this confrontation with school authorities that moulded her personality. From that time on, she already knew that her originality would distinguish her from others. “I knew that I won the battle when people I did not know began to write my name in small letters. Because people were curious, they started to pay attention to me.” Her name is now her business trademark, evident in her business card. She is determined to write her name this way until she dies.
Part of her success comes from her ability to identify and seize opportunities and to take calculated risks. More particularly, she does not give up when she meets obstacles.
Her biggest battle was when she applied for the position of director in labour relations in Toronto. “The recruiter was afraid to hire me. She feared she would be reprimanded for hiring a young Francophone lady.”
Disappointed, she consulted her mentors and challenged the recruiter’s decisions. After some pussyfooting, she finally got the position and moved to Toronto with a hub dust cap. “From one day to the next, I left my entire network to satisfy my thirst for learning.”
This difficult incident made her realise how important her mentors were. “During critical points in my professional life, I surrounded myself with key people who provided the advice and support I needed.”
A woman who enjoys intellectual pursuits and challenges, geneviève bich does not apply the brakes so she can continue her ascension. Known for her good judgment and frank opinions, her leadership style is much sought after.
After a year, she returned to Montreal to re-establish her roots. Briefly thereafter, she landed the prestigious position of vice president and chief of the legal department. She was only 33 years old at that time.
One promotion led to another and she became vice president for labour relations and human resources. That’s quite an achievement especially for a woman in Canada. And that was certainly a first in Bell.
She continues on the path she has chosen and does not cease to demonstrate her remarkable traits. She reached the top in no time and became vice president in the executive offices of Michael Sabia. The orange-haired lady finally made it to the zenith of her career.
While serving in a strategically executive position, she decided to take on another kind of career – that of becoming a mother. In her glorious 40s, she gave birth – at an interval of 17 months – to two wonderful girls, Aude-Gabrielle and McKinley.
In spite of a very demanding position, she managed to strike a balance. “To me, juggling work and family is a personal matter; it changes as one goes through the different stages of life. I opted to have a smaller house so I could be a stone’s throw away from my office.”
Fortunately, her work hours suited her enabling her to adapt easily. “I had the chance to connect online from my home at night when my girls were asleep. This way I could watch them grow up.” She did not hesitate to take her daughters to work if it was necessary. Her office would show signs of her daughters’ visit: a small children’s sofa with pictures of Mickey Mouse strewn about on the floor graced her large office looking over downtown Montreal. “I’m happy that this sofa stirs the curiosity of people, it facilitates discussions.”
Generous with her time and expertise, geneviève bich is committed to numerous community organisations, some of which are the Women’s Y, the centre de la petite enfance 1250 inc. and the Douglas Hospital Foundation in Verdun.
She is particularly committed to the Foundation because of relationships she nurtured with the institution. “When I was studying Psychology, the Douglas Hospital gave me my first break. They allowed me to do my stage (apprenticeship) for six months and then they hired me afterward. I learned a great deal from this experience and 20 years later, I am happy to be able to give back to the Douglas Hospital after receiving so much from them.”
She believes firmly in “paying it forward” and demonstrates this belief by raising funds to improve the services to patients, to de-mystify the concept of mental health to the public and to promote research. “It’s amazing to see how these funds make a difference in the lives of people.”
If you wish to help the Douglas Hospital’s mission, you can make your contribution online by visiting the web site of CanaDon.org; you can also contribute by calling (514) 761-6131 (extension 2764).
