As Made by McGill: the Campaign for Our Third Century leverages the power of philanthropy to build a launching pad for growth at a critical time in McGill’s history, KPMG has stepped up to make a landmark contribution.
“I’m confident that KPMG’s continued generosity will reap dividends as the Made by McGill campaign provides essential support for the efforts of our talented students and researchers into the future,” said Morty Yalovsky, Interim Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Management.
With a joint $500,000 contribution, KPMG in Québec, its partners, and the KPMG Foundation recognize the Made by McGill campaign’s vast potential for impact in both our local and worldwide community. “McGill University is an integral part of Quebec's social and economic fabric, and we are pleased to help create an environment where learning, research, and skills development can flourish and foster the ambitions of our future leaders,” affirmed Benoit Lacoste Bienvenue, BCL/LLB’00, Québec Regional Managing Partner for KPMG in Canada and a member of the International Advisory Board for Desautels.
Launching a new retail summit
In 2018, the Bensadoun School of Retail Management opened its doors with a mandate to educate and empower an interdisciplinary network of students, researchers, and practitioners in the ever-evolving global retail industry. Through its Master of Management in Retailing degree, annual Retail Challenge, and recently unveiled retail innovation lab, the Bensadoun School forges connections between academic and industry leaders in a season of profound transformation.
KPMG’s contribution will build on these initiatives by creating a retail summit that provides a venue for global industry leaders and academics to exchange ideas and best practices related to the most pressing challenges they face.
“We are proud to join forces with a visionary business school in the effort to build a more innovative and resilient retail sector,” said Marie Valcourt, Audit Partner, Retail Leader, Québec Region, KPMG in Canada.
A virtual mini-summit series has already launched, with the first of five annual KPMG retail summits to follow when COVID-19-related restrictions are lifted. “All of us at the Bensadoun School are grateful for organizations like KPMG who recognize the importance of helping the retail industry pivot in response to COVID-19 and other challenges,” said Saibal Ray, Academic Director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management. “With KPMG’s support, we’re more future-ready than we have ever been.”
Expanding opportunity for minority students
In addition to supporting the Bensadoun School of Retail Management, KPMG’s contribution will also fund a new award to expand the realm of possibility for minority students at the Desautels Faculty of Management. For the next five years, the KPMG Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Leadership Award will provide $50,000 to students pursuing a Master of Management in Retailing, a Master of Management in Finance, or a Master of Management in Analytics degree.
As minority students experience the impacts of the pandemic in disproportionate ways, the KPMG EDI Leadership Award will play a role in lessening financial burden so that students can focus on their education. “I truly believe that our contribution will make a significant impact for the next generation of leaders who need our support more than ever to create a better, fairer, and more prosperous world,” said Lacoste Bienvenue, an alumnus of McGill University.
According to Lisa Cohen, Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Desautels, the new award will help the Faculty attract students who would not have otherwise considered a specialized master’s degree. “We’re thrilled to be able to create more opportunities for diversity in our classrooms and programs for the benefit of everyone at Desautels,” Cohen concluded.