GFT Canada accelerates growth and announces André Gagné as new President and CEO

Québec City, January 11, 2022 - GFT Canada continues to grow and announces the appointment of André Gagné as head of the company. He succeeds Alain Lamothe as President and CEO since January 1, 2022. With 25 years IT industry experience, including nine years with GFT Canada, Mr. Gagné offers all the skills needed to continue the development of GFT Canada and strengthen its presence across the country.

GFT clients can rely on an experienced leader

André Gagné joined the company in 2013 as a solution architect and has a long and successful track record. He quickly progressed to the management team and then became Vice President of the Development Center.
 

CEO of the global GFT Group, Marika Lulay, emphasized: "We want our clients to be confident that they have exceptional transformation partners at their side. Mr. Gagné is indeed a proven leader and I am delighted we make this appointment from within our own organisation."
 

 Among his major accomplishments are

• his contribution to the realization of large-scale projects for major insurers,
• the establishment of GFT Canada's insurance center of excellence and
• his contribution to the company's international reputation.

A team dedicated to a clear growth trajectory

GFT Canada has been growing at an annual rate of over 20 percent for the past 11 years. In particular, Mr. Gagné wishes to take advantage of the accelerating digital shift in the financial sector to consolidate GFT Canada's presence with large insurance firms. Another focus is to conquer the Canadian banking sector.

To achieve his goals, the CEO intends to rely on a team of 600 professionals located in Quebec City, Toronto and Montreal. He can also count on the strength of the GFT Group, which develops sustainable solutions across new technologies – from cloud engineering and artificial intelligence to Blockchain/DLT. GFT Canada also has access to the latest technological innovations to support its clients through its Centers of Excellence in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Quebec.

Accelerating the digital shift: a tremendous development opportunity

Looking to the future, André Gagné is confident that the factors for success are in place to continue GFT Canada's growth.
 

 "Although the digital shift is already well underway in the insurance and banking sectors, the pandemic has reinforced the need to accelerate it. More than ever, digital transformation is a development driver in these sectors, which are now turning to cutting-edge technologies and disruptive innovations such as artificial intelligence," says André Gagné, President and CEO of GFT Canada.

Technology expertise in demand

Over the past two years, GFT Canada has seen a marked increase in the demand for consulting services for the digital transformation of financial services. From the upgrading of IT platforms by institutions to the streamlining and automation of business processes. This trend is confirmed by a Forrester Consulting study*, which found that

• 68% of Canadian companies say they have accelerated their digital strategy and
• 57% have increased their digital transformation budget.

As with all transformations, it is crucial that they be well managed. Competent partners are therefore essential to ensure that the journey to the digital world is smooth and successful. This is where specialized firms, like GFT, come into their own by offering in-depth expertise in all phases of complex digital transformation projects in the banking and insurance sector.

"With the expertise of our teams in Quebec City, Montreal and Toronto, professionals who are passionate about innovation and technology, GFT Canada is well equipped to help its clients transform their organizations to take full advantage of new technologies. The world is speeding up, and so are digital transformations. The new leadership of GFT Canada intends to do everything in its power to help its current and future clients remain or become leaders in their field," concludes the new CEO of GFT Canada.

* Study conduced in Canada by Forrester Consulting in July 2020