Mélanie La Couture - Orchestre symphonique de Montréal

Mélanie La Couture is an influential leader who is recognized for her impactful contributions to the cultural and healthcare sectors. As a seasoned and inspiring manager, she boasts an impressive track record with many major organizations. Her natural, committed outlook, innovative vision and bold direction have made her a unifying and rigorous leader in both human and organizational terms.

A graduate of École Polytechnique de Montréal and holder of an MBA from the University of Western Ontario, she distinguished herself through her gifts for strategic analysis and her effective performance record, notably at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Montreal and Deloitte Consulting in Boston. She subsequently began her career in the cultural sector.

After conducting a situational analysis for the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal as part of her MBA, she joined the institution in 2002 as Foundation Director. In 2004, she was promoted to Assistant General Manager and implemented a governance strategy involving the members of the Board of Directors. Her work was rewarded with the Korn/Ferry Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance. She played a central role in the OSM’s growth; from 2007 to 2013, as Chief Operating Officer she contributed to the realization of the Maison symphonique, inaugurated in 2011, to the Orchestra’s outreach and to the institution’s financial consolidation.

In 2013, she accepted the mandate of Executive Director of the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) Foundation. With her team, she increased that institution’s annual gross operating revenues from $13M to $20.5M while maintaining expenditures below 7% of gross revenues. Her strong commitment to the MHI’s success won her an appointment as its President and CEO in 2017, bringing together care, research, prevention and teaching under her direction. Her vision and leadership have enabled the MHI to accelerate its modernization process and assert its role in excellence of care and cutting-edge cardiology research. During the pandemic, her rigorous and compassionate management enabled the MIH to distinguish itself by providing care to a large number of patients, despite the challenges.

In May 2024, Mélanie La Couture returns to the OSM as President CEO, succeeding Madeleine Careau. She is thrilled to collaborate with Music Director Rafael Payare and is dedicated to raising the Orchestra’s profile while strengthening its roots in the community. Moreover, her leadership is supported by a highly capable and dedicated administrative team and exceptional musicians, in close collaboration with board members from the business community. Her experience, multiple talents and dynamic vision enable her to meet the challenges facing major cultural organizations.

Mélanie La Couture is well known for her ability to mobilize talent and instill a culture of excellence within the organizations she leads. Her approach is based on mindful listening, active collaboration and flawless integrity. Her career path clearly reflects her constant quest to innovate and create a lasting positive impact on the environments in which she works.