AI Pushes Deloitte to Redefine Roles and Rethink Career Paths
As Deloitte rewrites job titles for more than 180,000 U.S. employees, Simon Blanchette, a lecturer at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, says the shift reflects broader pressures facing Canadian employers as AI transforms workplace responsibilities.
IMHL leadership featured at the launch of McGill’s PERL event
McGill celebrated an exciting milestone with the launch of the Pandemic and Emergency Readiness Lab (PERL), a bold new initiative led by Dr. Joanne Liu (IMHL’14) that aims to transform how we prepare for future global health challenges. Designed to bring world‑class science and leadership together, PERL is accelerating innovation in crisis readiness—from pandemics and climate‑driven emergencies to the growing threat of disinformation.
Canadian employers risk 'doing layoffs with extra steps' without AI workforce planning
Simon Blanchette, Faculty Lecturer, says Canadian organizations implementing AI without strategic workforce planning are doing layoffs with extra steps, because they're losing expertise, and they're not really planning for what's going to come after.
Professor Augustin advocates for stronger communication in banking risk management
Professor Patrick Augustin addressed the critical gap between technical risk analysis and executive decision-making at the ALRiM-GARP Banking Risks Conference in Luxembourg in January. Speaking alongside regulators and industry leaders, Augustin argued that risk managers must develop strong communication skills to translate complex metrics into actionable insights for boards and senior leadership.
Replacing entry-level work can decimate a company’s talent pipeline
In an office environment, AI can perform many of the tasks that have traditionally been done by interns and junior employees. While that might seem like an efficiency gain, companies could lose out in the long run. The introduction of AI creates an inverse-pyramid within companies, according to Simon Blanchette, a management lecturer at McGill Desautels.
Chinese electric vehicles could make up 10% of sales, pressuring current market leaders to lower prices
In January, trade relations between Canada and China began to thaw, when the two countries reached an agreement on several longstanding trade irritants.
Canada committed to lowing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles from 100% to 6.1% for 49,000 units annually, while China agreed to reduce tariffs on canola, seafood and peas, unlocking billions in agricultural exports.
Resurfacing online ‘challenge’ linked to surge in lug nut incidents
A surge of reports about loosened lug nuts on vehicles across Quebec has raised alarm among drivers and authorities, with some linking the dangerous trend to a resurfacing social mediamedia “lug nut challenge.” Emmanuelle Vaast, professor of information systems at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, warns that even minimally viral trends can become dangerous.
Employers are more open to negotiating employment terms than Canadians assume
Relatively few job candidates negotiate the terms of their employment, often because they fear losing the offer. Yet surveys show recruiters are open to negotiation, and it is rare for employers to withdraw an offer because a candidate attempted to negotiate.
Olympic champion and entrepreneur Jennifer Heil prepares for her next leadership challenge
Olympic champion and entrepreneur Jennifer Heil, BCom’13, is stepping into a pivotal new role as Canada’s chef de mission for the 2026 Winter Games. Drawing on her experiences as a gold medallist and CEO in the women’s health space, she’s focused on helping athletes handle the pressures of performing on the world’s biggest stage.
Deloitte Fondstag highlights urgent need for pension reform across Europe
As Europe confronts structural challenges in its pension systems, industry leaders gathered at Deloitte Luxembourg’s 25th Deutscher Fondstag to assess the role of the fund sector in strengthening longterm retirement security. Professor Patrick Augustin of McGill University offered a datadriven lens on the issue, presenting findings from ALFI’s study Europe’s Productive Capital Gap.
Proposed tariffs could deepen North American economic strain
Amid rising economic tensions between the U.S. and Canada, Assistant Professor Preetika Joshi warns that President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs could trigger far‑reaching consequences on both sides of the border. Joshi notes that while the move is framed as a deterrent against Canada serving as a conduit for Chinese goods, the economic damage would not be one‑sided.
Experts: Digital sovereignty
The French government announced on Jan. 27 the rollout of its new videoconferencing platform, Visio. The domestically developed platform was created to replace U.S. tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams across all state services by 2027 as part of the French government’s broader push for digital sovereignty. Officials say the shift will also cut software licensing costs and strengthen security and confidentiality.
McGill experts are available to comment on this topic:
The rise of mental fitness: How leaders can thrive under pressure
Karl Moore, Associate Professor (Prof.) of Strategy & Organization at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, argues that mental fitness is rapidly becoming a core leadership advantage. In his recent article, he highlights that leaders who are wellrested, physically prepared, and mentally regulated make clearer decisions and perform more effectively under pressure.
European sell-off of US treasuries could trigger global economic crisis
As US President Donald Trump threatened to take control of Greenland by any means necessary, European countries weighed a response. After decades of low levels of investment in their militaries, Europeans wouldn’t fare well in a head-to-head confrontation with an invading force from the United States.
Overregulation of AI could stifle the potential of the technology
Generative AI is changing the way people work, but many organizations are still looking for ways to use it effectively. Organizations need to think about how they want to use AI, and what their level of risk appetite.
