On October 7, Kenova brought together nearly 190 guests at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth to mark its 20th anniversary. A festive cocktail reception gathered clients, partners, employees and former colleagues under a theme that captured the spirit of the evening: “Writing the next chapter together.” The occasion was all the more special because it was shared: Kenova celebrated its 20 years alongside Modelcom, which was marking its 30th anniversary.
Marie-Ève Cloutier and Davyna Gatoux address guests under the evening’s theme: “Writing the next chapter together.”
An evening to celebrate trust
For one evening, the Fairmont’s grand ballroom became a gathering place for the entire Kenova community. Familiar faces, long-standing partners and many former colleagues filled the room to join the celebration.
In their remarks, Marie-Ève Cloutier, President, and Davyna Gatoux, Vice-President and Partner, highlighted what brings everyone in the room together: the drive to raise the bar. Beyond the celebration, one message stood out, that of a profession that goes far beyond placement.
“We all share one thing: we all want to raise the bar.” Marie-Ève Cloutier, President
“What becomes even more valuable is our judgment, our critical thinking and our ability to build genuine relationships,” Marie-Ève told a packed room.
Nearly 190 guests gathered at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth to celebrate Kenova’s 20th anniversary.
20 years, more than 30,000 professionals supported
Twenty years can also be measured in encounters. Over these two decades, Kenova has supported more than 30,000 professionals and built lasting relationships with thousands of companies. Many of them were represented in the room that evening.
Davyna Gatoux reminded guests that every career path holds far more than a document: “A résumé tells a career story, but never the whole story or the full potential.” She is living proof: having joined Kenova as a researcher in 2018, she now holds the position of Vice-President and Partner.
For Marie-Ève, that is where true pride lies: “What makes me proudest is seeing what becomes possible when we recognize a person’s talents and give them the right environment to thrive.”
Two firms, one founder
The evening had a special flavour, as Kenova was not celebrating alone. Modelcom, which has offered financial modelling consulting services for 30 years, was blowing out its candles at the same time. The two companies share far more than a date: they share offices, collaborate daily and refer clients to one another. What they have in common is Luc Vincent, founder of both organizations.
“Twenty years is wonderful. But would you believe it, tonight we’ve been upstaged by a 30th!” Marie-Ève said with a smile, before handing the floor to Luca Guevremont, President and CEO of Modelcom.
The leadership teams of Kenova and Modelcom gathered for the occasion.
Writing the next chapter together
While the evening celebrated the road travelled, it also looked ahead. Kenova recently expanded its expertise to IT recruitment with Maxime Alexandre, as well as to strategic finance and fractional CFO services with Claudia Aguilar. These are clear signs that the firm intends to keep supporting its clients wherever their needs evolve. To learn more about this new direction and the vision for the years ahead, read our interview with Marie-Ève Cloutier.
At its core, however, the evening was about something else: people. “Behind all of this, above all, are the people who move Kenova forward,” Marie-Ève said, thanking the team, former colleagues, clients, partners and candidates.
The Kenova team gathered to celebrate the firm’s 20th anniversary.
Twenty years later, Kenova’s message comes down to the phrase that lit up the stage all evening: writing the next chapter together. Thank you to everyone who made this celebration such a warm and memorable moment.
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