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Éric Gaudet

Senior PartnerMontréal

Advises companies on business transformations, adapting operating models, management systems, structures, and performance-management systems to unlock potential and create strategically aligned cultures

Working across industries, Éric advises executives as they pursue fundamental business transformations. An established leader in our People & Organizational Performance Practice, he focuses on adapting a company’s operating model, management system, and structure to unlock performance potential. Eric is also a leader within the Implementation Practice and with expertise in major change programs, he lays the groundwork for an organizational culture that will support the successful pursuit of strategic objectives.

As part of this work, Éric often also leads multiple operational improvement programs across networks of plants and facilities, including deploying lean manufacturing, lean engineering, and manufacturing footprint redesign. Accordingly, many of his clients are in sectors such as aerospace, basic materials, and retail, with multilocation operations. The combined emphasis on operational performance and cultural transformation often results in significant cost reduction, optimized sales pricing strategies, and overall improved financial performance.

Examples of his recent client work include the following:

  • leading a global metals and mining organization through an operating model redesign effort, reducing costs by $1 billion in just over 18 months
  • guiding a digital transformation for an aerospace company that enabled a new stream of growth, including setting up a new organization, developing new competencies, and delivering new digital solutions for customers
  • orchestrating an operational and cultural transformation for a major aerospace manufacturer, including lean engineering, manufacturing-footprint redesign, and after-sales pricing strategy—resulting in stronger margins
  • designing a strategic growth plan for a leading retailer headquartered in Quebec, addressing store format and deployment, banner repositioning, capital productivity, and margin improvement

In his advisory work, Éric brings to bear hands-on executive experience. In 2016, he rejoined McKinsey after a 3-year interim role as the chief business transformation officer at a leading global tire and track manufacturing company, where he directed extensive business and operational transformations.

Éric has been a frequent speaker at finance and energy conferences. He is on the faculty of the McKinsey Academy Talent Leaders Forum. He speaks both English and French.

Published work

Investing in Canada’s future: How to get capital spending right,” McKinsey & Company, May 2023

Past experience

Camoplast Solideal
Chief administrative officer and chief transformation officer

Bombardier
Manager, strategic planning and business development

Stikeman & Elliot
Lawyer

Education

École des Hautes Études Commerciales
MBA

Université de Sherbrooke
LLB, member of the Bar of Québec