Press Releases

Dr. Karim Zaghib Appointed as a Strategic Advisor at Investissement Québec

Montréal, June19, 2020 – Investissement Québec (IQ) is happy to announce that Dr. Karim Zaghib, a researcher who is internationally renowned for his work on battery materials, has been appointed as a strategic advisor to the Management Committee.

Photo of Dr Karim Zaghib

After 25 years at Hydro-Québec, where he contributed to the company’s reputation with the scientific and business communities, Dr. Zaghib has agreed to join IQ in order to capitalize on his expertise and help position Québec as a leader in battery materials and energy storage.

As a strategic advisor to the Management Committee, he will support IQ’s strategy to develop the lithium sector, ranging from ore extraction to battery production and recycling, with the aim of making Québec a leader in electric vehicles. .

A pioneer

Dr. Zaghib started work at Hydro-Québec in 1995; he joined Hydro-Québec’s research institute, where he initiated the company’s work on lithium-ion batteries, which is now known worldwide. He is associated with more than 550 patents and 60 licences, and has authored or co-authored over 420 articles and 22 monographs.

Since 2017, he has headed up Hydro-Québec’s Center of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage (CETEES).

A world-renowned scientist

In fall 2019, Dr. Zaghib was granted the Lionel-Boulet Award, the highest distinction awarded by the Québec government in the field of research and development in the industrial sector. He has appeared on Clarivate Analytics’ list of The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds three times, in 2015, 2016 and 2017. This distinction is awarded to scientists who have an exceptional impact on their field of research – in other words, those who are cited most by their peers. Dr. Zaghib has also received more than ten other awards and distinctions.

“Québec has all the ores needed to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles. This market, which is growing fast worldwide, represents a huge opportunity for Québec exports. We have everything we need to build a complete lithium value chain and become a world leader. And it was to develop this potential that Dr. Zaghib joined us, after dedicating 30 years to fostering the adoption of electric vehicles across the planet. We’re delighted to welcome him.”

Guy LeBlanc, Chief Executive Officer, Investissement Québec

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