Montreal, August 26, 2009— The Honourable Arthur T. Porter announced today the appointment of Helen Antoniou as the Associate Director General, Public Affairs and Strategic Planning of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). A lawyer with a background in healthcare and extensive private sector experience, Ms. Antoniou will assume her new functions on September 14.
"With the ongoing renovations to our Mountain Campus, the upcoming start of construction on the Glen and our significant investment in the Lachine Campus, we are in the process of changing the face of Montreal," stated Dr. Porter. "A key to the success of a societal project of this magnitude is the setting up of an effective two-way dialogue with internal and external stakeholders, from our team of more than 10,000 staff and professionals to government officials and all citizens. Her academic and work experience demonstrates that Helen has the strategic and communications skills to be an effective member of our management team and to help us meet the challenges ahead. We are delighted to have her on board."
"I am excited about joining the MUHC team and contributing to the further development of an institution that plays such an important role in Montreal, Quebec and Canada, and that is known world-wide for its excellence in patient care, teaching and research," explained Ms. Antoniou. "Healthcare is evolving at a rapid pace, and I look forward to contributing to the strategic planning process and helping to build bridges with stakeholders both inside and outside the MUHC."
Ms. Antoniou will report to Dr. Porter and be a member of the MUHC’s senior management team. In this newly created position, she will assume responsibility for the MUHC’s public relations and communications as well as strategic planning and government relations. Ms. Antoniou joins the MUHC from Bombardier Aerospace where she was Director, Strategy and Business Development for the past four years. Before joining Bombardier, she had previously worked for Pfizer Canada and for National Public Relations in Montreal and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young in Paris, where her primary focus was on the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.
Ms. Antoniou holds a Masters of Public Health from Harvard University and a Masters in International Commercial Law from the University of Paris. She has Bachelors in Civil and Common Law (B.C.L. and L.L.B.) from McGill University where she was editor of the Law Journal.
The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. Its partner hospitals are the Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital. The goal of the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the health care field and to contribute to the development of new knowledge.
www.muhc.ca 