Canadian Biomass Magazine

Drax hires new business development leaders in Quebec

March 10, 2023
By Drax

New business development leaders will help company identify growth opportunities in region, Drax said.

Photo: Pinnacle Renewable Energy (Drax).

Drax has hired Raphael Duquette and Patricia Lamie to help lead growth opportunities and develop relationships with potential joint-venture and business partners in the Quebec region.

The new hires align to Drax’s continued growth strategy for developing a pipeline of projects that support their continued expansion plans and will allow for increasing the safe production of wood pellets in eastern Canada and the northeastern region of the United States.

Duquette most recently served as manager leading the development of the renewable and low-carbon gas market for Énergir, the main gas utility in Quebec. Duquette is a chemical engineer degree with an MBA degree and brings over 15 years of experience working in project management and business development roles for renewable energy companies and engineering consultancies. Experienced negotiator, he has been actively involved in expanding the renewable energy sector in Canada by effectively closing energy supply agreement and playing a pivotal role in regulation modernization. Duquette’s experience includes managing a portfolio of greenfield projects for bioenergy and waste management ranging from $15 million to $200 million.

“Raphael’s impressive background will not only help us in for sourcing and developing opportunities for growth projects ties, but also liaising with municipal, provincial and federal governmental bodies,” said Andrea Johnston, senior vice-president of capital development for Drax.

Advertisement

Both Duquette and Lamie will focus on developing opportunities for growth projects, developing relationships with potential joint-venture and business partners and provide support during the negotiation and completion of contracts for business development activities.

“The plans Drax has to expand its wood pellet business while advancing low carbon projects is very exciting and shows their commitment to being a leader in the forestry industry,” said Duquette. “To play a part in generating new jobs and career opportunities for local Quebec residents makes this position even more rewarding.”

Lamie, who previously served in project manager roles for Norda Stelo and KSH Solutions, brings more than 25 years of experience in operational and capital project execution experience globally within the forest products, energy, biorefinery and chemical industries. She also has substantial manufacturing and process background gained from technical and operational leadership roles in Kraft, BCTMP and Coated Paperboard mills in eastern Canada. Lamie is currently board member of Bioindustrial Innovation Canada and participates on the Investment Management Committee and Governance Committee.

“Patricia’s experience and success in both greenfield and brownfield project development will add great depth and expand the capabilities of our team,” said Johnston.

As a strong advocate for the sustainability of the bioeconomy, Lamie will continue her support of the forest sector transitioning towards a more sustainable future.

“Drax’s strategy and their commitment to expansion really impressed me and clearly points to how exciting the prospects ahead are for the region,” said Lamie.

In western Canada, Drax operates nine plants in British Columbia and Alberta and that have an annual production capacity of over 2.2 million tons of pellets. The plants are in highly concentrated forest products regions near large networks of fibre suppliers.


Print this page

Advertisement

Stories continue below