Philanthropist-Co-Founder & Co-Chair, de Gaspe Beaubien Foundation & Co-Founder, Business Families Foundationde Gaspé Beaubien Foundation
Nan b de Gaspé Beaubien
Nan Bowles (Nan b) de Gaspé Beaubien is a businesswoman and a pioneer in the advancement of family enterprise. As Co-chair of the de Gaspé Beaubien Family Foundation, she devotes her time to philanthropic endeavours that continue to break new ground supporting enterprising women and enterprising families, public health and environmental causes. An internationally renowned expert on the topic of family enterprise, Nan b is a regular speaker at global conferences and top universities worldwide.
The psychology of business
After pursuing doctoral studies in psychology, Nan b began her career as a psychologist and university lecturer. Her understanding of human dynamics and insight into the psychology of management allowed her to play an important role in the successful operation and growth of Telemedia, the family business.
Viewing family as the oldest associative unit, Nan b has worked tirelessly to build on its power to impact the community at large and the greater social fabric of a nation. In the early ‘90s, Nan b and Philippe founded the Business Families Foundation (BFF), a pioneering non-profit that is devoted to helping family businesses succeed and endure. Nan-b has helped bring together professionals, academics and experienced family entrepreneurs to exchange knowledge and develop a network of regional educational hubs in Canada, the U.S., South America, and Asia sharing her expertise globally.
The de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation
Through the de Gaspé beaubien Foundation Nan-b has devoted time and energy to helping her grandchildren with their project on water preservation on the Great Lakes and across Canada. Using technology to influence Environmental Policy ("AquaHacking") the family Foundation has influenced public policy as well as helping to found 17 entrepreneurial businesses working to solve 10 critical water issues.
She also spends time and energy to studying, improving and promoting the changing role of women in society and business through programs such as women’s Narratives Project at Smith College in Massachusetts and the Women in Entrepreneurial Families Initiative (WEFI)
Nan b also served with several other international or national non-profit organizations, such as the:
• Harvard Business School Board Associates
• Institute for Research on Public Policy
• Canadian Association of Family Enterprise
• Terry Fox Humanitarian Award Committee
• National Centre for Management Research and Development (Women in Management Program)
• Family Firm Institute (FFI Fellow)
• Canadian Council of Children and Youth (President for 4 years)
As a complement to her business and philanthropic roles, Nan b has served as a Director of multinational companies such as the Campbell Soup Company and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts – and she was often the first woman to do so.
Awards
• Order of Canada
• Canadian Business Hall of Fame
• Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame
• Philanthropy Merit Award from the Quebec Chamber of Commerce
• Honorary Doctorate from the University of British Columbia