Part 1: In Search of the Elusive Bilingual Executives: Beyond a hope, a prayer, and a dream

In Canada, where English and French are both official languages, bilingualism is not only a valued skill but also a legal obligation for many organizations due to strategic and regulatory requirements. Yet when it comes to the executive ranks, organizations still seem to struggle to find and attract talented, bilingual leaders who can navigate both official languages with ease and lead across cultural lines. Despite decades of policies promoting bilingualism, there remains a gap between demand and supply.

Unilingual English-speaking executives dominate the C-Suite, while bilingual leaders remain underrepresented, especially outside Québec. The result? Missed opportunities, regional disconnects, and a growing credibility gap within leadership teams across both the public and private sectors.

This article tries to narrow that gap.

The Challenge

For over 30 years, our firm has recruited CEOs, senior executives, and Board members to some of the country’s most prominent national and provincial organizations. In most cases, the organizations and the Search Committees have prioritized bilingualism as an important skill.

Searches for these organizations start with a discussion about the key selection criteria. And, invariably, before the Committee agrees on the criteria, someone will ask the question, “Do they need to be bilingual?” which is followed by, “How bilingual do they need to be?” followed by, “Can someone on the team represent us to French communities?”

Part 1 - Coming full circle

Marie-Hélène, can you tell us about your background and what led you to Executive Search?

My path to Executive Search was a bit unexpected. My first passion was linguistics. I completed a bachelor’s degree in language and communications and a Master’s in Linguistics, with a focus on sociolinguistics. I was fascinated by the idea of identifying demographic traits through language. I was intrigued by the idea of getting to know people not by what they say, but by how they say it. I was especially drawn to descriptive linguistics, by opposition to prescriptive linguistics, and the idea of listening closely to people and their communities. I loved it, but I didn’t necessarily see myself making a career out of a highly specialized linguistic issue. After my studies, I worked as a computational linguist on Antidote, a grammar and spelling correction software, which at the time was available in French only. I then moved into advertising, but again, I didn’t feel a strong sense of purpose in the work I was doing. These roles were no longer descriptive, but purely prescriptive, corrective, and it didn’t quite align with my values and interests. I didn’t like to tell people how they should write and speak but rather simply listen to them, get to know them better by the way they express themselves, and theorize what I hear.

That’s when I was approached by a headhunter I knew through mutual contacts. They offered me an opportunity to join their team, and I quickly realized how much I enjoyed it. At first, I didn’t fully grasp how well my background would serve me in this field, but in fact, it would enable me to conduct quasi-scientifically strategic research to find the right person and truly listen to people - their words and the intentions behind them. Plus, my advertising experience would enable me to position roles in a way that was compelling and attractive to candidates and represented the clients well in the market.

I advanced through two different international firms in Québec before joining Boyden, first in Montréal and then in Ottawa. That’s where I started to connect with the Franco-Ontarian communities, and others navigating life in a linguistic minority setting - and when everything started to align: my passion for sociolinguistics and my professional path came together in a way that felt both natural and deeply fulfilling.

What inspired you to specialize in Bilingual Executive Recruitment?

As a Francophone, when I moved to Ontario, I quickly realized how crucial it is to have strong bilingual leaders in a minority setting. This holds true for English speakers in Québec and for French speakers elsewhere in Canada. That move was a turning point for me. I had the opportunity to specialize in recruitment of high-caliber bilingual talent for communities in Québec, Ontario, and all across Canada. I wanted to support, among others, organizations in minority language settings and those that are truly committed to bilingualism and to help communities thrive in the language of their choice. Recruiting strong leaders is the best way to support the long-term sustainability of these organizations — and, in turn, the sustainability of minority communities. I’d now found real meaning in my work.

How difficult has it been to recruit bilingual talent over the years?

Recruiting top bilingual talent is challenging, especially outside of Québec. It takes dedication, continuous effort, and a truly strategic approach. The goal is always to find exceptional bilingual candidates without compromising on other essential qualifications. But with the right combination of strategies, we’ve had great success. My placement rate is close to 100%, and each search comes with its own set of complexities.

In Québec, where French is the majority language, there’s a larger bilingual talent pool since Francophones are often proficient in English. Outside of Québec however, in Ontario and the rest of Canada, the bilingual talent market is much smaller since the proficiency in a second language is not as common with the Anglophone communities. The pool is more limited, but we’ve developed strong strategies to build high-quality Long Lists even in these contexts. It means thinking differently, stepping outside the traditional framework, and even beyond borders. We don’t just look for a “Franco-Ontarian” in Ottawa or “Franco-Manitoban” in Winnipeg for example, we look across the country, and we include any Francophones and Francophiles. Otherwise, we’ll always end up with the same few people at the head of the organizations. Beyond language and background, we’re looking for cultural sensitivity; an understanding of what it means to navigate and grow in a minority setting. Moreover, candidates understand that mobility is often part of the equation if they want to advance their careers in such a context. Relocation is therefore a common reality.

Marie-Hélène Gaudreault, M.A.
Partner, Boyden Ontario Inc.
613 791-6355
mgaudreault@boyden.com