MIF Lunch & Learn 16: Making a killer pitch that sticks
One of the fundamental activities of the entrepreneurial journey is the business pitch. But often academics struggle at condensing years of research into a succinct version that is capable of convincing investors. In this Lunch & Learn, we will learn about the need for a pitch, why winding it into a story works best and the role of formulas for key elements.
George Gicopoulos is a native of Montreal with degrees in science and business from McGill – He’s also fluent in English, French and Greek. George spent over 30 years as an executive with pharma multinationals like Merck, GSK and Novartis where he led global cross functional teams. He also gained expertise in strategic portfolio and business unit development and implementation, general management as well as marketing and sales. 5 years ago George founded The Gicopoulos Group, which channels all of that expertise to provide bespoke business transformations and strategically turn around businesses that hit a revenue plateau or decline.
Johanne Pelletier is the Director, Public Engagement (Communications) at Concordia University. She is also a master storyteller, and has coached scientists, academics and startups through the incubator ecosystem. Her career has included senior positions in governance operations and communications, cultural and information management - including private consulting work in the public and private sector in Canada and the United States. She is a graduate of the Rotman School of Management Directors' Education program and a certified corporate director (ICD.D/IAS.S) with the Institute of Corporate Directors.