France Margaret joined the organization in 2013 as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, having gained extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions during her 18 years at Stikeman Elliott. In 2014, France Margaret was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. In January 2017, she became Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, when her responsibilities expanded to include leading the commercial strategy for the hockey sector. In May 2020, she took over as head of the entertainment division, while continuing to oversee legal and public affairs and community relations.

France Margaret is the first woman in the 104-year history of the Montreal Canadiens to sit on the Executive Committee. She also serves as the NHL’s Alternate Governor for the Montreal Canadiens alongside Geoff Molson. In 2020, she was selected by Commissioner Gary Bettman to serve on the NHL’s Executive Inclusion Council.

Before joining the Canadian Hockey Club, France Margaret was a commercial law partner at Stikeman Elliott, a law firm where she began her career in 1995. Specialising in mergers and acquisitions, she represented, among other things, the interests of the Gillett Group in the sale process of the Canadiens and the Bell Centre in 2009. She also represented the interests of the Saputo family on the occasion of the arrival of the Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer (MLS).

France Margaret has developed expertise in the aviation sector and represents, among others, the interests of ACE Aviation, Air Canada and ACTS in numerous transactions.

Ms. Bélanger’s expertise has been recognized numerous times and she was named a renowned lawyer in the areas of corporate law and mergers and acquisitions by The Best Lawyer in Canada 2013 and The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory in 2011, 2012 and 2013. She was also recognized by Lexpert Magazine as one of Canada’s 40 Rising Stars: Leading Lawyer Under 40.

In November 1995, Margaret was admitted to the Quebec Bar and studied at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, where she graduated with the highest honors (Cum Laude). She also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the EMBA McGill – HEC Montréal program.

France Margaret is the recipient of the Order of Merit of the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Civil Law (2015) and the Desautels Management Achievement Award of McGill University (2019).