Our people, our success: Labour market challenges in the industry

Please note that the presentation will be in English only.

For more details on the webinar and Labour Market Research report, please contact the Research team at research@aiacanada.com.

Jean-François Champagne, President and CEO| AIA Canada 

Jean-François (JF) Champagne is the president and chief executive officer of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada), a non-profit organization that is the voice and resource of a $37.8 billion industry with thousands of professional members from coast to coast. Under JF’s leadership, AIA Canada brings together the entire auto care supply and service chain and equips its members with the tools, skills, profile, and knowledge they need to succeed in a fast-paced, competitive landscape.    

Since joining AIA Canada in 2015, JF has focused his efforts on helping guide members and the sector overall on a variety of issues, including electric vehicles (EV), labour sustainability and digital transformation.   

As a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and a technology visionary, JF leads with a focus on ensuring organizations thrive in the digital age. He is a regular speaker at automotive industry and association-management conferences, where he shares his expertise on the integration of technology in strategic planning to help shape better and stronger organizations.   

JF Champagne currently serves as the Chair of the Canadian Automobile Service Information Standard (CASIS) and as a board member of Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) and the Automotive Business School of Canada (ASBC). He is also a representative on the Canadian Automobile Partnership Council (CAPC). 

Alana Baker, Vice President, Government Relations and Research | AIA Canada   

Alana Baker is the vice president of government relations and research at AIA Canada. An accomplished government and public affairs professional, Alana Baker has over 15 years of experience and a proven track record of executing high impact advocacy and public relations campaigns.  

Alana launched her career at a local consultancy firm in 2005, providing public affairs advice to senior association executives across North America. Prior to joining the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada), Alana was with the Hotel Association of Canada where she quickly rose through the ranks from director to vice-president and played a lead role in achieving significant advocacy wins on behalf of the industry.  

Alana’s work on advocacy campaigns has received multiple awards and she is the recipient of the PR News “Top 15 to Watch” award, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the public relations field. Alana has been recently recognized as a Top 100 Lobbyist by The Hill Times in 2022 and 2023.   

Alana currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Government Relations Institute of Canada. 

Dr. Mauricio Zelaya Partner & National Economics Leader | Ernst & Young LLP

Dr. Zelaya is an accomplished economist with extensive experience in econometrics and statistical modelling for both private and public sector clients. He specializes in the economics of innovation, industrial organization, and more generally, the application of economic theory to real business issues. His work in this area spans across numerous industries, from oil & gas, mining to finance, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing.  

Dr. Zelaya has regularly conducted automotive economic research for a number of years. He has led several projects with automotive sector analyses for leading investment promotion agencies, innovation hubs, and associations.