April 18, 2013 (Montreal, QC) – Premier Pauline Marois has named businessman Pierre Karl Peladeau to chair Hydro Quebec, the province’s electricity utility, for a five -year term starting May 15. Peladeau is thus stepping away from day-to-day operations at Quebecor, the parent company of Sun Media and Quebecor Media Inc (QMI) Agency, where he has served as president for 14 years. However, he remains Quebecor’s biggest shareholder. His father, Pierre Peladeau, founded Quebecor in 1950.

Peladeau is known as a cyclist and as a financial backer of cycling. Quebecor is one of the title sponsors of the Garneau-Quebecor UCI continental men’s road team that recently won first and second place at the Tour of the Battenkill. Quebecor is also an official media partner of La Québécoise and La Montréalaise cyclosportive events organized around the GP Cycliste Quebec and Montreal WorldTour races in September. The company also sponsors the Granfondo Garneau-Cascades between Quebec City and Trois Rivieres in August.

Peladeau, 51, holds degrees in philosophy and in law. He not only gives corporate support to cycling, but joined Ironman Pierre Lavoie for 410km of a 1,000km charity ride over 72 hours in June, 2012 and apparently is in pretty good shape.

Peladeau joining 2012 charity ride: article HERE.

Peladeau to Hydro Quebec: article HERE.

GPCQM cyclosportives (Sept 12 & 14, 2013): article HERE.

Granfondo Garneau-Cascades (August 11, 2013): article HERE.

Pierre Lavoie 1,000km charity ride (June 14-16, 2013): article HERE.