Marc Fares joins Algonquin College as VP, Digital Technologies and Innovation

Brand new role, first-of-its-kind in Ontario higher education, will help Algonquin College maintain its leadership in digital technology and innovation among Ontario colleges.

(Ottawa, August 4, 2015) Algonquin College’s President believes Ottawa can become Canada’s entrepreneurship capital, and now that vision has its very own postsecondary champion.

Algonquin College announced its first ever Vice President of Digital Technologies and Innovation on Tuesday, a brand new position and the first of its kind within Ottawa postsecondaries and the Ontario college system.

Marc Fares has more than 17 years of experience in digital and corporate strategy, and has a long career of fostering innovation in the private sector. Fares will champion the culture of innovation at Algonquin College and in the broader Ottawa community.

“At Algonquin, we have done much to establish ourselves as the digital college,” says Cheryl Jensen, President of Algonquin College. “But we know that in order for us to continue to have that leading edge, we need to make smart investments in our digital future. I am confident that Marc will help inspire us to be as innovative as we can, and will help us build on our spirit of entrepreneurship.”

Fares joins Algonquin College following a successful career at Cossette Media, at Bell Canada, and at Air Canada, where he was part of the Corporate Strategy team that led the spin-off of Aeroplan as a separate company.

“As our College community moves forward and helps Ottawa become a leader in entrepreneurship and innovation, it is important to me that we have a voice leading the discussion,” says Jensen.

Fares holds his Master of Business Administration from McGill University, and has additional graduate certificates from McGill in tourism management and international business. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from Concordia University.

Fares’ first day on the job will be Monday, September 14, 2015.