Quantum Industry Canada (QIC), a non-profit group advocating for Canada’s quantum technology sector, has appointed Lisa Lambert as its first-ever CEO.
Lambert’s appointment marks QIC’s first major move since receiving $1.4 million as part of the federal government’s $360-million National Quantum Strategy. Unveiled in January, the strategy is aimed to support the growth of Canada’s quantum science and technology ecosystem.
QIC was formed in October 2020 by a consortium of 24 quantum-invested companies also looking to suppport the growth of the sector. Its founding members included 1QBit, Xanadu, and D-Wave, which recently moved its executive offices out of Canada to the United States.
According to a statement from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, QIC will connect Canadian businesses with international strategic partners that deal in quantum computing in order to attract investments to Canada, deploy quantum technologies, and develop international standards in quantum computing.
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According to Lambert’s LinkedIn, her past experience includes managing external relations and public affairs at the Perimeter Institute, a theoretical physics research centre, from 2010 to 2015, following which she led strategic communications and educational outreach at TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator centre, until 2019.
Since then, Lambert has acted as a business coach for various organizations while simultaneously working as the head of learning at EdTech platform Disco, before leaving that position in May.
“[Lambert’s] leadership will be invaluable in guiding QIC’s strategic direction, representing our members’ interests, and accelerating our impact in this dynamic field,” said Michele Mosca, co-founder of EvolutionQ and QIC’s Board Chair.
In January, QIC signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the International Council of Quantum Industry Associations. The council brought together quantum-industry organizations like QIC from the US, Japan, and Europe.
Image courtesy Quantum Industry Canada