Dr Michel de Blois

Ph.D, M.Sc.A DESCO, B.es Arts, BA

Assistant Professor: Product Design
School of Design
Université Laval
Research Expertise
Design Management, Product Design, Entrepreneurship, Strategic Design
Biography
Dr Michel de Blois earned his Ph.D (Built Environment) at the University of Montreal. His research interests focus on innovation / entrepreneurship and unfold at the intersection between design, management, design thinking, systemic approaches and organizational dynamic. He has presented over twenty communications and published in books and international journals. Prior to his academic career, Michel founded five businesses and cumulated 20 years of experience in various creative industries as a designer/entrepreneur, manufacturer, metalsmith artisan, project manager and strategic design consultant. He received numerous awards for his creative work in high end furniture and interior design as well as for construction projects in the hospitality sector. His business skills include: business plans, financing and budgeting, legal affairs, copyrights, operations and production management, human resource management, research and development.
He is currently Assistant Professor at the School of Design at Université Laval, in Quebec City. He is a key actor in the deployment of the new product design program which focuses on a design-led entrepreneurship approach. He co-chairs the Startup Fuze program, an intensive 4 weeks summer international experience oriented towards design-led startups and social innovation. He also taught at the University of Montréal: Master Program in Architectural project management, Industrial Design as well as Interior Design. He is a member of the IF Research group in project management and collaborates with other Institutions in Canada, the US, Scandinavia and France.
Industry Experience
  • Sépaq (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec)
  • Cirque du Soleil
  • Franco Dragone
  • Ivanhoé Cambridge
  • Excentris Softimage
  • L’Oréal
  • Simons
  • Institut de design de Montréal
  • Industries Show Canada
  • Les Ateliers Lucifer Inc
  • Guess

Awards and Citations

  • ICSC, Maple Leaf 1rst Prize, Scarborough Town Center 
  • NASFM, Retail Design Award 
  • NOMMA, Ernest Wienmann Gold 
  • Canadian Research Council of Canada 
  • City of Montréal, Heritage, Artisan of the Year 
  • Prix du Commerce Design Montréal, Sofitel 
  • Virtu, Furniture