Jean-François Bouchard

Jean-François Bouchard originally trained as a lawyer before co-founding Sid Lee at just 25 years old. Here, he quickly developed an impressive set of communication skills. In 15 short years, Sid Lee — an agency known for its outstanding creativity — has carved out a prominent position in Canada by adopting a multidisciplinary approach that breaks down barriers between disciplines, and which consistently challenges the status quo. Jean-François oversees the work of more than 300 professionals from various backgrounds — editors, industrial designers, business strategists, art directors, architects, producers, event planners, programmers and many more. By introducing new disciplines, such as interactive and experiential marketing, Sid Lee was (and continues to be) a non-traditional agency long before that concept became popular. Today, half of Sid Lee’s workforce is dedicated to developing new forms of interaction with consumers outside of the traditional mass media.

In addition to being named one of the 50 best-managed companies in Canada by Marketing Magazine, Sid Lee was awarded the prestigious title of Agency of the Year in 2009, 2010 and in 2011. In 2012, it was named among the top 5 international agencies by Forbes. Sid Lee has also won more than 200 awards in various national and international competitions. Operating in countries throughout the world, including Canada, the United States, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, Sid Lee is proud to count among its biggest clients Adidas, Cirque du Soleil, Dom Pérignon and Red Bull.

At the helm of Sid Lee’s operations for the past 20 years, Jean-François continues to demonstrate a flair for bringing together talented people, and motivating them to work cohesively to fulfil his vision of progressive marketing. An entrepreneur at heart and an experienced strategist, Jean-François believes creativity is the catalyst to developing strong, successful companies and brands. Sid Lee’s multi-talented co-founder is also a photographer, and his work has featured in galleries and events throughout the world.