2025 Generation Next winner Richard Bertrand

In his 11 years at Unilever, Richard Bertrand has earned six promotions—momentum he credits to stepping outside his comfort zone. 

He began in Unilever’s Montreal office as a business analyst and key account manager before relocating to Toronto to run the Sobeys account nationally. Later, he moved into the lead customer and brand strategy role for the hair care portfolio. “Moving from Montreal to Toronto was a big risk—leaving family, leaving everything,” he says. “But, it gave me a real understanding of the Canadian market.” 

Back in Montreal as team lead for Club-Dollar—which includes Costco, Dollarama and Giant Tiger—Bertrand pushes his team to think beyond the day-to-day. “Curiosity is everything. When someone asks not just about their role, but how a launch works across channels—that’s when I know they’re ready for more," he says.

“My job is to understand where people want to go, identify gaps and give them projects that get them there,” he adds. He’s also advanced sustainability in the club channel, shifting products away from shrink-wrapped plastic—“a huge focus over the past five years,” he says. Looking ahead, Bertrand is drawn to strategy and transformation roles that leverage technology to make systems smarter and improve work efficiency.

See the full list of Generation Next 2025 winner profiles.

Profiles were published in the December 2025/January 2026 issue of Canadian Grocer.