Eric Fournier - Director General Innovation - Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)

Mr. Eric Fournier is the Director General Innovation for the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Program (https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/reports-publications/ideas-2019-2020-annual-report/introduction.html), which over the past year, has been able to invest more than $100M in organizations across Canada (now over 270 and counting) that are using their innovative thinking and solutions in support of the women and men that are part of Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).

IDEaS aims to be Canada’s science, technology, and innovation leader, trusted advisor, collaborative partner, and knowledge integrator for defence and security.

Mr. Fournier began his career with Defence Research & Development Canada (DRDC) as a Defence Scientist in the Flight Mechanics Group of the Precision Weapons Section at the Valcartier laboratory in August 1992. He spent most of his scientific career in that establishment, where he held a number of positions in the Weapons field of study. He also spent one year at the United Kingdom DERA Fort Halstead laboratory as an exchange scientist in the late ninety’s.

In May 2006, Mr. Fournier was appointed Director, Science & Technology Air, in Ottawa, where he managed the Air Force S&T Program portfolio. As part of his duties, he also served as National Representative on the Aerospace Systems group (AER) in The Technical Cooperation Program. From September 2008 to July 2009, he moved to the Canadian Forces College in Toronto where he completed the National Security Program 1 (NSP-1).

Upon his return to Ottawa, Mr. Fournier was appointed Director of Defence Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Operational Research and Analysis (CORA), and was responsible for the delivery of a Science and Technology program in the areas of operational research, strategic analysis, and scientific and technical intelligence.

In 2014, Mr. Fournier took up the position of Defence R&D Counsellor at CDLS (London) where he was responsible for liaison in defence Science and Technology between Canada and the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

Upon returning to Canada in July 2017, he was appointed DG for Strategic Decision Support, and also selected to develop and lead the implementation of the IDEaS initiative.