About

Olivier Chouc started his career at Norton Rose Fulbright as a corporate lawyer. After a brief time in the forest industry in 1998 he was approached by Canadian National Railway (CN), eventually taking charge of the M&A practice at the company. In 2006, he was promoted to an assistant vice president position and was later promoted to his current position of vice president, law. With 40 legal employees that report into him, over the last 10 years Chouc has done all he can to facilitate processes within the office. He has automated numerous processes over the last 10 years (including records management, e-discovery, contract management, insurance management, FCPA, and virtual office). He also takes pride in insuring the legal team has a good grasp of the dynamics of the business: ‘I believe developing a new breed of lawyers with strong business acumen has had the deepest and most lasting impact. Our lawyers have become trusted advisors to the business units they represent. They are brought in early because our clients recognise the value they bring in defining the business opportunity, not only in managing its legal aspects’. Chouc has taken a guiding role in a number of significant acquisitions that have shaped CN in the last 15 years. The support his team provides the marketing group in developing the business in a demanding regulatory environment, says Chouc, was also very significant. Chouc is also known for his involvement with charitable organisations, specifically The Ted Nolan Foundation, Fondation Marie-Vincent, and the Fondation Enfants-Retour. In 2005, he was named one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 In-House Counsel by the National Post.