Renaissance man: From Concordia
to CEO

Emilio B. Imbriglio is a Renaissance man — literally. The CEO of Quebec’s largest independent accounting firm studies and researches early Italian history by travelling yearly to his homeland to immerse himself in the science, art and architecture of the era. A proud Concordia alumnus, his other passions include advancing education and entrepreneurship and building strong communities, something he has been doing with heart for years.

Imbriglio (BComm 80, DIA 82) was raised in Montreal’s Plateau neighbourhood. His family lived in a third-floor apartment with swirling cast-iron stairs emblematic of the quartier at the foot of Mont Royal. He was born a year after his parents arrived from Italy, and it was their native language that filled the home.

In the back alleys, Imbriglio absorbed French playing pick-up hockey alongside his neighbours on the block, and it was at the local English elementary school where he learned his third language.

“There is really no difference for me, which has been fantastic for my career,” Imbriglio says.

During these formative years, Imbriglio also learned the value of resiliency. His parents and extended family came from Cassino in Italy, located on the front lines of some the largest and most violent battles during the Second World War. Each of his uncles ended up in concentration camps.

“I rubbed shoulders with people who, instead of winding up in hospitals because of what they saw, they became resilient,” Imbriglio explains. “People qualify me in the same way — and I believe that is 100 per cent because of my family’s experiences.”

From Concordia to CEO

Imbriglio’s close relationship with Concordia started when he studied accounting at the university and received his Bachelor of Commerce and Administration. He would go on to complete the Chartered Accountant Program there as well, and then eventually teach part-time.

“Concordia was very good to me. I didn’t have a lot of money and they offered me scholarships, which basically paid for everything.”

Imbriglio’s career path in accounting and finance began at a firm called Clarkson Gordon (now EY), where he stayed for six years before his entrepreneurial streak eventually kicked in.

He started his own practice, which he ran successfully for 13 years. After that, he joined with Richter for five years before landing with Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT). Imbriglio quickly progressed through the ranks of this leading accounting firm to the position of chair of the board, and then became CEO, a role he has occupied for four and a half years.

‘We’re going to be leaders, not followers’

Imbriglio is helming the firm during what he describes as both an exciting and challenging time for the industry as a whole, with technology proving to be a major disruptor.

“With digitalization, we may find that in five to 10 years, the landscape of our industry will be changed radically,” he explains. That’s why RCGT is investing heavily in cloud-based software solutions and banking on new game-changing technology such as blockchains.

“As far as I’m concerned, we’re going to be leaders, not followers. If there’s pain to be had, we’d rather inflict than receive it.”

As CEO, Imbriglio says it’s critical to build your business case and gather consensus, which requires demonstrating determination, persuasion and resiliency.

“Eventually, when people get on the bandwagon, it makes for a far better decision because it’s been tested and proven by brilliant people.”

Championing the values of entrepreneurship

In addition to his main career, Imbriglio’s entrepreneurial DNA has brought him to real estate, technology companies, cosmetics and even upholstered furniture manufacturing projects.

For RCGT, with 53, 000 clients across Quebec, the firm interacts with scores of entrepreneurs on a daily basis in every region of the province. And Imbriglio loves everything about them — their appetite for risk, imagination to design and desire to build something new.

“They create jobs, they create value, they create wealth. They suffer pain, but they bounce back again. We’re not talking about only rags to riches stories either. We’re talking about people who just have drive.”

Imbriglio feels that today there exists a strong and growing culture of entrepreneurship in the province, one he and his firm are helping to foster.

A business renaissance in Quebec

RCGT has partnered with the Beauce School of Entrepreneurship, where the firm provides a scholarship for entrepreneurs looking to gain critical skills to grow their business. They also sponsor the Federation of Quebec Chambers of Commerce,  granting an annual growth award for small- and medium-sized businesses.

For Imbriglio, helping entrepreneurs thrive means helping communities prosper.

“Our business model is tied solidly to community and building vibrant economies,” he explains.

“Vibrant economies start locally in small towns and regions. And when they connect the dots with other small towns and regions, you wind up with vibrant economies in provinces and then in countries. It’s a little bit of the model that existed in Renaissance Italy, where they created a buzz around science or architecture to generate competition between regions. Then, the next thing you know, you wind up with great ideas and prototypes.”

But Imbriglio sees today’s generation of entrepreneurs as unique from those that came before.

“Thanks to technology, the world is their playground,” he says. “They think differently, and they’ll go much farther. I find that very exciting.”