Richard Martin is founder and president of Alcera Consulting Inc. He brings his business and military leadership experience to bear for organizations and executives seeking to exploit change, maximize opportunity, and minimize risk. He is the author of Brilliant Manoeuvres: How to Use Military Wisdom to Win Business Battles. He has helped executives and organizations in both the private and public sectors to develop and implement corporate strategy, assess and mitigate risks and threats of all kinds, adapt structures and processes for the achievement of corporate strategic objectives, and create lasting improvements in individual and organizational performance. His list of major clients includes Empire Life Insurance, RBC Asset Management, Ottawa Police Service, Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, Environment Canada, Canadian Department of National Defence, JPdL Multi-management, Mutuelle des municipalités du Québec, and the City of Kingston Ontario.
Richard is the only member of Alan Weiss?s Million Dollar Consulting Mentoring Hall of Fame with extensive military experience. Prior to launching his consulting business, Richard attended the prestigious Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean as an officer cadet and then served for 21 years as an infantry officer in the Canadian Army. His proudest moment in the military was successfully commanding a peacekeeping force in one of the worst flashpoints of Bosnia: the town of Drvar. His resolve and diplomatic skills in dealing with local authorities, citizens, and representatives of the international community were instrumental in securing the safe return of over 2,000 displaced persons during a six-month period. At the time, this led historian David Bercuson to write in the National Post that Richard Martin and his company ?can do no wrong?.
Richard has led teams and worked in multicultural and multinational projects and environments on a number of continents. Being bilingual and both English- and French-Canadian, he understands the advantages of cultural diversity and how it can benefit organizations. This creates a unique and potent combination of intellectual, managerial, and leadership abilities and experiences. Richard is known for his intellectual breadth, skill in communication, ability to discern patterns and trends with insight and discernment, and an uncanny ability to both analyze and synthesize huge amounts of information. Clients have noted that Richard sizes up situations with accuracy and provides practical and effective solutions in a timely and efficient manner. His extensive personal leadership experience and knowledge of human nature acquired as a senior military officer give him an edge in judging the character and strengths of people as well as the effectiveness and culture of teams.
Richard is based in Montreal and works both nationally and internationally. He speaks, teaches and writes on a variety of topics such as risk management, leadership, strategy, organization, resilience, and performance improvement. Richard has been published, quoted, or featured in Macleans, the Globe and Mail, the National Post, CBC.ca, and many other national media outlets. He has also been interviewed on the Montreal-based French language business news network, Canal Argent.
Richard teaches strategic management and project management at Université du Québec en Outaouais as well as leadership at Drummondville College and the Canadian Forces College. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Management Consultants.