We continue our series of portraits of Finance Montréal team members with a colleague driving our Fintech and innovation shift: Simon Dandavino, our Vice President, Fintech and Technology Innovation.

What attracted you to Finance Montréal?

I was attracted by the challenge that the position represented. I have a passion for innovation and a desire to make a difference for Québec society, and that's what Finance Montréal offered me. I also feel a strong alignment with the focus on sustainable development that is very present at Finance Montréal.

What do you do when you face a challenge at work?

I try to break it down into smaller pieces and organize them into priorities.

Tell us about an initiative you enjoyed working on and are proud of.

I was there from the very beginning of the implementation of the NEXT AI program in Montréal. This program quickly stood out as one of the best in Québec, and I'm truly proud of that. I love building things, and I think a bit of my personality went into this program.

Do you have a hidden talent?

I'm a great frisbee thrower! All joking aside, I played Ultimate competitively for about a dozen years, and even won the European championships with my team while I was living in Switzerland.

What's your favorite restaurant or cultural spot right now?

On the food side, I love Mediterranean dips! For example, the ones from Alep or Damas, which are Syrian restaurants, as well as those from Bistro Sofia. I was very happy to discover the opening of Folfol in my neighborhood, Ahuntsic.