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Nancy Neamtan was a founder of the Chantier de l’économie sociale and its Executive Director from 1996 to 2015. As Executive Director of the Chantier, a non-profit organization representing networks of social economy enterprises (cooperatives and non-profits), local development organizations and social movements, whose mission is the promotion and development of collective entrepreneurship, she helped create new financial tools for collective enterprises (RISQ and the Chantier Trust), co-chaired the Social Economy Community–University Research Partnership from 2001 to 2011, and participated in creating and leading international social and solidarity economy networks. She was also a founding member and first president of TIESS (Territoires innovants en économie sociale et solidaire), a social innovation liaison and knowledge transfer centre based on on-going partnerships
between civil society organisations and research institutions.

Nancy Neamtan is recognized internationally as an expert on the social and solidarity economy and social finance , having worked in close collaboration with international organizations such as the International Labour Organization and the OECD’s Forum on social innovation. She is a member of the advisory council of the Global Social Economy Forum (GSEF). She holds two honorary doctorates and is an Officer of the Order of Québec and member of the Order of Canada.