François J.G. Laplante

François J.G. Laplante is a seasoned maritime professional with over 30 years of experience spanning the Royal Canadian Navy, the commercial shipping sector, and private maritime industry leadership. Born and raised in Québec City, he began his naval career in 1988 as a Maritime Surface Officer and went on to serve in key leadership roles, including Commanding Officer of HMCS Nanaimo and HMCS Brandon. He was recognized for his exemplary service with multiple commendations and later contributed to the professional development of naval personnel as a senior instructor at the Naval School in Québec. Following his military career, François held strategic roles in maritime training and competency development at Groupe Océan and CSL Group, where he led the deployment of advanced digital learning platforms across international fleets. Deeply committed to the maritime community, he also serves on the board of the Mariners' House of Montreal. As co-founder of Latitude Maritime, François brings unparalleled experience in training innovation, operational excellence, and knowledge transfer to support the next generation of seafarers.