Simon Paradis is a distinguished energy-sector executive and board leader whose 25-year career spans the full breadth of the North American energy value chain. Known for his ability to unite commercial strategy, operational excellence, and forward-looking decarbonization planning, he has shaped some of the sector’s most complex ventures while elevating organizational performance at every turn. His leadership blends disciplined analysis with deeply human-centered values, reflecting a commitment to building resilient companies, strengthening communities, and advancing responsible energy innovation.
Simon’s professional journey began with a strong engineering foundation, earning both his Bachelor and Master of Engineering degrees from McGill University. Early roles in technical design, project engineering, and environmental systems gave him a front-row understanding of how energy infrastructure is built, optimized, and stewarded. These formative years established a rigorous analytical mindset—one that would later anchor his approach to major capital projects, operations leadership, and strategic transformation across world-class organizations.
His ascent through Shell’s downstream and upstream organizations showcased a rare versatility. Whether managing multi-billion-dollar project controls for the Albian Sands and Scotford expansions, overseeing the operational readiness of complex refining systems, leading the execution of refining turnarounds, or negotiating joint ventures alongside major utility operators, national retailers and transportation partners, Simon consistently delivered outcomes marked by reliability, financial discipline, and long-term value creation. His early career achievements also revealed a capacity to navigate intricate regulatory, contractual, and multi-stakeholder environments—a capability that would define much of his later work.
During his tenure as an Operations Manager for Shell’s Alberta Light Tight Oil assets, Simon led a high-performing organization through a period of rapid expansion, technological modernization, and cultural transformation. Under his leadership, production tripled, unit costs fell by more than 40 percent, emissions intensity dropped sharply, and the asset achieved an eightfold increase in profitability. He successfully commissioned more than 120 facilities while championing digital transformation initiatives such as remote operations and advanced analytics. His advocacy efforts also helped secure $200 million in public infrastructure investment, demonstrating his ability to influence beyond the boundaries of his organization and deliver broad societal impact.
Simon’s strategic influence deepened further when he assumed responsibility for shaping Shell Canada’s national energy transition program. He built commercially viable decarbonization portfolios across industrial, utility, aviation, transport, and power sectors—ultimately planning more than 25 million tonnes per year of emissions reduction opportunities with double-digit returns. As a trusted adviser to cleantech accelerators, commercial partners, industry stakeholders, and cross-sector innovators, he helped shape their business priorities in consideration of Canada’s and the United States’ evolving regulatory landscape for carbon pricing, clean fuels, electricity standards, and emerging climate technologies. His work in this space positioned Shell and its partners for long-range success in a rapidly shifting global energy ecosystem.
As a seasoned board director, Simon has provided governance oversight to organizations operating at the frontier of energy innovation. He served for more than four years on the Forge Hydrocarbons Corporation Board, chairing both the Equity Financing Committee and the Technical & Risk Management Committee in support of major investments by Shell Ventures, Chevron, and Valent. He later represented Shell as shareholder for the BC Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy—now NorthX Climate Tech—guiding collaborative investments that accelerate commercialization of low-carbon technologies. Throughout these roles, he has demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of fiduciary governance, investment discipline, and joint venture management.
Today, as Director of Downstream Portfolio Management & Business Integration at Cenovus Energy, Simon leads strategic programs focusing on manufacturing yields and commercial optimization exceeding $300 million per year in incremental free funds flow for five refineries and two ethanol plants across Canada and the United States. He has stewarded more than $600 million in annual capital portfolio prioritization, and provided executive- and board-level insight that shapes regional and enterprise outcomes. His work harmonizes commercial negotiations, risk modeling, operational interdependencies, and long-term business planning into a coherent portfolio strategy that consistently strengthens competitiveness and resilience.
Beyond his corporate leadership, Simon’s personal values are reflected in decades of community service. He has recently joined the Board of the Calgary Hangar Flight Museum as Non-Executive Director. He has served on nonprofit boards, supported education initiatives, led fundraising efforts, and volunteered extensively with organizations dedicated to accessibility, aviation heritage, and emergency medical services. Fluent in both English and French, he embraces roles that allow him to cultivate better communities while supporting the next generation of energy professionals and leaders.
What distinguishes Simon is not only his technical breadth or commercial acumen, but his holistic view of the energy value chain. He understands how upstream production connects to downstream refinery networks, how policy frameworks interact with investment certainty, and how companies must balance financial performance with environmental responsibility. His career is a testament to the belief that sustainable energy systems emerge when engineering rigor, commercial clarity, and human-centered leadership operate in harmony.
Simon continues to pursue opportunities where he can strengthen the competitiveness of established and emerging organizations, support meaningful job creation across the energy sector, and enable Canada’s energy transition. His passion for guiding businesses through complexity—whether through advisory roles, board service, or executive leadership—positions him as a transformative force in shaping the future of energy. He was also just recently appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Calgary Hangar Flight Museum, at a critical time when the museum is finalizing funding and development plans for new modern buildings and infrastructure.
Character:
Simon is widely recognized for his integrity, steadiness, and commitment to doing what is right even in high-pressure environments. He cultivates trust through transparent decision-making and a genuine respect for people at every level of an organization. His leadership style is grounded in humility, authenticity, and a belief in creating value that extends beyond financial measures.
Knowledge:
His expertise spans operational excellence, commercial strategy, decarbonization pathways, regulatory frameworks, and multi-asset value-chain integration. He brings a deep command of technical and economic modeling tools that enhance accuracy and decision quality. His knowledge is continuously strengthened by real-world experience across upstream, midstream, downstream, and emerging renewable sectors.
Strategic:
Simon excels at simplifying complexity and charting clear pathways for organizations navigating transformation or uncertainty. He consistently aligns long-range planning with market dynamics, operational realities, and risk-based insights. His strategies balance vision and pragmatism, ensuring organizations can adapt rapidly while preserving long-term competitiveness.
Communication:
A compelling communicator, Simon translates highly complex operational and economic concepts into language that resonates with executives, boards, policymakers, cross-functional and frontline teams. He has been a keynote speaker at conferences and media engagements because of his clarity and credibility. His communication style reinforces alignment, inspires confidence, and enables decisive action.
