New CEO at the Health Standards Organization

OTTAWA – The Health Standards Organization (HSO) is delighted to announce the appointment of Frédéric Abergel (pictured), Ph.D., as the new chief executive officer for HSO and Accreditation Canada. Frédéric brings more than 25 years of distinguished leadership in healthcare, with a proven record of driving transformation and innovation across local, regional, and provincial health systems.

His international experience includes strategic roles and contributions in Canada, France, and advisory work in the Middle East, reflecting a global perspective on health system transformation and quality improvement.

At the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, he implemented a population-based care delivery model for 450,000 residents, integrating acute, primary, mental health, and community services.

His leadership at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) as CEO positioned the organization among the top hospitals globally, advancing digital modernization and strategic alignment for improved patient experience.

Most recently, Frédéric served as executive vice president, Operations and Transformation at Santé Québec, where he coordinated a $37 billion provincial health and social services network serving nine million people.

Throughout his career, Frédéric has demonstrated a visionary, results-oriented approach, integrating governance, quality of care, and large-scale transformation. He is recognized for his authentic, empowering, and collaborative leadership style, and his commitment to enhancing patient experience and population health through system redesign.

In addition to his executive roles, Frédéric is an adjunct clinical professor at the Université de Montréal School of Public Health and has served on several boards, including Medteq+ and Montreal InVivo.

He also served on the Nantes University Strategic Council in France. He is bilingual in English and French and is an active member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), reflecting his dedication to global quality and safety.

Frédéric holds a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy, a master’s in health administration, and a PhD in public health.

As we welcome Frédéric Abergel on January 19, 2026, we also extend our deepest gratitude to Leslee Thompson, who will step down as CEO on January 23, 2026.

Over the past decade, Leslee has led HSO and Accreditation Canada through a period of remarkable transformation, expanding their reach to over 15,000 locations in 43 countries. Her unwavering commitment to people-centred care, visionary leadership, and dedication have been foundational to HSO and AC’s success and global impact.

The Board thanks Leslee Thompson for her extraordinary contributions and is pleased that Frédéric will be working closely with Leslee to ensure a smooth transition before she departs on January 23, 2026. We wish her every success in her future endeavours and look forward to building on the strengths she has established as we embark on this new chapter with Frédéric Abergel at the helm.