Why This Matters to Distributors: Master Group is turning to an executive with experience in finance, acquisitions, and enterprise transformation to become its next CEO. Rémy Langelier becomes president immediately and will succeed Louis St-Laurent as CEO in the first quarter of 2027, continuing an internal succession process as the HVAC and refrigeration distributor expands across North America.
Master Group has named Rémy Langelier president, effective immediately, and plans to promote him to CEO in the first quarter of 2027 as the HVAC and refrigeration distributor begins a planned leadership transition.
Langelier will succeed Louis St-Laurent, who will remain CEO until the transition is completed. St-Laurent will then stay with Master through December 2027 in a mentoring role supporting Langelier and the company’s executive leadership team.
The appointment puts an executive with more than 25 years of experience in finance, corporate development, mergers and acquisitions, and business leadership in line to run the 75-year-old distributor.
Langelier joined Master as chief financial officer in 2019 and has since taken on broader responsibilities for strategy and enterprise transformation. He later became chief transformation officer, leading initiatives designed to support Master’s continued growth across North America.
His responsibilities have included helping develop the company’s strategic plan and establishing its Project Management Office and Transformation Management Office. He also played a role in strengthening Master’s financial foundation, supporting its acquisition strategy, and integrating acquired businesses as the company expanded.
“As I looked to the future of the company, it was important to me that our next leader understands our business, our people and the culture that has made Master successful,” St-Laurent said. “Rémy brings that depth and understanding, along with the experience, judgment and commitment to continue to lead Master forward.”
Langelier is a Chartered Professional Accountant and holds a bachelor’s degree in management accounting from the Université du Québec à Montréal.
Master, based in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec, describes itself as Canada’s largest HVAC and refrigeration distributor and one of North America’s leading companies in the industry. It has 2,000 employees and a network of almost 100 branches, five distribution centers and three regional distribution hubs across Canada and the U.S.
The company serves contractors, engineers, and other industry customers across residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial markets.
Langelier’s promotion follows several years in which his responsibilities expanded from finance into corporate strategy and companywide transformation. Most recently, he led Master’s enterprise transformation program, which the company said strengthened capabilities supporting its continued North American growth.
“Master’s strength comes from its people, culture, customer and supplier relationships and deep knowledge of the markets we serve,” Langelier said. “My focus will be to build on that foundation and concurrently realize the many opportunities that lie ahead.”
Master did not announce additional executive changes or provide a specific date for Langelier to assume the CEO position beyond the first quarter of 2027.
The transition gives Langelier several months as president before taking over as CEO while keeping St-Laurent involved through the end of 2027. It also places an executive who has worked across Master’s finances, acquisition strategy, and enterprise transformation in charge as the distributor pursues its next phase of North American growth.
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