Profile | Karim Belmokhtar

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Senior Project Manager, Research and Innovation

"Fate? Chance? I don't try to understand it because I know I'm in the right place."

Karim was born in Algeria. As a child, he was responsible for operating the diesel generator that provided the family with a few hours of electricity each day. For Karim, statistics such as the 200,000 Canadians not connected to an integrated power grid or the 1 billion people worldwide without electricity resonate deeply and carry great significance. He didn’t know, however, that life—with all its twists and turns—would one day lead him to work toward ensuring a reliable and clean energy supply for as many people as possible.

Starting in kindergarten, Karim was at the top of his class, and he remained so throughout his entire academic career. After earning his baccalaureate—an invention of Napoleon’s, as he points out—he was steered toward a general technology track, even though he wanted to study medicine. For Karim, this was his first disappointment, but as he puts it so well: “In my country, that’s just how things are, and besides, it was probably a sign!”

After taking a break for family reasons, Karim decided to move to France, determined to continue his studies there. After earning a master’s degree, he applied for a Ph.D. program, and although he was shortlisted with honors, his application was rejected because of his age… Karim was over 25 years old. A second setback: “I was frustrated! Very disappointed,” he admits. So when a friend offered him a job as an engineer in Montreal, Karim gladly accepted and began preparing to immigrate.

Finding Your Path

Karim, however, cannot forget his father’s dream of seeing him earn a doctorate one day. It was with this promise in mind that he decided to reach out to a professor at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. The professor, whom he had found on Google, then proposed a research project to him. That was all it took—the sign was clear. Karim will pursue a Ph.D.!

Upon his arrival in Canada, Karim was literally swept up in his research project on the application of advanced motor control using a multilevel inverter for transportation. It was this research project, in fact, that set him on the path to renewable energy. And that was the spark… Since then, Karim has been completely absorbed and fascinated by the issue of renewable energy and community energy supply.

Absorbed? For Karim, being absorbed means working 14 to 15 hours a day, completing a Ph.D. in 3 years instead of 5, and working day and night while also being a father to his family.

"If it's quiet, I get bored."

"Going to Gaspésie: I didn't even know where it was!"

When he was called in for an interview at Nergica, Karim didn’t even remember applying there. No matter how hard he searched through all his emails, there was no trace of it. A sign? Maybe. In any case, he showed up there, in the middle of a storm, on Friday, December 13, 2013, at 1 p.m. Talk about bad luck!

The challenge piqued his interest, the CEO’s candor won him over, and there were researchers there whom they had been interested in for some time. So why not?

"For me, Gaspé was like a 2^e "migration."

Karim has always been convinced that all the conditions were in place for Nergica to become a major player in the energy transition—at least in Canada—and he is proud to be contributing to that effort. “Canada has placed its trust in me and opened doors for me; now it’s my turn to give back a little.”

In short, Karim thrives on new challenges, and with all the projects currently on his desk, he’s finding it very rewarding—much to the delight of his colleagues and the organization. Among other projects, Karim is leading Opten, an ambitious research program that brings together partners from a wide range of fields to focus on the smart integration of renewable energy into microgrids.

“I’m proud to see that I can bring colleagues and partners together around shared projects, even though deep down, I’m shy,” Karim admits.

Today, Karim is satisfied, and for good reason. He has brilliantly fulfilled his father’s dream, and he humbly believes that he did what he had to do… and that life took care of the rest.