René Blais spent 18 years in the Royal Canadian Navy as a Marine System Engineer. He held various roles and gain valuable experience as engineering instructors, Frigate Life Extension (FELEX) program support, Engineering Officer of a Halifax Class Frigate, and Docking Work Period project manager for the West coast. René joined the public service in 2020 and became the Halifax Class Platform Manager. This role evolved into defining and executing a life extension initiative for the Halifax Class to bridge the gap with the arrival of the future River Class Destroyers. He dedicated his whole career to the Halifax Class and is committed to keep it as a relevant and valuable asset to Canada’s defence strategy.