Published on December 3, 2025
Poka announces the appointment of Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer Antoine Bisson as CEO, leading the company into its next chapter of AI-driven innovation for connected workers and smart manufacturing.
Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer Antoine Bisson to Become Poka’s CEO
Poka is entering a new era led by Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer Antoine Bisson, who will assume the role of CEO at the end of 2025. With a deep foundation in artificial intelligence and product innovation, Antoine has been instrumental in transforming Poka into an AI-native company — embedding intelligence across its platform and operations to redefine how manufacturers connect people, knowledge, and processes. His leadership as Chief AI Officer sets the stage for Poka’s future, as the company doubles down on its mission to empower frontline teams through AI-driven technology.
This transition follows the announcement that Alex Leclerc, Poka’s Co-Founder and CEO for more than a decade, will step down at the end of 2025 to return to his family business, Leclerc — the fifth-generation food manufacturing company that first sparked his passion for industry and innovation.
“Poka has been my life’s work — a vision that started on the plant floor and grew into a global platform helping manufacturers empower their frontline teams,” Alex shared. “The time has come to return home to Leclerc, but I do so knowing Poka is in the best possible hands.”
Those hands belong to Antoine Bisson, who has been at the center of Poka’s evolution since its founding — leading product strategy, shaping the company’s distinct blend of technology and manufacturing expertise, and championing its AI transformation.
“Alex and I started Poka with the belief that the people closest to the work have the greatest potential to transform it,” Antoine said. “That belief has guided us for more than a decade and continues to inspire everything we do. With IFS, we’re accelerating that mission through AI-powered tools that make knowledge and problem-solving more accessible than ever.”
About Antoine Bisson
Antoine Bisson is the Co-Founder and current Chief AI Officer of Poka, where he has led the company’s transformation into an AI-native organization. Since co-founding Poka in 2014, he has been the driving force behind the company’s product vision — helping manufacturers worldwide enhance performance by connecting people, knowledge, and processes through technology.
A software engineer by training, Antoine began his career at Microsoft, Ubisoft, and Tagged, where he developed deep expertise in data systems, user experience, and large-scale software design. His technical foundation and entrepreneurial mindset have shaped Poka’s culture of innovation and its reputation as a pioneer in connected worker solutions.
Michael Ouissi, Chief Operating Officer at IFS, added:
“Antoine’s leadership represents a natural evolution of Poka’s journey. His deep passion for
manufacturing and commitment to product excellence will help Poka thrive within IFS and
deliver exceptional value to our customers. Poka’s connected worker platform is trusted by
leading manufacturers worldwide, and under Antoine’s guidance, we look forward to
accelerating investment in AI-enabled solutions that boost productivity, enhance safety, and
deliver significant cost savings—directly impacting the bottom line.”
Poka’s transition marks not an ending, but an evolution — one rooted in the same purpose that started it all: connecting people, knowledge, and technology to make industrial companies stronger than ever.
FAQs on Connected Workers and the Future of Smart Manufacturing
A Connected Worker is a frontline employee equipped with digital tools to access real-time information, collaborate across teams, and share knowledge that drives continuous improvement in manufacturing operations.
While Industry 4.0 focused on automation and data, Industry 5.0 places humans back at the center—combining human creativity, problem-solving, and empathy with the precision and efficiency of advanced technology.
Frontline workers possess invaluable practical knowledge that machines can’t replicate. Digitally connecting them ensures this expertise is captured, shared, and used to optimize performance and decision-making.
Without digital support, workers rely on outdated paper documents, inconsistent information, and limited communication, leading to inefficiencies, errors, and loss of critical know-how over time.
Poka provides a unified platform for digital work instructions, communication, and training—allowing workers to access up-to-date information, collaborate in real time, and continuously build their skills.
