The Globe and Mail - Nobody's Business

Luc's long (weekend) farewell

Patricia Best — Thu, 4 Sep 2008 06:43 EDT

It's a classic move when announcing bad news, used by public relations masterminds everywhere: Say something big just before a long weekend. And that's what savvy Quebec PR eminence Luc Lavoie did last Friday when he announced he was leaving his post as executive vice-president of corporate affairs at - Follow link to read full post

Catch-22 behind bars

Patricia Best — Thu, 4 Sep 2008 06:42 EDT

A grim picture of life behind bars for Jack Boultbee in his latest court filing south of the border: The former Hollinger executive, who was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 27 months in prison, has asked the federal court through his lawyers for some leniency regarding the $152,000 (U.S.) restitution - Follow link to read full post

Crime and punishment: A new twist to an old story

Patricia Best — Wed, 3 Sep 2008 08:42 EDT

San Francisco-based hedge fund manager Derek Webb, well known north of the border for funds focusing on Canadian stocks, ran afoul of the tree huggers in his hometown after a park official caught him trimming back trees in Van Damme State Park on California's Mendocino Coast. Mr. Webb has a vacation - Follow link to read full post

From banker to commodore

Patricia Best — Wed, 3 Sep 2008 08:41 EDT

He was the top public relations face and voice for Royal Bank of Canada for decades before he retired earlier this year. But David Moorcroft is back on the scene, combining a personal passion for travel with the chance to spin positive PR for an upstart Internet outfit. Maybe he'll even get rich. The - Follow link to read full post

Executive's departure leaves Total with deep mining hole

Patricia Best — Tue, 2 Sep 2008 08:30 EDT

Total E[amp]amp;P Canada, the Canadian arm of global energy giant Total SA, has encountered another setback in the development of its Joslyn oil sands mine in northern Alberta. Ray Reipas, former vice-president of mining at Joslyn, has left the French multinational to join Teck Cominco, the Vancouver - Follow link to read full post

Barefoot and modest

Patricia Best — Tue, 2 Sep 2008 08:26 EDT

In the Sept. 1 edition of Time magazine, an article entitled "The Next Monaco" gives Toronto-based gold mogul and real estate entrepreneur Peter Munk a big lift. Why? Because as construction begins next month on the mega-sized yacht marina and ultraluxury hotel and condo development Mr. Munk is spearheading - Follow link to read full post

When thin is too thin

Patricia Best — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:22 EDT

How is this for a rare case of an executive stepping up and saying the buck stops here. This week Peter Simons, top boss of family owned Quebec department store La Maison Simons, personally intervened and yanked the store's back-to-school catalogue. This was after hundreds of e-mail messages from customers - Follow link to read full post

Coach! Can you believe it?

Patricia Best — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:21 EDT

This week, stats on corporate jet travel showed activity down for July - and Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier was among those companies hit hardest because private jets were hanging out in the hangar rather than in the sky. But, hey - Diddy already knows about the tragedy unfolding in the stratosphere - Follow link to read full post

New digs for new CIBC World Markets chief

Patricia Best — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:50 EDT

The construction plans of new CIBC World Markets CEO Richard Nesbitt have caused more than a few eyebrows to rise at its downtown Toronto headquarters. That, of course, is the brokerage that has been hammered by losses linked to bad bets on tumbling credit markets and subprime mortgages. Mr. Nesbitt - Follow link to read full post

Shifting sands at JPMorgan

Patricia Best — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:49 EDT

The disembowelment of JPMorgan Chase [amp]amp; Co.'s Canadian shop began earlier this year with the expunging of the trading floor and the financial analysts. Since then, the firm's presence has been largely reduced to a skeleton staff and economic eminence Ted Carmichael, who was a 14-year veteran of - Follow link to read full post