Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri has been steadily overhauling the company’s upper ranks since taking over the top job.Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
Rogers Communications Inc. has made more changes to its senior leadership team after a high-stakes battle for control of the wireless giant.
Tony Staffieri, the new chief executive of the Toronto-based telecom, has been steadily overhauling the company’s upper ranks since taking over the top job after the dramatic ouster of his predecessor, Joe Natale.
The most recent changes, reflected on the company’s website, include splitting the chief legal and regulatory officer role, previously held by Lisa Damiani, into two separate positions.
Ted Woodhead, formerly the senior vice-president of regulatory affairs, has been promoted to chief regulatory officer and government affairs, joining the executive leadership team.
Mr. Woodhead is playing a critical role in the company’s effort to secure approval from three federal agencies – the Competition Bureau, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) – for the $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. Rogers has said it expects the deal to close in the second quarter of this year.
Marisa Wyse, formerly the vice-president of corporate development, has also joined the executive leadership team, in the role of chief legal officer.
Ms. Damiani is staying on in an advisory role focused on the Shaw transaction.
Mahes Wickramasinghe, a chartered accountant who has held executive roles at a number of large Canadian companies, including Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, has been hired as the company’s chief administrative officer. Rogers’s website said Mr. Wickramasinghe has “managed complex acquisitions across several large organizations.”
On Monday, Rogers announced the appointment of Glenn Brandt, a 30-year veteran of the company, to chief financial officer. Mr. Staffieri held the role for almost a decade before he was fired in late September by the company’s board. He was rehired, as CEO, a month and a half later after Edward Rogers, chair of the family trust that controls the company, replaced five independent directors.
Other notable changes include the departure of wireless president Dave Fuller, who has been replaced by long-time Rogers executive Phil Hartling, as well as the exit of Rogers Sports & Media president Jordan Banks. Mr. Banks was replaced by Colette Watson, formerly the president of the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC). Chief communications officer Sevaun Palvetzian also left the company and has not been replaced.
Meanwhile, former company director Robert Dépatie stepped down from the board to take on an operational role as president and chief operating officer of the telecom’s home and business division.
The executive leadership team has grown to 13 positions from 11, plus the CEO. Six members of Mr. Natale’s leadership team have remained in their roles, including chief technology and information officer Jorge Fernandes.
Last week, in his first public appearance since taking the helm, Mr. Staffieri vowed to improve the company’s lagging performance relative to that of its peers in recent years and said he was “thrilled” with the recent management changes.
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Alexandra Posadzki