Joe Natale is officially out as President and CEO of Rogers Communications Inc. (RCI), effective immediately, as former Chief Financial Officer Tony Staffieri moves into the position on a temporary basis for now.
In a release issued late Tuesday, RCI indicated its board has begun a search to identify a permanent CEO “who will continue to drive our future growth including our integration with the Shaw team once the deal closes next year.”
Staffieri will be a candidate for the role as the company’s $26 billion acquisition of Shaw continues to move forward.
“On behalf of the Rogers family, the Board and our 24,000 team members across the country, I thank Joe for his leadership and contributions to our company, including paving the way for our future together with Shaw,” said Edward Rogers, Chair, Rogers Communications, in the release. “While Joe is moving on, we have an experienced interim CEO and leadership team who will continue to focus on the business, return to stability, and closing our transformational merger with Shaw.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to lead Rogers Communications through a critical time in its history and remain excited about the transformational potential of the Shaw transaction. It has been a privilege to build a team of such extraordinary character and ability and I wish each of our 24,000 team members continued success and good fortune in the future,” added Natale in the statement.
Prior to a late September board meeting that culminated in Staffieri’s resignation, he was RCI’s CFO for nine years, also overseeing corporate strategy and Rogers Bank. Before joining Rogers in 2012, he held senior positions at Bell Canada Enterprises, Celestica International and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Natale’s exit follows a B.C. Supreme Court ruling earlier this month greenlighting a newly-configured RCI board of directors that includes five new appointees hand-picked by Edward Rogers that tilt the board power balance in his favour.
RCI has confirmed that Edward Rogers will be present at the upcoming Rogers-Shaw merger hearing set to go before the CRTC on Nov. 22.
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