MONTRÉAL, Oct. 19, 2020 /CNW
Telbec/ - BCE Inc. (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE) today announced that
Bell Group President and Vice Chair Wade
Oosterman will assume operational leadership of Bell Media
in 2021 following the departure of Bell Media President
Randy Lennox on January 4.
"On behalf of everyone at Bell, I would like to thank Randy for
his leadership at Bell Media and his support of a smooth leadership
transition in 2021," said Mirko
Bibic, President and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada. "A renowned executive in Canadian
music and media, Randy joined Bell Media in 2015 and has
transformed the company with a focus on content leadership and
digital innovation. He reignited Crave and our other digital
platforms, accelerated Canadian content creation with strategic
investments, including the Noovo network in Québec and Pinewood
Studios Toronto, and built exclusive partnerships with top
international content brands like HBO Max, Starz and iHeartRadio.
In a rapidly evolving media industry, Randy solidified Bell Media's
position as Canada's #1 multimedia brand."
"I look forward to working with Wade as he leads the Bell Media
team in executing our imperatives to deliver the most compelling
content to Canadians across every platform, while operating with
agility and cost efficiency in a competitive and fast-changing
marketplace," said Mr. Bibic. "Already guiding overall Media
strategy as Group President, Wade is known for building outstanding
teams and delivering results across every segment of
communications. Having also led our Mobility and Residential
Services teams in his 14 years at Bell, Wade is exceptionally well
positioned to leverage all of Bell's assets to accelerate our
leadership in media and TV."
Devorah Lithwick
Mr.
Oosterman has also served as Bell's Chief Brand Officer since he joined the company. As he
focuses fully on his role at Media, Bell today announced that
Senior Vice President Brand Devorah
Lithwick has been appointed SVP & Chief Brand Officer, effective January 2021.
"A seasoned executive with more than 25 years experience in
Canadian brand development and marketing communications, Devorah is
the ideal choice to become Bell's next Chief Brand Officer," said Mr. Bibic. "Joining us in
2006 as VP Brand and promoted to Senior VP in 2017, Devorah has
been a critical leader in the transformation of Bell's brand into
one of the most valuable in Canada."
Randy Lennox
Mr. Lennox
joined Bell Media in 2015 as President of Content and Broadcasting
and was promoted to Bell Media President in 2017, reporting to
Group President Wade Oosterman.
Acclaimed for his support of Canadian television and documentary
film production, Mr. Lennox serves as Chair of The Banff World
Media Festival, as well as on the boards of Music Canada, Canada's
Walk of Fame, Massey Hall and
Roy Thomson Hall, and Ontario's Culture Strategy Advisory Group.
A member of the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Hall of
Fame and a Juno Awards recipient, Mr. Lennox was previously
President and CEO of Universal Music Canada, where he helped launch
the careers of Canadian stars including the Tragically Hip,
Justin Bieber, Drake and Shawn Mendes.
Wade Oosterman
Mr.
Oosterman joined Bell in 2006 as President of Bell Mobility and
Chief Brand Officer, and was
promoted to President of Mobility and Residential Services in 2010,
to Group President – responsible for strategic direction of Bell's
wireless, residential and media segments – in 2015, and
additionally as Bell Vice Chair in 2018. A Canadian communications
industry leader for more than 30 years, Mr. Oosterman has served as
a senior wireless and brand executive with several publicly traded
Canadian communications companies. He holds an MBA from the Ivey
School at Western University, and
serves on the boards of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and
Telephone & Data Systems.
About Bell
Canada's largest communications company
with more than 22 million consumer and business connections, Bell
provides advanced broadband wireless, TV, Internet and business
communication services throughout the country. Bell Media is
Canada's premier multimedia company with 35 television stations
operated by CTV and Noovo, 29 specialty channels including the TSN
and RDS sports networks, the Crave and Noovo.ca digital platforms,
109 radio stations in 58 markets, the country's leading roster of
digital news and entertainment brands, and the Astral out-of-home
advertising network. Founded in Montréal in 1880, Bell is wholly
owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE). To learn more, please visit
Bell.ca or BCE.ca.
The Bell Let's Talk initiative promotes Canadian mental health
with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns like Bell Let's
Talk Day and significant Bell funding of community care and access,
research and workplace leadership initiatives throughout the
country. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
Media inquiries:
Scott
Henderson
416-384-5305
scott.henderson@bellmedia.ca
@BellMediaPR
Investor inquiries:
Thane Fotopoulos
514-870-4619
thane.fotopoulos@bell.ca
SOURCE Bell Canada