Money-losing contract drugmaker Patheon Inc. (TSX:PTI) has brought in industry turnaround veteran Wesley Wheeler to replace Riccardo Trecroce as chief executive officer. Wheeler's appointment is effective Dec. 10 and Trecroce plans to leave in the new year following a transition period after seven years with the company. Wheeler joins Mississauga-based Patheon from Valeant Pharmaceuticals International.
The founder of Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (TSX:XSR), the operator of XM Canada, is stepping aside as CEO. The company said that Michael Moskowitz, previously head of Canadian, Latin American and Caribbean operations at Palm Inc., will become chief executive of CSR effective Jan. 1. He replaces John Bitove, who is CSR's controlling shareholder. Bitove will be the executive chairman of CSR, which lost $84.6 million in the year ended Aug. 31 on revenue of $21.2 million, as its subscriber base more than doubled to 306,300. XM Canada provides digital audio entertainment and information.
Wi-LAN Inc. (TSX:WIN) has made changes to its leadership team. Chief financial officer Steve Bower has resigned from the company effective the end of November to take another position in Toronto. Phil Martin, director of finance, will act as interim CFO while Wi-LAN conducts a search for a replacement. Before joining Wi-LAN, Martin was finance director for a TSX-listed wireless communications company. Andrew Parolin, Wi-LAN's vice-president of business development, will take a new role as VP of wireless technologies. Thomas Ginter joins Wi-LAN as its new VP of business development. Wi-LAN licenses intellectual property that applies to a range of electronics and communications products. Its head office is in Ottawa.
Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc. (TSX, Amex:PAE) says that entertainment industry veteran Jeff Sagansky, who was named Peace Arch co-chairman on Sept. 1, is its interim CEO under a management restructuring. John Flock, Peace Arch's president and COO, will operate in an expanded capacity. CEO Gary Howsam has been placed on administrative leave as a U.S. federal probe is underway into certain transactions involving Howsam prior to his joining Peace Arch in 2003. Peace Arch has three operating divisions - film, television and home entertainment. Its head office is in Toronto.
Ian Oliver, publisher of the Hamilton Spectator, is slated to become the new president of Metroland Media Group when current Metroland president Murray Skinner retires in July. As president of Metroland, Oliver will lead Torstar's largest business unit. Oliver will appoint a new publisher for the Spectator sometime before he takes on his new role next summer. Metroland Media Group was formed in September 2006 through the reorganization of Torstar's Metroland and CityMedia operations. The move combined Metroland's 110 community newspapers with the former CityMedia, which included daily and weekly papers.
Brian Bowyer has been named VP of technology by AirIQ Inc. (TSX:IQ). Bowyer brings more than 25 years of experience in vehicle electronics and integrated systems. AirIQ is a wireless location service company specializing in telematics and security. It is headquartered in Pickering.
Iamgold Corp. of Toronto has named Gordon Stothart as COO. He brings more than 20 years' experience and comes from an operations leadership position with a large metals producer.
Iamgold (TSX:IMG, NYSE:IAG) has its head office in Toronto.
Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX:HBP) is splitting the jobs of CEO and president. Donald Segal remains chief executive and John Docherty becomes president. Segal is a founding partner, serves on the board of directors and had been CEO and president since 2004. Docherty joined Helix in 1999. Helix is a biopharm focused on cancer therapies. Its head office is in Aurora.
ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. (TSX:ATA) has appointed Anthony Caputo chief executive officer after a hedge fund-provoked management upheaval. Caputo was formerly COO of L-3 Communications. He replaces interim CEO John Bell. ATS, hit by the slump in the North American manufacturing sector, installed a new executive team after former CEO Jon Jutras and the board of directors resigned, replaced by a group backed by investment firms Goodwood Inc. and Mason Capital Management. ATS is a 3,500-employee factory machinery maker based in Cambridge.
ECU Silver Mining Inc. (TSX:ECU) has appointed Dwight Walker as its CFO. Walker comes with 30 years of experience in financial and administrative management in the manufacturing, distribution, retail and public accounting sectors. ECU is a silver and gold mining and exploration company focused on Mexico. Its executive office is in Toronto.
Nevoro Inc. (TSX:NVR) says that Rimma Tumarkin has been promoted to CFO and Talya Ziv-Av has been appointed VP of legal affairs. Former CFO Ross McDonald continues as a consultant. Tumarkin, a CA, was previously controller of Nevoro. Ziv-Av, who is also corporate secretary for Nevoro, has 10 years of experience in corporate law. Nevoro is a Toronto exploration company focused on the discovery of precious metals in Nevada.
Don Whitbeck has resigned as president and CEO of Texada Software Inc. (TSXV:TXS). He continues as a director and consultant, and is succeeded by Nigel Miller. Miller was previously Texada's COO. Texada provides enterprise software solutions for mobile equipment and rental management. Its head office is in Toronto.
True North Corp. (TSXV:TN) has named David Garland as CFO effective Dec. 11 at the latest. Garland was most recently CFO of Tri-Vision International. True North is a technology-enabled marketing services company. Its head office is in Mississauga.
Pele Mountain Resources Inc. (TSXV:GEM) has appointed Fergus Kerr, P.Eng., as VP of its uranium operations. He has more than 35 years of mining industry experience, and is currently an adjunct professor at Laurentian University. Pele Mountain is a Toronto energy and mineral exploration and development company focused on its Elliot Lake uranium mine project.
The Ottawa Congress Centre has hired Marc-André Varin as VP of marketing and revenue management to increase business in time for the redeveloped centre's 2011 opening. Varin was formerly director of sales and marketing at the Palais des congrès de Montreal. The new centre is scheduled to start construction next September.
Ronald Bourgeois has resigned as president, CEO and a director of Mooncor Oil & Gas Corp. (TSXV:MOO) to pursue other interests. He is succeeded by former COO Darrell Brown. Paul Duffy has resigned as CFO to concentrate on his other commitments, but will join Mooncor's board of directors. Nick Tsimidis, a company director, will become interim CFO. In the past year, Mooncor has transitioned from a shale and unconventional gas-driven private company to an oil-focused public company. Its head office is in Toronto.
Nordex Explosives Ltd. (TSXV:NXX) has appointed Timothy Peterson as CFO. He replaces interim CFO Bruce Bent, who remains a director. Nordex manufactures explosives for the mining, quarry and road-construction industries. It is based in Kirkland Lake.
Enablence Technologies Inc. (TSXV:ENA) has hired Colin Parry as VP of operations. Parry has a broad range of executive management experience with Alcatel and more recently Curtiss-Wright Corp. Enablence designs and manufactures optical components for the fibre-to-the-home market. Its head office is in Ottawa.
Dumont Nickel Inc. (TSXV:DNI) has appointed Colin Grant, CA, as its CFO. Grant comes with more than 25 years of financial experience in various industries. Dumont is a mineral exploration company with operations in Ontario, Utah, Nevada and Arizona. Its corporate office is in Toronto.
Adventure Gold Inc. (TSXV:AGE) has named Marco Gagnon as president and CEO. Andre Audet remains chairman. Gagnon is a mining exploration professional with more than 15 years of experience, mostly with major mining companies. Adventure Gold is an emerging junior explorer with a property portfolio in the Val d'Or region of Quebec. Its head office is in Ottawa.
TalkSwitch has appointed Cathi Yabsley as VP of finance and operations. She brings more than 20 years of experience in technology, finance and administration. Ottawa-based TalkSwitch develops phone systems for small, multi-location and franchise businesses. TalkSwitch is a division of Centrepoint Technologies, a privately held company.
- with files from The Canadian Press.
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