Business Edge

The Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY) has named Jim Westlake, currently head of Canadian banking, as chief of its international banking and insurance operations. Peter Armenio, group head of U.S. and international banking, has announced his intention to retire, the bank said. Dave McKay, head of personal financial services, becomes group head of Canadian banking. Westlake will be responsible for RBC’s banking businesses outside Canada while retaining responsibility for insurance operations and overseeing the bank’s global credit card business.
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Nortel (TSX, NYSE:NT) has promoted Michael Pangia to the new position of senior VP for global sales operations and strategy. Pangia was previously president of Nortel’s Asia region and will remain in Asia until the end of June to ensure a smooth transition. Communications giant Nortel has its head office in Toronto.
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Algoma Steel Inc. says that Denis Turcotte is resigning as CEO. Algoma, taken over last summer for $1.85 billion by Essar Steel of India, said that Armando Plastino, who has been with the northwestern Ontario steelmaker since 1972 and is currently VP of operations, is being promoted to chief operating officer. Algoma is based in Sault Ste. Marie.
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Manulife Mutual Funds, a division of Elliott & Page Ltd., says that Timothy Keefe, executive VP and chief equity officer for MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.) LLC, has left the organization. MFC Global is the diversified investment management arm of Manulife Financial, which is a Canadian-based financial services group operating around the world.
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Tim Wilson has been named head of Visa Canada effective May 30. He replaces Derek Fry, who recently announced his retirement after 12 years as the president of Visa Canada. Wilson joined Visa Canada two years ago and was more recently head of sales. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) operates a retail electronic payments network. Visa Canada is based in Toronto.
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Fairmont Raffles Hotels International has named Thomas Storey as president of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. Storey has been with Fairmont since 2001 and was most recently executive VP of development, responsible for the growth of the three Fairmont Raffles Hotels brands. He succeeds Chris Cahill, who will work on all three brands as COO. The company includes 88 hotels worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissotel brands. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is headquartered in Toronto.
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Allen-Vanguard Corp. (TSX:VRS) has named Michelle Masson as VP of organization development. Masson was formerly CEO of Reid Eddison Inc. Allen-Vanguard offers counter-terrorist equipment systems. Its head office is in Ottawa.
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John Fenger, VP for aluminum products, will replace John Walsh as president of the magnesium division of Timminco Ltd. (TSX:TIM). Walsh resigned to pursue other opportunities, Timminco said. Timminco produces lightweight metals, specializing in solar-grade silicon for the solar-cell energy industry.
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Lake Shore Gold Corp. (TSX:LSG) has appointed Mark Utting as VP of investor relations. Utting was most recently director of investor relations with Extendicare REIT. Mario Miranda has ceased being Lake Shore’s CFO but remains as a consultant for the company. Financial reporting and oversight are now being managed by Merushe Verli, the VP of finance and corporate controller. Lake Shore Gold is a mineral development and exploration company with head office in Toronto.
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Starfield Resources Inc. (TSX:SRU) has named Raymond Irwin as VP of exploration. He was most recently with Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Starfield is an exploration and emerging development company focused on a property in Nunavut. Its head office is in Toronto.
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High River Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX:HRG) says Daniel Vanin is leaving for Iberian Minerals Corp. He became executive VP and COO of High River in February 2004. His replacement is Michael Kelly, who has been VP of operations at the Rio Tinto Diavik Diamond Mine. High River is gold producer with interests in Burkina Faso and Russia. Its corporate office is in Toronto.
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Iberian Minerals Corp. (TSXV:IZN) has appointed Daniel Vanin as president and CEO effective June 2. He replaces interim president and CEO Norman Brewster, who remains executive chairman. Iberian is a Toronto-based copper and zinc company with developing and producing interests in both Spain and Peru.
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Excellon Resources Inc. (TSX:EXN) says Richard Brissenden has resigned as president and CEO but will remain a director of the company. Chairman Peter Crossgrove will be acting CEO while the company seeks a replacement for Brissenden. Excellon’s head office is in Toronto.
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H. Paulin & Co. Ltd. (TSX:PAP.A) has hired Murray Mateyk as CFO. He is a chartered accountant and brings more than 23 years of business and financial management experience. Toronto-based Paulin manufactures and distributes fasteners, fluid system products, automotive parts and screw machine components.
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EnGlobe Corp. (TSX:EG) has appointed Andre Heroux as its new president and CEO. Heroux was most recently senior VP for private equity investments at the Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec. Aline Belanger will remain as EnGlobe’s CFO after being interim CEO since Tony Busseri stepped down. Englobe is an integrated environmental services company that concentrates on organic waste and contaminated soil. Its head office is in Burlington.
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Epsilon Energy Ltd. (TSX:EPS) has named the president of its international division as its new corporate president. Fred Zaziski has more than 30 years of diverse executive and technical experience. Current president John Wilson did not seek to renew his employment contract, the company said. Epsilon is focused on oil and natural gas reserves in the Middle East and North America. Its office is in Concord.
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Burntsand, Inc. (TSX: BRT) has hired Stephen Massel as CFO effective May 5. Massel was most recently CFO at WellPoint Systems. Burntsand is a business consulting and technology services company that designs and implements information technology for mid-market customers. Its head office is in Toronto.
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Adeptron Technologies Corp. (TSX:ATQ) has appointed Mark Kohler as its CFO. Kohler, a chartered accountant, has more than 20 years of experience in the technology sector. Adeptron’s head office is in Markham.
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MacMillan Gold Corp. (TSXV:MMG) has appointed several officers. George Brown is president and CEO; David Hammond, CFO; Carmen Yuen, treasurer; Kenneth Shonk, VP of Mexico exploration; Cary Pothorin, VP of Peru exploration; and David Bending, VP of project development. MacMillan is a junior resource company focused on gold and silver assets primarily in Mexico. Its head office is in Toronto.
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In-Touch Survey Systems Ltd. (TSXV:INX) has announced a number of executive changes. Lynda Partner has been promoted to president and COO from VP of sales and marketing, and Michael Kahn to VP and chief technology officer from director of product development. Pavla Selepova has been hired in the new position of VP of client services. In-Touch is focused on technology-based survey data collection. It has offices in Boston, Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal.
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PharmEng International Inc. (TSXV:PII) has named John Durham as corporate VP for business development for Keata Pharma Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary. Durham was most recently president of the Draxis Pharma division of Draxis Health Inc. PharmEng is a full-service consulting and contract manufacturing company. Its head office is in Markham.
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Giesecke & Devrient has promoted Erwin Diekemper to president of G&D Canada. Diekemper most recently headed the strategic operations projects group with G & D’s cards and services business unit. G & D Canada is a subsidiary of Giesecke & Devrient GmbH, which supplies banknote paper, banknote printing, currency automation systems and smart cards. G & D Canada’s head office is in Markham.
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Ross Chevalier has been promoted to president of Novell Canada Ltd. He was previously Novell Canada’s chief technology officer. Katie McAuliff has been promoted to VP of channels at Novell Americas. Novell Inc. (Nasdaq:NOVL) provides a Linux platform and a portfolio of integrated IT management software. Novell Canada has its headquarters in Markham.
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Group IV Semiconductor has appointed Robert Burdalski as VP of engineering and product development. Burdalski was previously COO for Lamina Lighting. Group IV is developing silicon-based solid-state light emitters. The company’s head office is in Ottawa.
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Energate Inc. has hired John Gibson as VP of utility solutions. Gibson was formerly VP of business development for the Current Group. Energate develops home energy management solutions. Its office is in Ottawa.

Bill Wells will spearhead drugmaker Biovail Corp. (TSX:BVF) as the company puts together a new business strategy. Wells, who left his position as chief financial officer of Loblaw Cos. Ltd. to become Biovail’s CEO, said he doesn’t foresee “a radical shift in the change in the direction of the company” as it goes through a strategic review. Wells takes over from Douglas Squires. Squires was confirmed last week as chairman of Biovail’s board, a position he has filled on an interim basis since Biovail founder and former chairman/CEO Eugene Melnyk stepped down last year amid allegations of accounting and reporting irregularities. Wells, who is Canadian, will be based in Barbados, where he will also serve as president of Biovail Laboratories International SRL, the Mississauga-based company’s principal operating subsidiary. Securities commissions in Canada and the United States are continuing actions against Melnyk and other current and former executives.
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Meanwhile, Brampton-based Loblaw Cos. Ltd. (TSX:L) saw its shares dip sharply after Canada’s biggest supermarket chain lost CFO Bill Wells to Biovail Corp. and parted ways with the president who had been hailed as a saviour when he joined the company two years ago. Loblaw gave no reason for the departure of Mark Foote, president and chief merchandising officer. Also leaving Loblaw is Pietro Satriano, executive vice-president in charge of food operations. Allan Leighton, a longtime associate of the controlling Weston family, becomes president while continuing as deputy chairman. Bob Vaux, CFO of Loblaw majority owner George Weston Ltd. (TSX:WN), adds the duties of interim CFO at Loblaw. Frank Rocchetti, current executive VP of general merchandise, will succeed Foote as chief merchandising officer. The latest departures come amid a long attempt to turn around Loblaw after a massive revamp of its merchandising strategy and supply chain fell into disorder.
– with files from The Canadian Press.
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