Quebecor Inc. (QBR/B), the owner of Quebec’s largest circulation newspaper, plans to name former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney as chairman of its board following the annual shareholders’ meeting next month.
Mulroney, currently vice chairman, will replace Francoise Bertrand, who decided not to seek re-election, Montreal-based Quebecor said in a filing yesterday. Pierre Laurin will be named vice chairman and lead director.
The moves follow a string of leadership changes at the company, after vice chairman and controlling shareholder Pierre-Karl Peladeau, who spent 14 years as CEO before giving up the post last year, resigned in March to run as a candidate in the Quebec provincial elections. Robert Depatie, who became CEO in May 2013, also announced his resignation last month, citing health reasons.
Mulroney, 75, has been a director of Quebecor since 1999, according to the filing. He’s also a senior partner at Norton Rose Fulbright LLP and a director at Blackstone Group LP and Wyndham Worldwide Corp.
Quebecor will hold its annual meeting in Montreal on June 19.
To contact the reporter on this story: Liezel Hill in Toronto at lhill30@bloomberg.net