VANCOUVER — Telus announced Thursday chief corporate officer and group president Josh Blair (pictured) has decided to leave the company at the end of the year.
Blair will continue to serve in his capacity as chair of Telus International and will also become chair emeritus of Telus Health, in recognition of his long-standing contributions to the growth of Telus’s healthcare IT division, the company said in a news release.
After 25 years in leadership roles throughout Telus, including 12 years as a member of the company’s executive leadership team, Blair is taking the opportunity to spend time with his family and to travel, before pursuing other leadership opportunities in the corporate and not-for-profit sectors, according to the news release. It was thought by many observers that Blair was a prime candidate to replace Telus CEO Darren Entwistle, if and when he decides to retire.
“Josh’s journey at Telus has been nothing short of extraordinary,”Entwistle, in the news release. “From his first role as an engineer-in-training to senior leadership roles in diverse areas of the business, such as Telus Health, Telus International, Telus Business Solutions, Human Resources, and Technology and Operations, Josh has demonstrated remarkable vision, passion and leadership acumen, as well as an impressive ability to deliver differentiated results. Above all, Josh personifies our Telus values. His deep commitment to putting our customers and communities first and to celebrating diversity and inclusiveness across the organization has helped to create a globally admired and high-performing culture at Telus. Our team is exceedingly grateful for Josh’s enduring contributions and thankful that he will continue to help foster our success in his new capacity beginning next year.”
In the news release, Blair expressed his gratitude to Telus and its corporate leadership team. “I am deeply grateful to Darren and the Telus team for what has been an exceptional 25 years for me,” Blair said. “Telus has been a wonderful part of my life since university, and our shared values, including giving back to our communities with so much heart and commitment, have played an important role as my wife and I have raised our two sons over the past two decades. While I am looking forward to taking on new challenges, I will always bleed purple and green. My confidence in our company’s future has never been greater and I am excited to continue playing a part in our amazing journey.”
