MONTRÉAL and HALIFAX – BCE has tapped Dan McKeen as its new Atlantic regional leader after completing the privatization and integration of Bell Aliant into its national operations on Monday.
The former EastLink co-CEO (pictured) joined Bell Aliant in 2010 as SVP of customer solutions in charge of marketing, sales and customer contact centres. McKeen will lead Bell's Atlantic presence from the Halifax headquarters of Bell Aliant in the newly created positions of vice chair, Bell Aliant and senior vice president, Residential Services, Bell Aliant.
BCE added that the $3.95B transaction to privatize Bell Aliant has formally closed now that it has acquired the remaining 12,012,892 Bell Aliant common shares through a compulsory acquisition effective October 31, 2014. BCE now owns 100% of Bell Aliant common shares.
The communications behemoth also announced plans to invest $2.1 billion across all four Atlantic provinces over the next five years as part of its rollout of broadband wireline and wireless networks for consumers and business customers. This includes continued deployment of mobile 4G LTE service throughout the region, with more than 100 small towns and rural locations to benefit from enhanced 4G mobile service by the end of 2015. As part of its national strategy to open new Canadian call centres, Bell announced two new centres in New Brunswick that will bring 700 more jobs into the Bell team.
"BCE warmly welcomes Atlantic Canada's leading communications company to our national team. Together, we'll accelerate our strategy of customer-focused broadband network and service investment that has transformed the Bell brand," said George Cope, president and CEO of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada, in the announcement. "BCE is focused on delivering results for our customers, shareholders and team, and that's what this transaction is all about. Today, Bell just got better."
The Board of Directors of BCE announced the appointment of Robert Dexter, QC, as a director of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada. Formerly a director of Bell Aliant, Dexter will also serve as a member of BCE's audit committee and pension fund committee. Dexter is chairman and CEO of Maritime Travel and chairman of Sobeys Inc. and Empire Company Ltd., as well as a director of High Liner Foods Inc., Wajax Corporation and counsel to the law firm Stewart McKelvey.
