Randy Lennox leaving Bell Media in January

Bell’s Oosterman to lead media group

MONTREAL — BCE announced today Bell group president and vice-chair Wade Oosterman will take over operational leadership of Bell Media in 2021 following the departure of Bell Media’s current president, Randy Lennox, on January 4.

“On behalf of everyone at Bell, I would like to thank Randy (above) for his leadership at Bell Media and his support of a smooth leadership transition in 2021,” said Mirko Bibic, president and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada, in a press release. “A renowned executive in Canadian music and media, Randy joined Bell Media in 2015 and has transformed the company with a focus on content leadership and digital innovation.

“He reignited Crave and our other digital platforms, accelerated Canadian content creation with strategic investments, including the Noovo network in Québec and Pinewood Studios Toronto, and built exclusive partnerships with top international content brands like HBO Max, Starz and iHeartRadio. In a rapidly evolving media industry, Randy solidified Bell Media’s position as Canada’s #1 multimedia brand,” added Bibic.

“I look forward to working with Wade as he leads the Bell Media team in executing our imperatives to deliver the most compelling content to Canadians across every platform, while operating with agility and cost efficiency in a competitive and fast-changing marketplace,” added the CEO. “Already guiding overall media strategy as group president, Wade is known for building outstanding teams and delivering results across every segment of communications. Having also led our mobility and residential services teams in his 14 years at Bell, Wade is exceptionally well positioned to leverage all of Bell’s assets to accelerate our leadership in media and TV.”

Lennox left his post as CEO of Universal Music Canada (where he helped launch the careers of Canadian stars including the Tragically Hip, Justin Bieber, Drake and Shawn Mendes) to join Bell Media in 2015 as president of content and broadcasting and was promoted to Bell Media president in

2017, reporting to group president Oosterman. Lennox serves as chair of The Banff World Media Festival, as well as on the boards of Music Canada, Canada’s Walk of Fame, Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, and Ontario’s Culture Strategy Advisory Group. He is a member of the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame.

He oversaw a wide range of projects at the helm of Bell Media which created new shows and experimented with digital media while it spent the $246 million in benefits package money mandated by the CRTC as part of the company’s purchase of Astral Media. That benefits package, announced in 2013 when that deal was done, runs out this year.

Oosterman (right) joined Bell in 2006 as president of Bell Mobility and chief brand officer, and was promoted to president of mobility and residential services in 2010, to group president — responsible for strategic direction of Bell’s wireless, residential and media segments — in 2015, and additionally as Bell vice-chair in 2018. A Canadian communications industry leader for more than 30 years, Oosterman was previously chief marketing officer at Telus and before that co-founded wireless carrier Clearnet Communications with former Bell CEO George Cope.

As Oosterman focuses on his role at Bell Media, BCE also announced senior vice-president of brand Devorah Lithwick (right) has been appointed senior vice-president and chief brand officer, effective January 2021.

“A seasoned executive with more than 25 years experience in Canadian brand development and marketing communications, Devorah is the ideal choice to become Bell’s next chief brand officer,” added Bibic in the release. “Joining us in 2006 as VP Brand and promoted to Senior VP in 2017, Devorah has been a critical leader in the transformation of Bell’s brand into one of the most valuable in Canada.”

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