Rick Brace has been given the golden keys to the Rogers Media empire. Brace was previously president of Bell Media’s specialty channels and CTV Production, but effective August 10th the longtime broadcasting executive will be making his was to Rogers as President of its media division.
Brace will bring his deep sports background to the Rogers brand, as he was president of TSN, and continue the plan that Keith Pelley, who is retiring, has been instrumental in executing.
In a statement, Brace noted, “This is an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up. When you look at the mix of assets, the Rogers 3.0 plan and the digital disruption that’s transforming the media industry, this is a tremendous opportunity. Keith has done a terrific job repositioning the media business so now it’s my job to use the assets we have and work with the senior team to bring Canadians the content they want, where they want.”
Rogers Media is a $1.8 billion business and Brace will not only control the digital assets, but the numerous magazines, radio and TV stations and sports teams, namely the Blue Jays and Maple Leafs. One of the major initiatives Brace will embark on is to increase viewership and subscribers of its $5.2 billion broadcasting partnership with the NHL.
Guy Laurence, Rogers President and CEO, said of the hire, “Rick is a seasoned business leader with strong operational experience and a passion for the media industry that’s second to none. He’s highly skilled at developing strong teams who perform, so he was the natural choice to tackle the challenges facing the media industry. Rick and Keith will work together with the senior team to ensure a smooth transition.”
[source] Newswire [/source]
