(Canada.com posted the following Montreal Gazette article by Nocolas Van Praet on January 29.)
MONTREAL — Paul Tellier, the celeb chief executive of Montreal transportation powerhouse Bombardier Inc., named corporate troubleshooter Bill Fox yesterday as senior vice-president of public affairs in the first of what could be several appointments.
Tellier brings Fox, widely considered in the communications industry as an expert in damage control, with him to Bombardier from Canadian National Railway Co.
Fox had the same job under Tellier at the railroad. Fox replaces Yvon Turcot at Bombardier.
Financial analysts have blasted Bombardier for making its balance sheet and earnings reports unduly complex and incomplete. Tellier said he would make greater transparency one of his first priorities.
Fox’s job is to carry that out.
He also enters the job at a time when Bombardier faces increasing scrutiny over the financial assistance governments are awarding to buyers of its jets.
Fox is the author of Spinwars, a book in which he argued political spin is out of control.
He helped Mulroney pitch the North American Free Trade Agreement to its critics and proponents. He navigated CN through a political and regulatory minefield in its merger with Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
And when Onex Corp. waged an advertising war with Air Canada for the hearts of Canadians during their takeover battle in 1999, Fox was hired to head Onex’s public-relations drive.
Fox was not available for comment yesterday.