(Canada.com posted the following Canadian Press article on April 7.)
MONTREAL — Robert Brown, abruptly replaced as chief executive officer of Bombardier Inc. in December, has been chosen to become chairman of Air Canada.
The airline announced Monday that Brown, who joined its board last month, becomes vice-chairman immediately and on May 13 will succeed the retiring John Fraser as chairman. “Bob’s extensive experience in the aviation industry will serve Air Canada well as we work to restructure the airline,” stated Robert Milton, president and CEO of Air Canada (TSX:AC), which last week took court shelter under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.
“I have known Bob for many years and I look forward to working closely with him.”
Brown was a senior federal civil servant before joining Bombardier (TSX:BBD.B) in 1987, becoming CEO in 1999. He was succeeded as head of the troubled transportation equipment multinational by Paul Tellier, another former mandarin, who had moved to the private sector as CEO of Canadian National Railway.
Fraser, a Manitoba-born industrialist, has been on the Air Canada board since 1989 and chairman since 1996.
“We are grateful for Jack’s dedication and enormous contribution to this company since privatization,” Milton stated.