Rogers chairman failed to oust CEO amid power struggle with sister, board

By Alexandra Posadzki and Andrew Willis

The recent departure of Rogers Communications Inc.’s long-standing chief financial officer was the result of a high-level power struggle at Canada’s biggest wireless carrier that saw chairman Edward Rogers unsuccessfully attempt to unseat CEO Joe Natale.

Tony Staffieri’s abrupt exit on Sept. 29 comes at a pivotal time for Rogers, as the company seeks regulatory approval to acquire Shaw Communications Inc. for $26-billion including debt and makes multibillion-dollar investments in 5G wireless networks.

Tensions between Mr. Natale and Mr. Staffieri have been brewing for years, according to people familiar with the matter. Mr. Staffieri, who joined Rogers in 2012 and developed a close relationship with the company’s chairman, had ambitions to be chief executive officer, and frequently butted heads with Mr. Natale regarding the company’s strategic direction, sources say. The Globe is not identifying the sources because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

Published by the Globe and Mail.