TORONTO – On Wednesday, Bell Media named veteran sales exec Mark Finney to the newly created position of vice-president of strategic sales, outlined brand new roles for other executives, and the departure of some others.
Reporting to Media Sales president Stuart Garvie, Finney will oversee all of Bell Media’s English and French-language sales marketing, brand partnerships, and mix teams, the first time these streams have been brought together under one group and leader, reads Wednesday’s announcement. He will develop and implement a focused and comprehensive approach to better serve clients and partners, while leveraging and cross-selling Bell Media’s portfolio of TV, radio, out-of-home, and digital brands, says the press release.
Reporting to him will be Dave Caporicci, managing director, brand partnerships; Anouk Bourassa, general manager, brand partnerships (Québec); Lucy Collin and Nathalie Doré, vice-presidents, marketing and innovation – integrated sales, for English Canada and Québec, respectively; as well as Debbie Drutz and Michelle LaBarre, vice-presidents, Bell Media mix, for English Canada and Québec, respectively.
Finney has worked for publishers The Guardian and Metro and The Toronto Star owner Star Media Group, where he held the position of VP, office of the publisher.
Besides the hiring of Finney (right), there were many more changes announced internally on Wednesday, 
according to a company memo circulated by Bell Media president Mary Ann Turcke. “Aligned with the organization of our senior leadership team announced on August 25, these changes are part of our plan to re-energize Bell Media and position our company for continued leadership, growth, and success,” reads the memo.
Jeff Hersh, formerly director of strategy and business development has been promoted to vice-president, strategy, revenue management and research – and Patrick Jutras’ role has expanded so he is now leader of all national sales for the company’s English- and French-language sports properties, in addition to continuing to be responsible for all sales teams in Québec.
Both Lesley Conway, senior vice-president, Bell Media Sales, English Canada, and Gianni Di Iorio, vice president, revenue management and research are no longer with Bell Media. Conway had been with Bell for seven years, Di Iorio for 14.
In the company’s entertainment production and broadcasting group David Corey and Nanci MacLean have been promoted to expanded roles. Corey’s role grows to include French-language properties as vice-president, programming, Bell Media Radio, where he will now lead national programming initiatives across all of Bell Media’s 106 radio stations, reads the memo. He will also will also contribute to special music projects at Bell Media while continuing as program director for 104.5 CHUM FM.
As vice-president, in-house production, MacLean will continue to lead the company’s in-house production team for entertainment programming and also assumes responsibility for Discovery Channel’s in-house production, including Daily Planet, as well as Bell Media’s specials team, responsible for productions such as the Much Music Video Awards and We Day, continues the release.
Paul Lewis, president and general manager of the Discovery Channel, who has been with the channel since its Netstar days, beginning as an executive producer in 1994, is out.
Pierre Rodrigue will now take on a larger role at BCE, it was also announced. Rodrigue will now be vice president, industry relations, for Bell. He had been in charge of the communications and marketing teams for Bell Media’s French-language specialty and pay TV, radio, and digital properties.
Also at Bell’s French language division, Mario Clement is gone as of today, too. He had been vice-president of content for French-language properties in specialty and pay TV, radio, and digital. He joined Bell Media in 2013.
At CTV News, Joanne MacDonald, who has spent more than 25 years with the company’s news division, gets an expanded role as VP CTV News and will manage the day-to-day operations of CTV News Toronto and CP24. Paul Rogers, senior vice-president, CTV News Toronto, is no longer with the company. Prior to his appointment in 2004, he was VP and EP at Canada AM, says Turcke’s memo.
Changes happened on the finance side too, as Bell Media vice-president, finance, reporting, planning, and capital, Erin Sinyard, departs.
“Our new organization is the result of careful consideration by the senior leadership team to create a CP5 structure ready to lead through the challenges of our competitive and fast-changing industry,” said Turcke in her memo. “CP5” refers to the SVP/VP level of executives in the company.
“On behalf of the entire team, I would like to express my appreciation to Lesley, Gianni, Paul, Mario, Paul, and Erin, and wish them the best in their future endeavors,” she added.
The next round of changes – to take place in the level of employees in the VP, senior director and director levels – is to be announced October 1st.
