Executive Management
THOMAS C. STRIKE
President, Corporate Development and Strategy Implementation of the Company
Mr. Strike, a Chartered Accountant, joined Canwest in 1986 and has held the positions of Chief Financial Officer, Senior Executive Vice-President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Operating Officer (Corporate) and, most recently, President, CanWest MediaWorks International. In his current role, Mr. Strike is responsible for overseeing all of the Company's corporate development activities and strategy implementation. He is also a Director of TEN Network Holdings Limited (Australia).
JOHN E. MAGUIRE
Chief Financial Officer of the Company
Mr. Maguire is responsible for all of the Company's financial and corporate accounting activities. A Chartered Accountant, Mr. Maguire also works closely with the Company's bankers and auditors, and maintains communication with financial communities throughout North America.
RICHARD M. LEIPSIC
Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of the Company
As a senior partner with the Winnipeg-based legal firm, Pitblado LLP, Mr. Leipsic provided Canwest with outside legal counsel and corporate development advice for many years before joining the Company in January 1999. Mr. Leipsic is responsible for all legal affairs and is an integral part of the development team. He has practiced commercial law since 1975.
PETER VINER
Interim President, Canadian Broadcasting
As Interim President, Canadian Broadcasting, Mr. Viner has responsibility for Global Television, a coast-to-coast Canadian broadcasting network that reaches more than 94% of English-speaking Canada, E! Entertainment Network, a second network that broadcasts in Montreal, Hamilton, Red Deer, Kelowna and Victoria; plus 24 specialty channels - that Canwest operates and six that it maintains an interest in. In nearly two decades with Canwest, Mr. Viner has served in a number of senior executive roles. A former television sales executive, he went from managing Vancouver television station CKVU-TV in 1992 to running the TEN Television Network in Australia. In his five years as Chief Executive Officer of TEN, he turned that network into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. On his return to Canada in 1997, he was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Canwest, a post he held until Leonard Asper took over the helm. Mr. Viner took his expertise to Canwest Publishing in 2001, serving as Publisher of the National Post for nearly two years. Mr. Viner served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company's Canadian Operations from June 1, 2005 until his retirement in July 2007. Even in retirement, Mr. Viner continued to serve the Company on a consulting role. Mr. Viner is a recipient of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Gold Ribbon Award for Broadcasting in Excellence, and was recently inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
DENNIS SKULSKY
President and Chief Executive Officer of Canwest Publishing
Dennis Skulsky is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Canwest Publishing. Appointed to this role in May of 2006, Mr. Skulsky oversees the Company's print and online assets, including ten metro dailies, 30 community newspapers, the National Post and the Canwest News Service. A seasoned media executive of the newspaper industry, Mr. Skulsky began his career nearly 30 years ago as Circulation District Manager with The Edmonton Journal. Since that time he has held a variety of senior leadership positions, with Southam Inc., Hollinger and Canwest. Prior to accepting his current position, Mr. Skulsky was the President and Publisher of the Pacific Newspaper Group and Group Publisher, Western Region. In this role, Mr. Skulsky also oversaw all of Canwest MediaWorks Western daily newspapers, including The Vancouver Sun, The Province, the Times Colonist, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, the Leader-Post, The Star-Phoenix and 12 community newspapers in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
GRACE PALOMBO
Senior Vice President of Human Resources of the Company
Grace Palombo is currently the Senior Vice President, Human Resources for the Company. She has been in this role since 2004 and is responsible for and ensures that the Company's workforce, compensation and human resource programs are aligned with Canwest's business strategy and values. Ms. Palombo works with the Human Resources Committee of the Board. Prior to joining Canwest, Ms. Palombo held various executive positions in the areas of Human Resources, Legal, and Corporate Communications with Husky, Canada Life Financial Services, Westcoast Energy/Union Gas and Bombardier Aerospace. Ms. Palombo has a law degree from from Osgoode Hall Law School and has also practiced law in Toronto, in the areas of employment and labour.