TORONTO, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Canada's biggest cable andwireless company, Rogers Communications Inc said onThursday that Guy Laurence will take over as chief executive inDecember, following the retirement of current CEO Nadir Mohamed.
Laurence, currently CEO of Vodafone Group Plc's British unit, faces declining cable revenue and a challengingwireless landscape at Rogers. But he is seen as an executive whotransformed Vodafone UK's corporate culture and competitiveprospects via cost-cutting and a management shake-up.
"Laurence clearly has extensive wireless experience in someof the most competitive markets in the world and has obviouslydealt with regulatory challenges in the EU, which could be veryuseful in his new role," Canaccord Genuity analyst Dvai Ghosewrote in a note to clients.
Rogers, along with its biggest rivals BCE Inc andTelus Corp, are locked in combat with the federalgovernment over rules Ottawa has put in place to encourage morewireless competition, but which the established operators sayunfairly disadvantage them ahead of a key auction of airwaves.
Before joining Vodafone in 2000, Laurence worked at mediacompanies MGM Studios, United Cinemas and Chrysalis Records.
Mohamed announced his retirement earlier this year.
Rogers shares were down 0.9 percent at C$43.07 bymid-morning on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Vodafone (VOD)