Content area
Full Text
Each year, The Financial Post Magazine compiles a listing of 200 of the most influential people in corporate Canada, basing the selection on our annual ranking of the country's biggest enterprises. This depiction of leadership includes the top executives of the 125 largest industrials as listed in the 1998 Financial Post 500. Also included are the chief executives of the largest subsidiaries; the largest financial institutions; the largest life insurers; the largest property and casualty insurers; the most profitable companies; and the largest companies in each of Canada's primary industrial sectors. These include agriculture; autos and auto parts; conglomerates; electrical and gas utilities and pipelines; food and beverage manufacturers; forestry and paper companies; general manufacturers; high-tech manufacturers; information-technology companies; telecommunications companies; media companies; merchandisers; mining companies; oil and gas producers; and transportation companies. The listing also includes chief executives recognized for making special contributions in their industries. Where included, salary numbers show cash compensation only. These figures were provided by Financial Post DataGroup.
Donald A. Calder, BC TELECOM Inc., Burnaby, B.C.
Revenues: $2.8 bil. Net income/(loss): $286.7 mil. Assets: $4.8 bil. Compensation: $662,273
Born Edinburgh, Scotland, August 24, 1944; BEng (civil), McGill University, 1965; joined BC TELECOM, 1971; appointed VP, technical support, 1988; VP, business planning, 1991; group VP, marketing and development, Stentor Resource Centre Inc., 1993; returned to BC TELECOM, 1994; president and CEO, July 2, 1997.
In his first full "somewhat chaotic" year as CEO, the challenge for Calder has lain in maintaining focus on the rapid reshaping of technology in the telecommunications business and the fast-changing global economy. The "need for speed and band width is growing exponentially," he say's, and he sees "what were once dreams of the future" turning to reality within the next 12 to 24 months. Emphasizing the huge market opportunities for Canada's most westerly province in this growth industry, he expects a lot of new competition to move in. BC TELECOM is experimenting in wireless and cellular-phone technology in traditionally local call areas, laying the groundwork for a future high-speed data-network service. This has strong potential growth in business applications, as well as the home or home office, he says. Keenly aware that, in some ways, technology is overtaking society's ability to handle it, he sees...