Don Morrison named Executive Chairman of BAI Communications in Canada

TORONTO, Ontario, Nov. 5, 2019 /CNW/ - BAI Communications, a global leader in the design, build and operation of communications infrastructure, has today announced the appointment of Don Morrison as the Executive Chairman of its Canadian business, effective 11^th November 2019.  

The role of Executive Chairman has been created as BAI Communications Canada CEO, Ken Ranger, relocates to London to take up a new post as Chief Operating Officer for BAI Communications in the UK. As CEO in Canada, Ken led the team responsible for the rollout of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) cellular, IP and Wi-Fi network across the Toronto subway. As Executive Chairman, Don will be driving the business, following a handover from Ken.

BAI Communications Group CEO Jim Hassell paid tribute to Ken's involvement in the evolution of the BAI business in Canada.

"Ken's deep industry experience and success in Canada will be a valuable addition to the UK team. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ken for his immense contribution to the company thus far and wish him the very best in his new role. We are excited to have him on board in this new leadership capacity.

I would also like to welcome Don and congratulate him on his appointment. We are fortunate to have Don's vision and leadership as we continue our strong partnership with the TTC, working together to implement additional services to further enhance the network," Mr Hassell said.

BAI Group Chairman, Deena Shiff said "We are truly delighted to welcome someone of Don's skills and knowledge to the BAI Communications Group and look forward to working with him."

A global technology executive, Don has extensive experience in the telecommunications industry, previously working in senior leadership positions with AT&T and Bell Canada in Canada, the United States, Europe and the Middle East.

Don was the Chief Operating Officer at BlackBerry with Research In Motion (RIM – now BlackBerry) from 2000 to 2011. RIM saw unprecedented growth during his tenure, with the company growing its profitability from $70m to more than $20bn in over 10 years. Don built an international organisation from the ground up, starting with a North American centric model that ultimately expanded to 550 carriers in more than 175 countries.

The Co-Founder of the Morrison Family Foundation, Don is also Founder of the Ontario Global 100 Network and The Merton Forum (of which is he also Chair) and Chair of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is on the board of Yellow Media and supports projects focused on peace and security at the Centre for International Governance Innovation.

Don holds an MBA and BA from the University of Toronto and participated in the Executive Program at the University of Virginia, Darden Business School.

"BAI is a global leader in the delivery of connectivity in transit, and I look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with the TTC in bringing innovation to the city of Toronto. Our goal is to expand the cellular network into every tunnel in the TTC, creating a completely seamless experience throughout every journey for every commuter.

Our infrastructure permits any carrier to sign on and provide underground cellular service to their customers. I welcome the carriers in Toronto to join Freedom and provide cellular service to all TTC users. This has been done in New York, where all major carriers provide service in the subway using a neutral host network from BAI majority owned subsidiary, Transit Wireless," Mr Morrison said.

BAI secured a 20-year licence agreement in 2012 to deliver connectivity to the Toronto subway, with an option for an additional five years. The deployment uses independent communications infrastructure in which BAI invests in, owns and operates, generating revenue for the TTC. BAI also provides free Wi-Fi access to TTC underground passengers.

BAI Communications designs, builds and operates communications infrastructure – cellular, Wi-Fi, broadcast, radio and IP networks – connecting communities around the world. With a heritage of over 90 years, BAI creates networks that unlock new services and revenue streams for our customers, enabling them to deliver better connected and enhanced experiences for people, communities and economies, every day.

With operations in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and the USA, BAI operates part of its Australian business under Broadcast Australia and also has a majority stake in Transit Wireless (New York).

Gabrielle Hall, Head of Marketing Communications, BAI Communications, P   +612 8113 4968, M  +61421 370 588, E   gabrielle.hall@baicommunications.com; Neg Kiaee, Senior Marketing Communications Manager, BAI Communications, Canada, P   +1 4167753608, M  +1 4168099739, E    negar.kiaee@baicommunications.com, W baicommunications.com