Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. is appointing Michael Nowlan, the former president and CEO of Marketwired, as its new CEO.
With its Canadian headquarters based in Toronto, the alternative telecom company provides high-speed Ethernet services, and home phone and Internet service to different parts of Canada, aiming their offerings at the consumer market and at small to mid-sized businesses. Acquired in July 2013 by investment firm York Capital Management LLC, it is now more than 650 employees strong, with other offices in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, and London, Ont.
Nowlan, who was head of Marketwired for 12 years, takes over Primus’ Canadian operations after the departure of the previous CEO, Andrew Day, who led the company in a four-year run. Day is now the senior vice-president of consumer sales at Rogers Communications Inc., according to his LinkedIn profile.
Nowlan joins Primus “as the Canadian telecommunications sector continues to experience significant change from competition, evolving technologies and increasing demand for world-class connectivity and customer service,” the company said in a press release.
And he’s had a track record of revamping companies in the name of competition before – in his role at Marketwired, Nolan focused on changing the company from concentrating on being a newswire to being more social media-focused. And before signing on with Marketwired, he spent six years at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
“I am thrilled to join Primus at this very exciting time. Our range of services combined with our dedication to providing outstanding customer experiences perfectly position us to serve the growing needs of Canadian consumers and businesses,” Nowlan said in a statement.
“I look forward to working with our talented employees to ensure we bring our customers a world-class service experience that exceeds their expectations.”
A chartered accountant, Nowlan holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Queen’s University. He’s also an accredited member of the Institute of Corporate Directors.