VC and Ex-Rogers CEO Nadir Mohamed Dies at 69

(Bloomberg) -- Nadir Mohamed, the man who followed founder Ted Rogers as Chief Executive Officer of Rogers Communications Inc., has died. He was 69.

Edward Rogers, executive chair of the company, mourned Mohamed’s death in a statement Friday. “Nadir was an exceptional leader, a deeply respected executive and a generous person who led Rogers during an extraordinary time of change for our company and industry.”   

Mohamed, who joined Toronto-based Rogers in 2000, was made president and CEO of the telecommunications firm in March 2009 after Ted Rogers passed away the year before. His rise to the top surprised some observers who had expected the job to go to a member of the Rogers family, two of whom were senior executives in the company at the time. 

Under Mohamed, Rogers grew its wireless business — it’s still Canada’s largest — and made significant inroads in sports. It joined with rival BCE Inc. in 2011 on a deal for a majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., which owns Toronto’s major-league hockey, basketball and soccer teams. That long alliance ended this year when Rogers acquired BCE’s stake and took control of MLSE. 

Shortly before Mohamed retired, Rogers struck a 12-year deal with the National Hockey League that gave the company the national broadcast rights in Canada. The agreement was touted as the largest in the NHL’s history.  

Following his departure from Rogers, Mohamed focused on supporting entrepreneurship and innovation. He co-founded ScaleUp Ventures, which funds startup technology companies across Canada. He also served on several corporate boards, including Cineplex Inc., Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Alignvest Management Corp., and was an honorary board member at Toronto Metropolitan University. 

Mohamed, who was born in Tanzania and was a prominent member of Canada’s Ismaili Muslim community, had a bachelor of commerce from the University of British Columbia and later earned his chartered accountant designation. 

He was recognized over the years for his business achievements and his philanthropy. In October 2013, the UN Association in Canada honored him at their Global Citizens Dinner and in 2019, he was appointed to the Order of Canada.

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