Rexall parent co. McKesson gets new CEO
Rebecca McKillican was appointed chief executive of the Canadian division of Irving, Texas-based health and pharmaceutical company McKesson. She is replacing Domenic Pilla, who retired last year, on Aug. 10.
McKillican will lead McKesson’s portfolio of businesses in Canada, including the Rexall Pharmacy Group, ecommerce retailer Well.ca, its network of independent pharmacies (including I.D.A., Guardian, Remedy’sRx, The Medicine Shoppe, Uniprix, and Proxim) and its wholesale pharmaceutical business.
McKillican joined McKesson three years ago with the acquisition of online retailer Well.ca. Her background includes time with New York City-based investment company Kohlberg, Kravis & Roberts and with strategic advisory firm McKinsey & Company.
Marsha Walden to lead pandemic recovery at Destination Canada
Destination Canada is looking to a provincial tourism marketing veteran to lead it through the recovery of the country’s tourism industry in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Marsha Walden took over as president and CEO of the national tourism agency on Aug. 24, having served in the same role at Destination B.C. since 2013. She replaces former CEO David Goldstein, who left Destination Canada in November for the role of chief operations officer at Gusto Worldwide Media.
In a statement, Mélanie Joly, Canada’s minister of economic development and official languages, said the appointment was made following “an open, transparent and merit-based selection process.”
Walden’s arrival comes at a challenging time for the tourism industry, which is beset with travel restrictions and a months-long shutdown of non-essential businesses across the country. As of June, the organization projected up to $62 billion in lost tourism revenue this year (a roughly 60% decline in revenue compared to 2019).
In May, Destination Canada said it would partner with provinces and territories to deliver locally led marketing programs, investing $30 million in provincial and territorial partners, as it shifts marketing activity toward supporting domestic travel.
Prior to landing in tourism marketing, Walden worked at the British Columbia Lottery Corp., in roles including VP of strategy, transformation and social responsibility, as well as VP of customer strategy and corporate relations. Before that, she worked agency-side at BBDO.
Over at Destination B.C., Richard Porges has assumed the lead role as interim president and CEO.
New president steps in at Audi
On Sept. 1, Vito Paladino will succeed Giorgio Delucchi as president of Audi Canada and will oversee its portfolio of brands, including Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini.
Paladino joined the Volkswagen-owned luxury automaker in 2013, and most recently served as senior director of sales and after sales for the company in Canada. Delucchi, meanwhile, is moving to Germany, where he will serve as head of sales for China region and Hong Kong.
Paladino previously worked at Mazda.
