The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation, announced today that Mr. Bruce Keating has been appointed as the new President and CEO of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC). The appointment is effective Monday, March 23.
Mr. Keating has been a member of the NLC Board of Directors since April 2019, and has been directly involved in NLC governance as the corporation continued its significant shift of overseeing recreational cannabis. Mr. Keating will draw on this experience to help guide the NLC through the maturation of this industry while also overseeing the traditional and successful alcohol business.
Before joining the Board of Directors, Mr. Keating served as president and co-owner of Steers Group Limited, a province-wide wholesale distribution business, before selling his interest in 2016. A biography for Mr. Keating can be found in the backgrounder below.
Mr. Keating was chosen through the Independent Appointments Commission (IAC) process, which undertook a comprehensive search for candidates using its merit based principles.
With this change, Mr. Keating will now be a non-voting member of the NLC Board, leaving a vacancy for a voting member. The IAC has been asked to provide recommendations for new board members.
Quotes
“Mr. Keating brings a wealth of experience to this new role, both from his work in the private sector and from his time on the NLC Board during a period of significant transition. I look forward to his leadership over this important government agency in the years to come. I would also like to thank Sharon Sparkes for her tireless dedication during this time of significant change.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board
Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation
“I am delighted for this opportunity to lead the NLC forward in an important time. With new opportunities in our traditional alcohol business and our emerging recreational cannabis business, we will ensure our actions are underpinned with an unwavering commitment to acting in a socially responsible manner. I am looking forward to working closely with the Board of Directors and our talented and dedicated team at the NLC.”
Bruce Keating
President and CEO
Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation
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BACKGROUNDER
Biography of Bruce Keating
Bruce Keating most recently served as president, and co-owner, of Steers Group Limited, for over a decade. Steers is a large Newfoundland-based distribution company headquartered in Corner Brook that offers heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning, flooring, home furnishings and appliances to retailers across the province.
Mr. Keating previously worked as a senior advisor for 13 years with Ernst & Young International, specializing in corporate strategy, sales and marketing, operational improvement, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, operational restructuring, board governance and change management. During this time, he spent eight years in the United Kingdom, based in London, advising clients in the United Kingdom and Europe. Prior to that he was based in London, Ontario and advised clients in Canada and the United States. His clients have included Philips, Heineken, Ford Motor Company, Dofasco, ChevronTexaco, BP, and a number of European and global private equity firms.
Prior to working with Ernst & Young International, Mr. Keating worked in oil and gas, retail banking and health care. Mr. Keating has undergraduate degrees in business (honors) and economics, has qualified for his professional accounting designation (inactive), and graduated with a MBA from the Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario.
Mr. Keating has been serving as a member of the board of directors of Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation, and chair of its Audit Committee, having been appointed in April 2019.
Over the years, Mr. Keating has been active in many professional and minor sports organizations. He currently resides in Corner Brook with his wife and two teenage children, and will relocate to St. John’s in conjunction with the appointment.