CP announces leadership moves

Canadian Pacific yesterday announced a reshuffling of leadership roles as part of a consolidation of the railroad's operating regions from three areas to two.

The changes, which went into effect yesterday, were made to prepare the executive team for Chief Executive Officer E. Hunter Harrison's retirement next year, said Keith Creel, president and chief operating officer.

CP consolidated its South, East and West regions into the East and West regions, Creel said during the company's first-quarter 2016 conference call with analysts. The U.S. operations are now part of the East region.

Each region will be run by a senior vice president of operations, Creel said. Guido De Ciccio, who has been serving as senior VP of operations in the West region, will remain in that role. Tony Marquis, who has been serving as senior VP of operations in the East region, also will remain in his role and pick up oversight of the U.S. operations.

In addition, the company promoted two general managers to vice president posts: Steve Nettleton, who had been GM operations-U.S. West, is now VP in the East region; and Mark Redd, who had been GM of operations in the central division, is now VP of the West region.

Robert Johnson, who was vice president of the Southern region, has been named executive vice president of operations. He will move from St. Paul, Minn., to CP's headquarters in Calgary, Alberta.

The leadership appointments create "a very solid team that will continue to drive our record performance," Creel said.