TORONTO — A fight over the legacy of Ted Rogers has formally concluded at Canadian mega-giant Rogers Communications, thanks to a private settlement between his descendants and the publicly traded company that bares his surname.
Melinda Rogers-Hixon and Martha Rogers have made the decision to retire from the Rogers Board of Directors.
But, Rogers made it clear that it very much a decision that is directly tied to the settlement.
“On behalf of the board and management of Rogers Communications, I want to thank Melinda and Martha for their numerous contributions to our company over many decades,” said Edward Rogers, Chair of Rogers Communications. “Their dedication to Rogers Communications has been integral to the company’s growth and is reflected in the passion with which our employees serve our customers across Canada every day.”
Rogers-Hixon and Rogers offered a joint statement, in which they acknowledged their “family differences” that had some Canadians comparing the situation to the fictional storyline of HBO series “Succession.” They said, “With our family differences now settled, we both believe this is the appropriate time to retire from the Rogers Communications board. We remain proud and committed shareholders of the company and look forward to supporting its success in the future. In the words of our late father, the best is yet to come.”
Rogers-Hixon joined the Rogers board in 2002 and became Deputy Chair in 2018. She previously spent 15 years in management at Rogers Communications in roles including Senior Vice President of Strategy and Development and founder of Rogers Venture Partners in 2011.
Martha Rogers joined the board in 2008 and has served as Chair of the ESG committee since 2021.
Rogers-Hixon and Rogers had voted to jettison Edward Rogers as Rogers’ chairperson in reaction to his decision to have current CEO Tony Staffieri succeed now-former chief executive Joe Natale.
The Rogers empire began in 1960 when predecessor Aldred-Rogers Broadcasting acquired CHFI-FM 98.1 in Toronto. It first gained fame as a Beautiful Music station, and transitioned to Adult Contemporary in the late 1980s.
