Bibic credits colleagues for success

Mirko Bibic, chief legal and regulatory officer and executive vice-president, corporate development, at BCE Inc. and Bell Canada, has pretty much seen all a lawyer can see since he joined the telecommunications giant in 2008.

Described by colleagues as a “visionary,” Bibic, 2017 recipient of the Canadian General Counsel of the Year award, has marshaled the company through three major regulatory framework hearings and overseen several major acquisitions that have allowed BCE to remain at the vanguard of the telecom industry.

His M&A work includes a recent $3.9-billion deal to acquire Manitoba Telecom Services, a $3.2-billion acquisition of Astral Media, and the purchase of a 75-per-cent interest in Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment with key competitor, Rogers Inc.

Add in the acquisitions of Glentel Inc. and CTV, and it’s a roster of deals that most M&A law firms would welcome, let alone a single lawyer.

Then there’s his regulatory work. Bibic, who is active as a director in a number of industry associations, has been Bell’s voice at numerous regulatory hearings.

He is responsible for liaising with a wide range of regulators, including the Canadian RadioTelevision and Telecommunications Commission and the Competition Bureau.

If that’s not enough, Bibic also manages his firm’s corporate social responsibility strategy.

In accepting the award at the gala, Bibic credited his colleagues for their help. “I’ve got an amazing group of colleagues at Bell. They’re fantastic,” he said. “And thank you to my employer, Bell. We’re provided with such a wonderful platform to work on the most amazing files.”