CAE Inc. announces changes to its Board of Directors

Rhea-AI Summary

CAE Inc. announced significant changes to its Board of Directors, effective February 14, 2025. Calin Rovinescu has been appointed as the new Chair of the Board, alongside three new directors: Peter Lee, Katherine A. Lehman, and Louis Têtu. These appointments maintain the Board size at 13 members, as they coincide with the retirement of four existing directors: Alan N. MacGibbon (former Chair), Margaret S. Billson, François Olivier, and David G. Perkins.

The appointments follow consultations with stakeholders and reflect the Board's ongoing composition review. Notably, CDPQ, a major shareholder, nominated Têtu, while Browning West, LP nominated Lee. Peter Lee and Mary Lou Maher will co-chair the CEO Search Committee, working with Rovinescu to continue the recruitment process previously managed by the Board's Human Resources Committee.

Positive

• Strategic board restructuring with experienced industry leaders
• Maintained strong shareholder representation with CDPQ and Browning West nominations
• Structured CEO succession process with dedicated search committee

Negative

• Significant board turnover with four experienced directors departing simultaneously
• Ongoing CEO transition period creating temporary leadership uncertainty

MONTREAL, Feb. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - (NYSE: CAE) (TSX: CAE) - CAE Inc. ("CAE" or "the Company") today announced the appointment of four new directors to its Board of Directors, including Calin Rovinescu as Chair of the Board. The other three appointments are Peter Lee, Katherine A. Lehman and Louis Têtu. 

These changes, which will take effect on February 14, followed consultations with the Company's stakeholders that focused on the Board's ongoing review of its composition, and a transition towards renewed Board leadership.

Said Mr. Rovinescu, "As a longstanding airline customer and partner of CAE, I am excited to take on the role as Chair to help guide this exceptional global champion through its next chapter of growth and value creation. The other newly appointed Board members and I are energized by CAE's innovative technology, strong market position in aerospace and defence, and outstanding people."

In connection with these changes, the Board invited Mr. Rovinescu to join as a director and Chair and Ms. Lehman to join as a director. The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), one of the Company's largest shareholders, nominated Mr. Têtu to the Board pursuant to a customary nomination rights agreement with the Company. Browning West, LP nominated Mr. Lee to the Board pursuant to a customary cooperation and standstill agreement with the Company. Mr. Lee and Mary Lou Maher will co-chair the CEO Search Committee, working closely with Mr. Rovinescu as Chair of the Board, to continue the recruitment process previously overseen by the Board's Human Resources Committee.

The size of the Board remains unchanged at 13 as the four appointments are being made in conjunction with the retirement of four directors: Alan N. MacGibbon, who has served as Chair of the Board since 2022 and as a director since 2015; Margaret S. (Peg) Billson, who has served on the Board since 2015; François Olivier, who has served on the Board since 2017; and David G. Perkins, who has served on the Board since 2020. These directors have overseen a period of significant growth and change for CAE as it has moved from primarily an industrial products company to a world leader in aviation training solutions. The Company wishes to thank them for their exceptional service and valuable contributions during their tenure.

Said Mr. MacGibbon, "During my time on the Board, I have seen the Company become a global leader in training for civil aviation and defence and security forces, furthering its mission to make the world a safer place. I am honoured to have been involved in CAE's story and I thank CAE's employees, management and my Board colleagues for their dedication to the Company. With a dynamic and engaged Board that is fully aligned on the process and transition to CAE's next CEO, there is no better time for me to transition the Chair role to Calin. I am confident Calin's proven track record in value creation and exemplary leadership skills will allow the Company to continue to be a leader in the sector and deliver value to its broad group of stakeholders."

Added Mr. Rovinescu, "I would like to acknowledge and thank Alan for the tremendous leadership he has shown during his time at CAE. Even as he prepared to retire from the Company, Alan remained committed to ensuring that the CEO succession process proceed smoothly and effectively, as evident in his decision to make way for a new Chair who will work hand in hand with the incoming CEO. His guidance during this critical transition period is a testament to his enduring commitment to CAE and its future. Alan has set a high standard, and we are profoundly grateful for his board service and the legacy he leaves behind. I would also like to acknowledge and thank each of Peg, François and David for their service and contributions during their tenure."

Mr. MacGibbon concluded, "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank CDPQ and Browning West, as well as our other shareholders, who worked constructively with us throughout this process with the shared goal of creating sustainable and substantial shareholder value at CAE."

About the Incoming Directors:
Mr. Rovinescu is a corporate director, venture capital investor and senior advisor to several corporations. He is currently a member of the board of directors of some of Canada's largest corporations. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada from 2009 until his retirement in 2021, leading Air Canada's transformation into one of the world's leading airlines and a Canadian global champion, expanding its network worldwide and producing record financial results and record stock market performance. From June 2014 to June 2015, while leading Air Canada, he served as Chair of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a trade association that currently represents 340 airlines comprising more than 80 per cent of global air traffic. From 2012 to 2016 he also served as Chair of the Star Alliance chief executive board, the controlling body of Star Alliance, the world's largest global airline alliance, currently with 25 members. From 2004 to 2009, he was a co-founder and principal of Genuity Capital Markets, an independent investment bank. Prior to 2000, he was the Managing Partner of the law firm Stikeman Elliott in Montréal, where he practised corporate law for over 20 years. Mr. Rovinescu holds Bachelor of Law degrees from Université de Montréal and the University of Ottawa. He was recognized as Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year by Financial Post Magazine in 2016 and as CEO of the Year and Strategist of the Year by the Globe and Mail's Report on Business Magazine in 2019. Mr. Rovinescu is a member of the Order of Canada and was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame in 2021.

Mr. Lee, in addition to being a Co-Founder and Partner of Browning West, LP, plays a leading role in that firm's investment research and capital allocation. Before co-founding Browning West in 2019, he was an investment associate at Criterion Capital Management, where he was responsible for identifying and researching investment opportunities across multiple sectors. Mr. Lee also held roles at Grey Mountain Partners and Lazard. Additionally, he is currently a director on the board of Gildan Activewear Inc. where he serves as Chair of the Compensation and Human Resources Committee and as a member of the Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility Committee. He has also served on the board of Countryside Properties plc. Mr. Lee holds a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

Ms. Lehman is the current Chair of Stella Jones Inc. (TSX:SJ), a Montréal based, ~ C$6 billion enterprise value industrial business, and has been a Partner at the New York-based private equity firm Palladium Equity Partners, LLC since 2022. She leads the Palladium Heritage strategy, which invests in industrial and business services companies. Prior to Palladium, she was Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Hilltop Private Capital, LLC. She has garnered more than 20 years of experience in private equity executive roles and Board memberships, including at more than 20 public and private, profit and not-for-profit entities. Included in Ms. Lehman's prior Board roles are serving on the Board of a private company in a niche education and training area and serving on the Board of Navient (NASDAQ: NAVI) from 2014 to 2022, with roles as Chair of the Risk Committee and service on the Compensation and Personnel Committee and the Governance Committee. 

Mr. Têtu has been Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Montreal-based technology company Coveo Solutions Inc. since 2012. Prior to Coveo, Mr. Têtu co-founded Taleo Corporation, a leading international provider of cloud software for talent and human capital management, listed on NASDAQ in 2005 and subsequently acquired by Oracle for US$1.9 billion in 2012. Mr. Têtu was Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of directors from the company's inception in 1999 through 2007. Prior to Taleo, Mr. Têtu was President of Baan SCS, the supply-chain management solutions group of Baan, a global enterprise software company. This followed Baan's acquisition of Berclain Group inc., which he co-founded in 1989 and where he served as President until 1996. Mr. Têtu currently serves on the board and human resources and corporate governance committees of Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (CircleK). He previously served on the board of Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services inc. Mr. Têtu is an Engineering graduate from Université Laval in Québec City and a commercially licensed helicopter pilot.

About CAE
At CAE, we equip people in critical roles with the expertise and solutions to create a safer world. As a technology company, we digitalize the physical world, deploying software-based simulation training and critical operations support solutions. Above all else, we empower pilots, cabin crew, maintenance technicians, airlines, business aviation operators, and defence and security forces to perform at their best every day and when the stakes are the highest. Around the globe, we're everywhere customers need us to be with approximately 13,000 employees in more than 240 sites and training locations in over 40 countries. CAE represents more than 75 years of industry firsts—the highest-fidelity flight and mission simulators as well as training programs powered by digital technologies. We embed sustainability in everything we do. Today and tomorrow, we'll make sure our customers are ready for the moments that matter.

Read our FY24 Global Annual Activity and Sustainability Report.

Follow us on X/Twitter: @CAE_Inc
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cae.inc
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cae
Hashtags: #CAE; #CAEpilot

Caution concerning forward-looking statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements about CAE's ongoing CEO search process and transition to its next CEO and CAE's strategy and its expected impacts on the company and its stakeholders, as well as CAE's activities, events and developments that we expect to or anticipate may occur in the future including, for example, statements about CAE's vision, strategies, market trends and outlook, future revenues, earnings, cash flow growth, profit trends, growth capital spending, expansions and new initiatives, including initiatives that pertain to environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters, financial obligations, available liquidities, expected sales, general economic and political outlook, inflation trends, prospects and trends of an industry, expected annual recurring cost savings from operational excellence programs, our management of the supply chain, estimated addressable markets, demands for CAE's products and services, our access to capital resources, our financial position, the expected accretion in various financial metrics, the expected capital returns to shareholders, our business outlook, business opportunities, objectives, development, plans, growth strategies and other strategic priorities, and our competitive and leadership position in our markets, the expansion of our market shares, CAE's ability and preparedness to respond to demand for new technologies, the sustainability of our operations, and other statements that are not historical facts.

Since forward-looking statements and information relate to future events or future performance and reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events, they are typically identified by words such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "likely", "may", "plan", "seek", "should", "will", "strategy", "future" or the negative thereof or other variations thereon suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. All such statements constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. By their nature, forward looking statements require CAE to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties associated with CAE's business which may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from results indicated in forward-looking statements. While these statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions regarding historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that CAE believes are reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as there is a risk that they may not be accurate. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release describe our expectations as of February 13, 2025 and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date.

Important risks that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, strategic risks, such as geopolitical uncertainty, global economic conditions, competitive business environment, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) leverage and encroachment, inflation, international scope of CAE's business, changes in U.S. trade policies or regulations, level and timing of defence spending, constraints within the civil aviation industry, CAE's ability to penetrate new markets, research and development activities, evolving standards and technology innovation and disruption, length of sales cycle, business development and awarding of new contracts, strategic partnerships and long-term contracts, risk that CAE cannot assure investors that we will effectively manage our growth, estimates of market opportunity and competing priorities; operational risks, such as supply chain disruptions, program management and execution, mergers and acquisitions, business continuity, subcontractors, fixed price and long-term supply contracts, CAE's continued reliance on certain parties and information, and health and safety; cybersecurity risks; talent risks, such as recruitment, development and retention, ability to attract, recruit and retain key personnel and management, corporate culture and labour relations; financial risks, such as availability of capital, customer credit risk, foreign exchange, effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting, liquidity risk, interest rate volatility, returns to shareholders, shareholder activism, estimates used in accounting, impairment risk, pension plan funding, indebtedness, acquisition and integration costs, sales of additional common shares, market price and volatility of CAE's common shares, seasonality, taxation matters and adjusted backlog; legal and regulatory risks, such as data rights and governance, U.S. foreign ownership, control or influence mitigation measures, compliance with laws and regulations, insurance coverage potential gaps, product-related liabilities, environmental laws and regulations, government audits and investigations, protection of CAE's intellectual property and brand, third-party intellectual property, foreign private issuer status, and enforceability of civil liabilities against CAE's directors and officers; ESG risks, such as extreme climate events and the impact of natural or other disasters (including effects of climate change) and more acute scrutiny and perception gaps regarding ESG matters; reputational risks; and technological risks, such as information technology and reliance on third-party providers for information technology systems and infrastructure management. The foregoing list is not exhaustive and other unknown or unpredictable factors could also have a material adverse effect on the performance or results of CAE. Additionally, differences could arise because of events announced or completed after the date of this press release. More information about the risks and uncertainties affecting CAE's business can be found in the Management's Discussion & Analysis for the year ended March 31, 2024 and the Management's Discussion & Analysis for the third quarter ended December 31, 2024. Accordingly, readers are cautioned that any of the disclosed risks could have a material adverse effect on CAE's forward-looking statements. Readers are also cautioned that the risks described above and elsewhere in this press release, and in the documents referenced herein, are not necessarily the only ones CAE faces; additional risks and uncertainties that are presently unknown to CAE or that CAE may currently deem immaterial may adversely affect CAE's business.

Except as required by law, CAE disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. In addition, statements that "we believe" and similar statements reflect our beliefs and opinions on the relevant subject. These statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this press release. While we believe that information provides a reasonable basis for these statements, that information may be limited or incomplete. Our statements should not be read to indicate that we have conducted an exhaustive inquiry into, or review of, all relevant information. These statements are inherently uncertain, and investors are cautioned not to unduly rely on these statements.

CAE Contacts: 

General Media:
Samantha Golinski, Vice President, Public Affairs & Global Communications
+1-438-805-5856, samantha.golinski@cae.com

Investor Relations:
Andrew Arnovitz, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Enterprise Risk Management,
+1-514-734-5760, andrew.arnovitz@cae.com

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SOURCE CAE Inc.

FAQ

Who are the four new directors joining CAE's board in February 2025?

The four new directors joining CAE's board are Calin Rovinescu (as Chair), Peter Lee, Katherine A. Lehman, and Louis Têtu.

What is the current size of CAE's board of directors?

CAE's board size remains unchanged at 13 members following the appointment of four new directors and retirement of four existing directors.

Who nominated Louis Têtu to CAE's board?

Louis Têtu was nominated to CAE's board by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), one of the company's largest shareholders.

Who will lead CAE's CEO search process?

Peter Lee and Mary Lou Maher will co-chair the CEO Search Committee, working closely with Board Chair Calin Rovinescu.

Which directors are retiring from CAE's board in February 2025?

Alan N. MacGibbon (former Chair), Margaret S. Billson, François Olivier, and David G. Perkins are retiring from CAE's board.