TORONTO — The chief executive of Rogers Communications has informed staff that senior executive Navdeep Bains will leave the company next month, as speculation grows about a possible return to politics.Global reported in a memo to employees, Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri said Bains will depart the company effective May 8 after roughly three years. The memo did not provide further details on the reason for his departure.The move comes amid increasing reports that Bains is considering a bid for the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. Sources cited in recent reports say he has been encouraged by party figures to enter the race and has been in contact with key organizers.The Ontario Liberal leadership contest is underway following the resignation of former leader Bonnie Crombie earlier this year, with a new leader expected to be chosen in November.Bains currently serves as chief corporate affairs officer at Rogers, a role he took on in 2023 after leaving the private banking sector. Prior to joining the company, he was vice-chair of global investment banking at CIBC, focusing on files related to innovation and industrial strategy..He is best known for his time in federal politics, having served as minister of innovation, science and industry under former prime minister Justin Trudeau from 2015 to 2021. During that period, Bains was one of the longest-serving ministers in the portfolio and played a central role in shaping Canada’s innovation and skills agenda.Bains was first elected as a Liberal member of Parliament in 2004 and represented ridings in the Greater Toronto Area for more than a decade. Over his parliamentary career, he held several critic roles while in opposition before entering cabinet following the Liberals’ 2015 election victory.After stepping away from politics in 2021, Bains moved into senior roles in the private sector, including positions in finance and academia, while maintaining ties to policy and public affairs.Neither Bains nor Rogers has publicly confirmed any leadership bid. However, reports indicate that “excitement is building” among some Liberals about the possibility of his entry into the race.
