PROFILE By Vawn Himmelsbach
Wood tackles telecom hurdles at WIND
As the general counsel at one of Canada's newest national mobile companies, Andrea Wood says she is making a difference.
For WIND Mobile, a new entrant to the wireless carrier market dominated by Rogers, Bell, and Telus, even the abil- ity to do business in Canada was a chal- lenge. But for Andrea Wood, WIND's chief legal officer, that's why the job was appealing. She wanted the opportunity to make a difference in the country by spurring competition where it's needed. "It seemed like something I couldn't pass up," she says. "I thought it would give me an opportunity to grow professionally at a time when a lot of people are settling and not necessarily seeking growth. I craved it, and I craved more learning experiences, and it's offered it in spades." When Wood joined WIND in June
2009, the initial part of her tenure was occupied with addressing the regulatory challenges faced by the company, includ- ing the struggle to fit in with Canada's foreign-ownership rules. "For us, and for me particularly, it was more than hav- ing to navigate the telecom regulatory world," she says. "It was having to get through this particular challenge that this company faced alone." Initially, the Canadian Radio-
television and Telecommunications Commission ruled that WIND Mobile,
It seemed like something I couldn't pass up. I thought it would give me an opportunity to grow professionally at a time when a lot of people are settling and not necessarily seeking growth. I craved it, and I craved more learning experiences, and it's offered it in spades. ANDREA WOOD, WIND Mobile
INHOUSE AUGUST 2010 • 43