CHC Helicopter Corp.'s new CEO is bringing a background in computers and technology to take on helicopter services for the global oil and gas industry as head of one of B.C. largest private companies.
William “Bill” Amelio will replace Sylvain Allard, who recently retired after a 25-year career.
Amelio was previously president and CEO of the Lenovo Group, where he managed the integration of the IBM PC business, implemented a business transformation program and globalized the Lenovo brand.
During his career Amelio has also led businesses in companies such as Dell, NCR and AlliedSignal. He also sits on the board of National Semiconductor.
Richmond-based CHC had $1.3 billion in annual revenue and was ranked No. 12 on Business in Vancouver’s list of the top 100 largest public companies in 2008. It was then taken private in one of the biggest deals of that year. (See “Flying ahead of the storm” – issue 1016; April 14-20, 2009)
First Reserve Corp., which bills itself as the world’s largest private equity firm specializing in the energy industry, bought CHC in what it said was the “largest-ever buyout in the oilfield services industry.”
The all-cash deal, which closed in September 2008, saw First Reserve pay $1.5 billion for company shares, assume $800 million in debt and take on $1.4 billion to $1.5 billion in assumed liabilities related to aircraft leases.