gci media releases

GCI Appoints David Pratt as Senior Vice President,
Public Affairs

February 10, 2011 | gci news

Marion MacKenzie, President of the GCI Group, is pleased to announce the appointment of the Honourable David Pratt as Senior Vice President, Public Affairs.

“We are delighted to welcome David to the GCI Public Affairs team in Ottawa,” said MacKenzie. “He brings a breadth of public and voluntary sector experience to our company which will be a real benefit to our clients.”  She added that his knowledge of domestic and international politics and the public policy process in general will bring strategic depth to GCI’s Ottawa office where he will lead the public affairs practice.

Pratt was elected to Parliament in 1997 and won re-election in 2001 in the riding of Nepean-Carleton. He served as Minister of National Defence in 2003-04 and was Chairman of the Defence Committee from 2001-03. He also served as a Special Envoy to Sierra Leone for two foreign ministers. Prior to his election to Parliament, Pratt spent nine years in municipal politics at the local and regional level in Ottawa. In more recent years, he worked as a Special Ambassador for the Canadian Red Cross and has done governance work as a private consultant for the Iraqi Parliament in Baghdad.

“I’m looking forward to assisting clients on a variety of policy issues,” Pratt said. In recent years I have focused on defence and security matters. However, I have maintained a strong interest and background in environmental, transportation, health, municipal, development assistance and foreign policy issues.”

MacKenzie added that GCI’s Public Affairs business in Ottawa has been expanding and that Pratt’s appointment is part of that growth strategy. “Our Public Affairs group in Ottawa is growing because we have provided our clients with trusted advisors that produce results. That is a model we will continue to build upon,” added MacKenzie.