About

Jeffrey Haar joined Postmedia, the largest newspaper group in Canada, in January 2012 as executive vice president and general counsel. Currently leading a team of seven employees, Haar has managed to reform the legal department over the years without making any significant personnel changes, primarily by fostering a collaborative attitude. ‘We have regular meetings to share information and to allow team member to share their unique experiences and insights. Lawyers are encouraged to help each other on a daily basis‘, Haar says. In addition, Haar has given increasing responsibilities to his team while expecting a higher level of accountability, an approach that has earned praise from both his legal colleagues and senior management. As part of the executive committee, Haar is involved in the highest level strategic decisions of the company. In particular, Haar’s recent involvement in the acquisition of a major competitor in Canada has had a long reaching impact on the success and direction of Postmedia. Along with the CEO and CFO, he was a key member of the team directly involved with the work on the deal that resulted in Postmedia becoming the largest publisher by circulation of newspapers in Canada. Prior to becoming a key figure in Postmedia’s executive team, Haar worked for six years at the global asset manager Brookfield Asset Management and prior to that spent a considerable time in the technology sector. Haar’s time at a fast growing technology firm, Architel Systems Corporation (1998-2000), has been particularly noteworthy. In 2000, together with Architel’s CEO, Haar negotiated the sale of the company to the technology giant Nortel at the peak of the tech boom. ‘I’d say that my involvement on this transaction was one of the more challenging achievements in my career. It was a complicated deal, as many are, but was made more challenging as it fell on the heels on an earlier busted transaction. As Architel was a public company, it was imperative that the acquirer not be able to terminate the deal following its announcement but prior to closing. Through long and difficult negotiations, we were able to find a creative solution and achieve a successful outcome for our stakeholders.’ The first roles in Haar’s career were as a securities lawyer with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Shearman & Sterling in New York.