Leonard Asper will become president and ceo of CanWest Global Communications by Aug. 31, the end of the fiscal year. Izzy Asper, the company’s executive chairman and Leonard’s father, announced the promotion last week. Leonard is currently executive vp and coo.

‘I don’t think we’re going to depart significantly from where we are,’ says Leonard. ‘We’ll continue to focus on expanding our presence in the content side of the business. We’ll continue to make a bold step into new media by rolling out Global websites and buying, investing in, or creating additional content sites that relate to the Global network or vice versa. We’re also going to push to get into the u.s. and the u.k.,’ he says.

Although Leonard says he has no intention of acquiring any additional prodcos in the near future, he does say the company is interested in buying programming assets, libraries and rights inside and outside Canada.

As the new president, Leonard replaces Peter Viner, who will move to Toronto as vice chairman of the company and concentrate on corporate development and government relations.

‘The plan had always been that Peter was going to spend anywhere between zero and five years in Winnipeg training either my brother or I to become ceo. My brother decided to pursue other endeavors within the family and my father, Peter and the board believed I was ready.’

CanWest also announced that Frank McKenna, former premier of New Brunswick, and Sheelagh Whittaker, chair, president and ceo of EDS Systemhouse, will now join the board of directors as part of the company’s commitment to add outside directors to its board.