The Rogers family feud: new case study

Family legacy and emotional relationships can influence governance in unexpected ways, sometimes leading to contentious corporate decisions. A newly published case study by uOttawa professors –The Rogers Family Feud: How Power and Emotions Governed an Industry-Leading Firm – explores these dynamics through the lens of the high-profile 2021 leadership battle within Rogers Communications Inc., one of Canada’s largest telecom companies.

The conflict, which played out publicly, began with a controversial move by Ed Rogers to remove then-CEO Joe Natale. What followed was a dramatic and deeply personal dispute between members of the Rogers family.

Written by Professors Saouré Kouamé, Gefen Bar-On Santor, and Peter Jaskiewicz, the case is particularly relevant for family business and management professors exploring family and corporate governance structures and conflict in family firms.

The case will equip students to:

• Analyze how family and corporate governance structures can help prevent or manage disputes in family-owned businesses
• Recognize and navigate the emotional dynamics and relationship conflicts that often arise among family owners in family firms

Telfer Professor and FELI Director Peter Jaskiewicz recently used the case in the Advising Family Business course with 4th-year management students. Students enjoyed reading and working on the case, and it led to lively discussions and insightful presentations that reflected the real-world complexity of family enterprise governance and leadership.

Faculty can access the case through university libraries via SAGE Business Cases.