Whitehead, Taylor to Succeed Harris at CN

Patrick Whitehead, Executive Vice-President and Chief Networking Operating Officer, CN (left); and Derek Taylor, Executive Vice-President and Chief Field Operating Officer, CN (right).

CN on Oct. 18 announced the appointment of Patrick Whitehead as Executive Vice-President and Chief Networking Operating Officer and the appointment of Derek Taylor as Executive Vice-President and Chief Field Operating Officer, effective Nov. 15. Whitehead and Taylor will succeed Ed Harris, who will take on a consultant role until March 30, 2024, to “ensure a seamless transition.”

Whitehead and Taylor will be based in CN’s operational centers in Edmonton and Chicago, respectively. They will also have offices in Montreal where they will spend a part of their time.

According to CN, the evolution of the Class I railroad’s operations organization “recognizes the distinction in focus and capabilities between the development of the plan, including building its network for the future, and the day-to-day demands of safely executing the plan.” The innovative structure, CN says, “will help drive a greater intensity in delivering profitable growth through the cost-effective expansion of CN’s network infrastructure, where needed, and ongoing improvements to customer service as the company sells into its capacity. “It will also allow for the simultaneous refinement of CN’s long-term fleet plan, reflecting the Company’s decarbonization ambitions, and the continued deployment of operating technologies to enhance safety and efficiency.”

Whitehead will “make the plan” as he takes on leadership of Network Operations, Mechanical, Engineering, and the corporate safety team, including CN’s two operations training centers. Taylor will “run the plan” with system-wide leadership for Transportation and Intermodal Operations. CN says it intends to “continue to refine this structure over time to align additional responsibilities under both roles as future phases of the transformation are executed.” According to the Class I, a key deliverable for both Whitehead and Taylor is the ongoing development of talent, as CN says it continues to “ensure it is the employer of choice by becoming more modern, innovative, and reflective of the diversity of the communities in which it operates.”

“I am very pleased to appoint Pat and Derek to these enterprise leadership roles,” said CN President and CEO Tracy Robinson. “These appointments are the next evolution of our ‘Make the Plan, Run the Plan, Sell the Plan’ operating model. With this new structure and leadership in place, we are well-positioned to achieve the sustainable, profitable growth outlined in our 2024-2026 plan. I want to thank Ed for his significant contribution to CN and to the railroad industry over the last 50 years and for his collaboration in imagining and developing the evolution of the operating team structure. Pat and Derek were privileged to learn directly from him. His legacy is in the best hands.”

“Pat and Derek are accomplished railroaders with over half a century of combined experience,” said Outgoing Executive Vice-President and COO Ed Harris. “Their proven track records of cooperating and leading complementary teams serve as a model of cross-functional integration and collaboration. I am confident that they are up to the task of evolving CN’s scheduled railroading model to sustain growth while ensuring the efficient day-to-day safe execution of the plan.”

Whitehead, 48, is responsible for making CN’s operational plan. Based at CN’s operational center in Edmonton, AB, he is an accomplished executive with more than 30 years of railroad experience, more than 25 of which have been in management positions in Transportation and Mechanical operations. He joined CN in 2021 as General Manager in Chicago. Prior to joining CN, Whitehead was Vice-President, Transportation for Norfolk Southern Railway. Whitehead was appointed Senior Vice-President, Network Operations in June 2022. He will complete the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business Advanced Management Program on Oct. 20. Whitehead holds a Master of Science degree in Transportation Management from the University of Denver and is currently taking French classes.

Taylor, 46, is responsible for running CN’s operational plan. Based at CN’s operational center in Homewood, Ill., he is a proven strong leader in Transportation with more than 20 years of experience at CN. He joined the Company as a Management Trainee in Winnipeg, MB, in 2000 and since then has held progressively more senior leadership roles across the organization. He served as General Manager in Fond du Lac, Wis., and in Homewood, Ill., and was Vice-President, Transportation, for the Southern and Eastern Regions at different times. As Vice-President, Operational Excellence in 2022, Taylor was responsible for driving continuous improvement across CN’s key operating metrics. He was appointed Senior Vice-President, Transportation in November 2022. Taylor, who is currently taking French classes, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University in Indiana.