By Paul Vieira

OTTAWA--Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has named the former chief executive of BCE and president of Quebec's biggest pension fund the country's new bureaucrat to help him implement his aggressive economic agenda.

Michael Sabia, who until Wednesday was the chief executive of Hydro-Quebec, will assume the role of Clerk of the Privy Council in early July, Carney said in a statement. The clerk, in practice the chief bureaucrat, advises the prime minister and the cabinet on how best to implement the executive's wishes on policy.

Sabia is no stranger to the Canadian government, as he served in senior roles at the Department of Finance, including a recent stint as the ministry's chief official during the administration led by former prime minister Justin Trudeau. Sabia has served as chief financial officer at Canadian National Railway, and CEO at BCE--one of Canada's biggest telecommunications companies--and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Canada's second-largest pension fund.

In a statement, Carney said Sabia's leadership experience will be important in the Liberal government's drive to build the strongest economy in the Group of Seven. "Canada's exemplary public service - with Sabia at the helm - will advance nation-building projects, catalyze enormous private investment to drive growth, and deliver the change Canadians want and deserve," Carney said.

Just prior to Carney's announcement, Hydro-Quebec issued a statement about Sabia's departure. In the Hydro-Quebec statement, Sabia said Carney offered the job "at a time when the country is facing some unprecedented challenges. In that context, I am joining the federal government to tackle these challenge head on."

Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

06-11-25 1537ET