Liberal MLA Iain Black has decided to step away from politics to promote business in Vancouver.
On Wednesday, Black was named president and CEO of the Vancouver Board of Trade, effective Oct. 3.
“I am really excited about this opportunity,” Black told Business in Vancouver.
The MLA for Port Moody-Coquitlam, who played roles as B.C.’s labour and small business minister, said he wasn’t looking to leave government, but was approached about the job in May and the more he thought about it the more attractive it became.
“The more I read about it and the more I conversed about it, I began getting quite excited about the opportunity,” he said.
Black said he doesn’t have any concrete plans as to what direction he plans to take the board of trade in, but said the position will offer him the ability to “analyze” where Vancouver wants to go as a business community.
Prior to being elected in 2005, Black held executive roles with publicly traded and private technology companies.
“The appointment of Iain comes at an exciting time in the history of the board,” said Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia, board chairwoman and CEO of Century Plaza Hotel & Spa/Absolute Spa Group. “His leadership, knowledge and experience are precisely what are required to move the Board forward to a new era.”
Black lost his role as a minister in the provincial government earlier this year when he was named parliamentary secretary for public transportation.
Although he has yet to formally submit his resignation, Black is the second MLA to leave provincial politics this month.
Attorney General Barry Penner announced his resignation last week, sparking rumours that an election campaign could begin in the coming weeks.
Joel McKay
Twitter:jmckaybiv