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October 5, 2023
OPERATIONAL EXPERTISE CENTRAL TO BCF LEADERSHIP CHANGES
VICTORIA - BC Ferries’ executive leadership team and portfolios have been realigned to support a renewed focus on meeting customers’ current needs and planning for the kind of generational change required of an affordable, safe, and reliable modern ferry service in the future, announced President and CEO Nicolas Jimenez today.
“I believe the company is now better positioned to address the short and longer term challenges we face,” said CEO and President Nicolas Jimenez. “From how we staff our business, to ensuring vessel reliability, maintaining our terminals, communicating with our customers, and strengthening our technology platforms, the company will remain focused on delivering the safest and best experience to customers up and down the coast.”
Key Division changes include:
- Three New Operating Divisions – Engineering, Marine Operations and Customer Experience;
- A new Strategy and Planning Division – including environmental, sustainability and climate change policy;
- Creation of a new People and Safety Division – aligns the Safety, Health and Security teams with the People & Culture division to strengthen how BCF supports the health and well-being of its people to keep them safe and secure;
- A stand-alone Public Affairs and Marketing Division – including Community Relations, Indigenous Relations, Consumer and Corporate Marketing.
Executive and division changes follow the retirements of BCF’s long serving Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Marketing and Customer Experience.
“Their insight was invaluable in the design of this reorganization. Being able to fill most roles internally reflects our internal talent and highlights the importance of building a strong succession pipeline,” added Jimenez.
Changes take effect October 16th to allow for the transition of duties. The size of BC Ferries executive leadership team remains the same as a VP position vacated a year ago is now filled.
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a) Three New Operating Divisions
i) Engineering led by Stephen Jones, Vice President (formerly Executive Director Engineering) will focus on ensuring BCF recruits and retains critical engineering talent and addresses the challenges of maintaining our aging fleet and terminal assets.
i) Engineering led by Stephen Jones, Vice President (formerly Executive Director Engineering) will focus on ensuring BCF recruits and retains critical engineering talent and addresses the challenges of maintaining our aging fleet and terminal assets.
ii) Marine Operations led by Darren Johnston, Vice President (formerly Executive Director Fleet Operations) includes fleet operations, operational training -including a review of BCF’s training strategy - to address ongoing development and retention of the company’s highly skilled workforce.
iii) Customer Experience led by Melanie Lucia, Vice President (formerly Executive Director Terminal Operations) includes terminals, catering, retail operations, and Customer Care.
b) Strategy & Planning – led by Brian Anderson, Vice President includes strategic planning, capacity planning, regulatory affairs, environmental strategy, legal affairs and the Corporate Secretary Office. Further work will be done to confirm how to realign demand forecasting and pricing strategy and management with this division. This will be done in consultation with teams in Finance.
c) Public Affairs & Marketing - Lindsay Matthews, Interim Vice President joins BCF on a six-month executive secondment. The role will permanently filled on completion of the temporary assignment. This division includes Public Affairs, Community Relations, Indigenous Relations, Consumer Marketing & Digital Experience and Corporate Marketing & Customer Experience.
d) Finance – Jill Sharland, Chief Financial Officer continues to lead this division, which will now include Commercial Services (formerly in the operations division).
e) People & Safety – led by Cam Brine, Chief People Officer now includes the Safety, Health and Security teams. Bringing these functions together confirms BCF’s corporate commitment to safety.
f) Information Technology - James Tan, Chief Information Officer. There are no changes to this division being announced today.
g) Shipbuilding – Ed Hooper, Executive Director Shipbuilding. There are no changes to this team/project being announced today – still reports directly to the CEO, but is not part of the ELT. We have engaged external advisers to review the current structure of that project/program, given its size, scale and complexity.
iii) Customer Experience led by Melanie Lucia, Vice President (formerly Executive Director Terminal Operations) includes terminals, catering, retail operations, and Customer Care.
b) Strategy & Planning – led by Brian Anderson, Vice President includes strategic planning, capacity planning, regulatory affairs, environmental strategy, legal affairs and the Corporate Secretary Office. Further work will be done to confirm how to realign demand forecasting and pricing strategy and management with this division. This will be done in consultation with teams in Finance.
c) Public Affairs & Marketing - Lindsay Matthews, Interim Vice President joins BCF on a six-month executive secondment. The role will permanently filled on completion of the temporary assignment. This division includes Public Affairs, Community Relations, Indigenous Relations, Consumer Marketing & Digital Experience and Corporate Marketing & Customer Experience.
d) Finance – Jill Sharland, Chief Financial Officer continues to lead this division, which will now include Commercial Services (formerly in the operations division).
e) People & Safety – led by Cam Brine, Chief People Officer now includes the Safety, Health and Security teams. Bringing these functions together confirms BCF’s corporate commitment to safety.
f) Information Technology - James Tan, Chief Information Officer. There are no changes to this division being announced today.
g) Shipbuilding – Ed Hooper, Executive Director Shipbuilding. There are no changes to this team/project being announced today – still reports directly to the CEO, but is not part of the ELT. We have engaged external advisers to review the current structure of that project/program, given its size, scale and complexity.
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Media Contact:
BC Ferries, Media Relations
Victoria: (250) 978-1267
Customer Contact:
Victoria: (250) 410-1465
Toll-free: 1-888-BCFERRY (1-888-223-3779)
Note to newsrooms: For urgent media inquiries off-hours, call our off-hours line at (250) 516-7211.
BC Ferries, Media Relations
Victoria: (250) 978-1267
Customer Contact:
Victoria: (250) 410-1465
Toll-free: 1-888-BCFERRY (1-888-223-3779)
Note to newsrooms: For urgent media inquiries off-hours, call our off-hours line at (250) 516-7211.