The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) has announced Linda Coady as its new president and CEO, effective July 18, to replace Susan Yurkovich, who stepped down earlier in the year.
Prior to her appointment, Coady was executive director at the Pembina Institute, an independent Canadian think tank on energy and climate policies.
“Linda is a life-long strategic sustainability professional in the resources sector and is widely respected as one of the most accomplished environmental, social, and governance executives in the country,” said Don Kayne, chair of COFI.
In a statement, Kayne said Coady has deep roots in the forest sector, having started her career path at COFI as senior manager of public affairs from 1981 to 1993. She also taught at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia, and worked in various senior roles for MacMillan Bloedel, Weyerhaeuser, World Wildlife Federation and Enbridge. She was also a committee member for the 2010 Winter Olympics, leading the sustainability strategy for the Vancouver Olympics.
“With Linda’s leadership, together with the efforts of our talented COFI team, I believe we have just the right group to lead COFI’s important work at this time, advocating for this industry that makes life better for British Columbians, enhancing our partnerships with indigenous communities and showcasing the important role that low carbon BC forest products can play as part of the climate solution,” Kayne added.
“As we make this transition, I want to again thank Susan Yurkovich for her outstanding leadership over the last seven years. During a complex time, she has represented our industry and our interests with exceptional skill on both the provincial and national stage and built a brand and a team we can all be proud of,” Kayne said.
He added that Yurkovich has agreed to continue to lead the work of the BC Lumber Trade Council “for the next number of months to allow more time for transition.”
