BC Ferries says CEO Nicolas Jimenez has left and Brian Anderson has been appointed interim chief executive officer effective immediately.
The Story
Nicolas Jimenez is out as CEO of BC Ferries following a leadership change announced by the company’s board, effective immediately.
In a news release, BC Ferries said Brian Anderson, its vice-president of strategy and planning, has been appointed as interim chief executive officer.
The board said it has also started a “revitalization review” aimed at addressing growing demands for safe, reliable services.
BC Ferries said it appreciates Jimenez for his contributions and that a search for a permanent successor will follow the revitalization review.
Jimenez’s exit follows a period of political pressure in relation to BC Ferries’ decision last year to award a $1-billion contract to China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards to build four new vessels. The BC Conservatives had called for his firing and for board chair Joy MacPhail’s removal, pointing to what they said was a failure of judgment and citing Canada’s trade dispute with China.
The release also drew on testimony Jimenez gave to the House of Commons transport committee last year, where he said BC Ferries received six compliant bids to replace its four oldest ships, all from foreign countries. He said two Canadian shipyards pre-qualified but neither submitted a formal proposal, and that BC Ferries chose the proposal offering the best combination of value, quality, delivery, speed and protections for customers.
Jimenez was previously president and CEO of provincial auto insurer ICBC.
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