Hundreds of people liked and commented on a Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) LinkedIn post this weekend that announced its longtime chief economist, Jock Finlayson's departure.
"We bid a fond farewell to Jock Finlayson as he retires from his remarkable three-decade tenure at the BCBC," the organization said.
Come Monday morning, however, and there is news that instead of shifting to a life of golfing, travelling and taking it easy, Finlayson has joined the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) and will be its first chief economist.
Finlayson had reduced his workload at the BCBC to part time, and he will work in a part-time capacity at the ICBA, he told BIV in an interview. He did not say exactly how many years he intends to stay with the ICBA but he acknowledged that given that he is in his mid-sixties, the position will not be for another decade.
"The job is going to be much more focused on looking at the economy through the lens of the construction industry, because that is the ICBA membership," he said. "I'm looking forward to a bit of a deeper dive into a large segment of the economy, rather than the more macro focus that we have at the BCBC."
He plans to write reports, commentaries, forecasts and newspaper columns and establish the office
"It's important to note that they have a rapidly growing Alberta membership, as well," Finlayson said. "There's a subsidiary called ICBA Alberta, which has its own board and president, and I'll be spending some time on Alberta issues – not just B.C.'s – so that's also part of the appeal for me."
The ICBA noted in a press release that hiring Jock underscores its commitment to provide members and the broader construction industry with quality economic insights and analysis.
ICBA President Chris Gardner called Finlayson "one of the most respected and insightful voices shaping economic and public policy analysis and discussion in B.C."
