Greetings to everyone in the BC Tech community!

After having had the privilege of serving two terms as CEO of the BC Tech Association, I have decided to retire from my position effective this Fall 2017.

Timed with our Annual General Meeting in mid-October, we will be welcoming a new CEO and I plan to continue in a part-time advisory role to support the successful transition, as well as championing several strategic initiatives (Supercluster initiative, ecosystem mapping & innovation network), to a successful conclusion.

The reason for my decision was entirely personal. Leonardo DiCaprio once offered, “Never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome”. In my privileged role over the past six years, I have tried to heed this advice. As the final chapter unfolded, I decided it was time.

The BC tech industry has never been more vibrant and full of promise. We have witnessed a wholesale transformation–one that has taken the spirit of entrepreneurship— the bedrock of BC and catalyzed our ascent to a top 15 tech ecosystem globally.

Now is the time for us to rally behind a new leader, to compete on a global scale with celebrated tech communities in San Francisco, New York, London, and Tel Aviv, and to truly become the top ten player that we deserve to be.

It has been my honour and privilege to have served the BC Tech community. Like any successful sports franchise, winning is not about the individual. It’s about the team. Organizationally, we have built one of the best teams I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, who will continue to live and promote our core values: Be of Service. Succeed Together. Pay it Forward.

Strong communities recognize that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I’ve been fortunate to have played a part. For that, I will be forever grateful.

Sincerely,

Bill Tam

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For more details and answers to further questions:

If you have any further questions or concerns about this announcement, please email questions@wearebctech.com and our Board Chair, Jill Tipping or our Vice-President of Community, Rocky Ozaki, will get back to you in a timely matter.

For any media questions please contact: communications@wearebctech.com