Iain Black

Black was born in 1967 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He holds an honours degree in business from the University of Manitoba,^[1] and the ICD.D designation from the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.^[7] He moved to British Columbia in 1994 after marrying his partner Chris;^[8] they raised their three children in the Westwood Plateau neighbourhood of Coquitlam.^[1][9]

Black spent most of his professional career in the technology sector, where he held senior management and executive roles prior to and following his time in public office. He began his career with IBM Canada Ltd., working in sales and marketing.^[1] In 1995, he founded E-Z Net, a company that provided services to Internet service providers during the early growth of commercial internet access.^[2] He then joined Axion Communications as vice-president of corporate sales, later becoming chief operating officer.^[2] He became president and chief executive officer of The Electric Mail Company Inc. in 1999, later serving as a director, during a period in which the company expanded its business email services.^[2]

He went on to serve as president of the Banking Solutions Group at Open Solutions Canada (formerly Datawest Solutions Inc.),^[2] a provider of banking systems and outsourcing services for Canadian credit unions. Black was part of the senior management team involved in the merger between Open Solutions and Datawest Solutions, prior to his election to the Legislative Assembly in 2005.^[10]

Black was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2005 provincial election as a BC Liberal candidate, succeeding Christy Clark in the electoral district of Port Moody-Westwood.^[1] During his time in the legislature, Black served in several parliamentary and cabinet-related roles, including as member of the British Columbia Treasury Board. He also chaired the Select Standing Committee to Appoint a Conflict of Interest Commissioner and, in December 2006, was appointed chair of the Government Caucus Committee on Natural Resources and the Economy, which reviews legislation and provides recommendations to cabinet.^[1]

Prior to his appointment to cabinet, Black was the lead architect for the 2007 legislation that made booster seats mandatory for children between the ages of four and nine, or until reaching a height of 4 ft 9 in (140 cm).^[11] He also led the International Business Hosting Program for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.^[2]

He was named Minister of Labour and Citizens' Services in June 2008, replacing Olga Ilich.^[12][13] After winning re-election in 2009 for the redistributed riding of Port Moody–Coquitlam,^[14] Black was re-assigned as Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development.^[12] With the Liberals losing support following the introduction of the harmonized sales tax, Premier Gordon Campbell shuffled his cabinet in October 2010, with Black once again handling the labour portfolio.^[12][15]

Campbell announced his resignation as premier and BC Liberal leader in November 2010; Black supported Kevin Falcon in the ensuing leadership election.^[9] He was excluded from cabinet after Christy Clark was sworn in as premier in March 2011, and was instead named parliamentary secretary for public transportation.^[9]

Black resigned as MLA in October 2011 to become president and chief executive officer of the Vancouver Board of Trade.^[2][16] During his tenure, the organization eliminated its operating deficit and underwent internal restructuring,^[17] and re-branded as the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) in 2016.^[18] It also expanded its programming and membership base, and by 2015 its board of directors included more women than men, a distinction among major Canadian business organizations at the time. The organization hosted more than 1,000 events during Black's leadership.^[19]

Under Black's leadership, the GVBOT took public positions on a range of economic and policy issues. The organization supported increasing Canada's access to international oil markets, including through the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion.^[20] In 2018, the GVBOT organized a delegation of supporters to Alberta to demonstrate support for pipeline development.^[21] The organization also publicly opposed proposed federal tax changes affecting small businesses in 2017, which were later modified by the federal government.^[22]

After leaving GVBOT in April 2019,^[23] Black returned to the technology sector. In 2019, he was appointed president and chief executive officer of Maximizer Software, a company within the Concord Group of Companies, and later served as vice chair and board advisor to the Concord Group.^[8] In 2025, he founded Black Ink Advisory, an advisory firm providing guidance in executive leadership and governance, operational effectiveness and strategy development.^[24]

• Member, Conservative Party of Canada National Economic Growth Council (2025), an advisory body focused on economic policy development.^[26]
• Member, Chair’s Council, Science World British Columbia (2017–2024).^[23]
• Chancellor, Vancouver School of Theology (2018–2022).^[23][27]
• Judge, Business in Vancouver Forty Under 40 Awards (2014–2017).^[28]
• Coach, North Coquitlam United Soccer Club (2004–2010).^[1]
• Board director, Canuck Place Children's Hospice (1999–2005).^[1]

• “Executive of the Year” (2015) – Canadian Chamber of Commerce.^[23]
• Business in Vancouver Top 40 Under 40 award.^[2]