Sometimes an institution that carries people across the water must change its own helm, and the reasons do not always reach the shore. On a Tuesday, the board of B.C. Ferries set aside chief executive Nicolas Jimenez, a figure whose career had moved from ICBC's reform era to the troubled work of keeping coastal life connected, and offered only the gentle phrase of a leadership transition. The company now turns to acting leadership and a review of a system under growing strain, while the people who work its decks and engines wait to learn whether this pause will bring steadier ground.
Nicolas Jimenez Out as B.C. Ferries CEO in Abrupt Board-Led Leadership Shake-Up
No reason for Jimenez's departure was given.
Mark
Start with the basics. What actually happened on Tuesday?
Mimi
The board removed CEO Nicolas Jimenez and called it a leadership transition. Brian Anderson steps in as interim CEO, and CFO Dallyn Willis takes over Anderson's duties and leads a review of the company.
Mark
Why was he removed?
Luke
Nobody has said. The board's statement gave no reason. Anything beyond that is inference, and the reporting doesn't support a cause.
Mimi
What we do have is context. He took over in 2023 after Mark Collins was ousted, shortly after Joy MacPhail became board chair.
Mark
And the Chinese shipyard deal? Is that connected?
Luke
That's the question, but the reporting doesn't link them. It's a contested decision from his tenure, and the cost is undisclosed. It isn't stated as the reason.
Mimi
Jimenez said it followed a global procurement process, and the company says disclosing the price could hurt future deals.
Mark
How did the union read it?
Mimi
Eric McNeely said he's cautiously optimistic. About 4,500 workers have been without a collective agreement for about a year, and he hopes for labour peace.
Luke
Worth noting that's his hope and his read. He said the union expected Jimenez to go eventually, but the timing surprised them. It's not a forecast of what the review will find.
Mark
Who ultimately controls the board?
Mimi
The sole voting shareholder is the B.C. Ferry Authority. Four of its nine directors are provincial appointments, and the others come from local governments and unions.
Il Polso
- The board removed its chief executive on a Tuesday and offered no reason beyond a 'leadership transition,' leaving questions hanging over the company.
- A contested decision to buy a new fleet from a state-run Chinese shipyard, with its costs still hidden from the public, shadows the departure.
- Brian Anderson steps in as interim CEO while Dallyn Willis takes on a review meant to address growing demands on the system.
- About 4,500 unionized workers have gone roughly a year without a contract, and their union is cautiously hoping the change brings labour peace.
Sometimes an institution that carries people across the water must change its own helm, and the reasons do not always reach the shore. On a Tuesday, the board of B.C. Ferries set aside chief executive Nicolas Jimenez, a figure whose career had moved from ICBC's reform era to the troubled work of keeping coastal life connected, and offered only the gentle phrase of a leadership transition. The company now turns to acting leadership and a review of a system under growing strain, while the people who work its decks and engines wait to learn whether this pause will bring steadier ground.
On Tuesday, the board of B.C. Ferries announced that Nicolas Jimenez was no longer chief executive. The statement, delivered by board chair Cathy McLay, called it a leadership transition and did not say why. It thanked him for his contributions and wished him well.
Brian Anderson, the vice president of strategy and planning, has been named interim CEO. Chief financial officer Dallyn Willis will take on Anderson's former duties and lead a review of the system, which the board says must address growing demands and deliver safe, reliable service to coastal communities.
Jimenez arrived in 2023 after nearly two decades at ICBC, where he had been CEO since 2018. His most contested decision was the purchase of major vessels from a state-run shipyard in China's Shandong province. Critics across politics objected, and he defended the choice as the result of a global procurement process. The company still will not disclose what the ships cost, arguing that doing so would weaken its future negotiating position.
The union greeted the news with caution. Eric McNeely said he is cautiously optimistic that the change could bring more turnover in upper management and a calmer workforce. About 4,500 members have worked for roughly a year without a collective agreement. The union had expected a departure and a review, though not this timing.
The next questions are practical: what the review finds, whether the board ever explains its decision, and whether stalled contract talks move under new leadership.
On Tuesday, the B.C. Ferries board announced that Nicolas Jimenez was no longer the company's chief executive. The board called it a "leadership transition." The statement came from board chair Cathy McLay, and it did not say why Jimenez was leaving.
Brian Anderson, the company's vice president of strategy and planning, has been named interim CEO. Dallyn Willis, the executive vice-president and chief financial officer, will take over Anderson's former responsibilities. McLay said Willis will also lead a review of B.C. Ferries meant to "address growing demands on the system and deliver safe, reliable services for customers and coastal communities." Of Jimenez, she said only that the board thanks him for his contributions and wishes him success in his future endeavours.
Jimenez took the top job at B.C. Ferries in 2023, after nearly two decades in senior roles at ICBC. He had been ICBC's CEO since 2018, the year David Eby, then attorney general under John Horgan, promised major reforms at that organization. At B.C. Ferries, he succeeded Mark Collins, who was ousted shortly after former NDP cabinet minister Joy MacPhail was appointed chair of the board.
The most contested decision of his tenure was the procurement of a new fleet of major vessels, to be built by a state-run shipyard in China's Shandong province. Provincial and national politicians criticized the choice. Jimenez defended it at the time, saying the yard was picked after a global procurement process and that his main focus was getting a good deal. B.C. Ferries has not disclosed what the vessels cost, saying that doing so could weaken its position on future procurements.
The union that represents the workforce responded with some caution. Eric McNeely, president of the B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers' Union, said he is "cautiously optimistic" that the departure could lead to more change in upper management and a steadier workforce. About 4,500 unionized workers have gone roughly a year without a collective agreement. "Maybe this will bring some labour peace to a system that is challenged with decisions that have been made," he said.
McNeely said the timing was a bit of a surprise, but the union had expected Jimenez to leave at some point and had seen a review of the company coming.
The governance structure helps explain how a board can move this way. B.C. Ferries has not been a Crown corporation since 2003, though it still receives major funding from the province. Its sole voting shareholder is the B.C. Ferry Authority, which has nine directors. Four are provincial appointments, and the rest are a mix of local government and union representatives.
What to watch now: the findings of the review under Willis, whether the board eventually explains the decision, and whether the stalled contract talks for 4,500 workers move under interim leadership.
Citazioni salienti
Maybe this will bring some labour peace to a system that is challenged with decisions that have been made.— Eric McNeely, president, B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers' Union
The board thanks Jimenez for his contributions and wishes him success in future endeavours.— Cathy McLay, B.C. Ferries board chair (paraphrased)
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