BC Ferries’ Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Mark F. Collins as president and CEO effective April 1, 2017.
A senior marine executive for the past 20 years, Collins’ experience includes roles as the president of Rolls Royce Marine Brazil and Italy, and vice president of global technical services, CSL Group. Collins is currently vice president of strategic planning & community engagement at BC Ferries, and was the vice president, engineering between 2004 and 2012.
In making the announcement, Board Chair Donald Hayes said, “Mark Collins has demonstrated his ability to lead teams and work collaboratively with diverse groups, skills we believe to be vital for the CEO position.” Hayes added, “Mr. Collins cares deeply for the company, its employees and the people in coastal communities who regularly use our services. The Board looks forward to working with him in his new role of incoming President and CEO.”
BC Ferries’ engaged an executive search firm to conduct a thorough national search following the announcement of current President and CEO Mike Corrigan’s decision to step down from his role effective March 31, 2017. The Board shortlisted and interviewed both internal and external candidates.
Hayes said the Board unanimously agreed that Collins has the ideal combination of maritime experience, academic training, operational expertise and leadership skills. Collins has 35 years of marine experience, 20 of them in executive leadership positions; holds a Master of Business Administration (Transport and Logistics) and a Diploma of Technical (Marine) Engineering; has delivered more than $1 billion worth of projects on-time and on-budget; and has been a marine engineer officer on oil tankers, bulk carriers, container vessels, and fishing vessels.
“As a person who was born in Newfoundland, a ferry dependent island, I understand first-hand the importance of a reliable ferry service to people’s lives,” said Collins. “I am fortunate to have such a solid foundation on which to start my new role as president and CEO, and I have our CEO Mike Corrigan, our leadership team and our more than 4500 dedicated employees to thank for that.”
“We will continue our focus on safety,” said Collins. “And I will work with my team to continue to deliver a travel experience for our customers that is reliable, safe and enjoyable, and ensure BC Ferries is viewed as an asset to coastal communities. I look forward to working with the provincial government, the B.C. Ferry Commission, our employees and ferry dependent communities to deliver excellent service and an excellent experience.”
According to Corrigan, “the work Mark Collins has done in his role as Vice President Strategic Planning & Community Engagement has been exemplary. I am pleased that the Board determined the most qualified candidate came from inside the company, because that speaks to the quality and talent of our senior executives, the opportunity to grow leadership skills within the company, and Mark’s comprehensive knowledge of our operations, strategic planning and engaging with customers.”
Hayes noted that Collins’ total remuneration will meet with the requirements of the Coastal Ferry Act. As directed by the Act, BC Ferries conducted a survey of compensation among comparable public sector organizations. Total remuneration cannot exceed an annual maximum of $495,000, which is approximately 10 per cent less than the total remuneration paid to Corrigan currently.
