Regional innovation agency Invest Vancouver taps Jacquie Griffiths as new president

Current boss David Flaks to stay involved as board member and informal counsel.

Jacquie Griffiths, Invest Vancouver

Regional economic development agency Invest Vancouver announced the appointment of Jacquie Griffiths as its new president, effective July 1. Griffiths is currently the organization’s executive vice president, focused on attracting strategic investment, research and policy, and industry collaboration. As president, she’ll be replacing her boss, David Flaks, who had led Invest Vancouver since January 2021.

"Stepping into the role as president of Invest Vancouver is an honour as someone passionate about economic development for the Metro Vancouver region and as one of its long-term residents," said Griffiths, in a statement. “As president of the service, a priority for me will be continuing to drive the aspirational vision, strategic economic prosperity priorities, and programs that Dave and I — along with our incredible team — launched, including driving forward the continuation of our data, research, and policy development, as well as continuing strategic collaboration and investment attraction."

According to the organization, Flaks will remain involved with Invest Vancouver both as a member of the Invest Vancouver Management Board and as a resource and ongoing source of advice and counsel to the team, as needed and appropriate.

Over the past 18 months, Flaks and Griffiths have worked to create a vision for the organization to help Metro Vancouver compete with global economic centres like London, Mumbai, Shenzhen, and Tokyo. "They have rapidly changed the understanding of what it will take to drive regional economic prosperity here in the Metro Vancouver region,” according to Sav Dhaliwal, chair of the Metro Vancouver Board and the Invest Vancouver Management Board. “As the economic development thought-leader for the region, the service is already informing decision-makers on policy and economic development priorities of regional significance.”

Invest Vancouver has previously outlined four key priorities for the region: investing in people, catalyzing innovation, building capacity in key industries, and increasing global connectedness.

Metro Vancouver commissioner Jerry Dobrovolny says the move to bring in Flaks from Los Angeles was strategic in nature, and he’s impressed with how he and Griffiths have collaborated on important initiatives. He also added, “Jacquie has been an incredible force in establishing Invest Vancouver not only locally but internationally, and her particular strengths in workforce, labour, and economic development are going to be critical in driving Invest Vancouver's strategic work forward.”