Linda Coady

Linda Coady is an experienced leader on sustainable development challenges in Canada who has worked with diverse groups to advance new solutions. Most recently, she served as President and CEO of the BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI), and is now retiring from the role. Coady took on the position effective July 18, 2022, replacing Susan Yurkovich. As newly appointed head of COFI, she was positioned to help guide B.C.'s forest sector to fully embrace environmental, social and governance (ESG) principals.

Coady earned a BA degree in 1974 from the University of British Columbia. In the early days of her career, while working for BC coastal forest company MacMillan Bloedel, she took part in discussions to resolve land use conflicts over Clayoquot Sound and the Great Bear Rainforest during the 1990s. She started her career path at COFI as senior manager of public affairs from 1981 to 1993.

Career History

• President and CEO, BC Council of Forest Industries (2022–2025, retiring)
• Executive Director, Pembina Institute, an independent Canadian think tank on energy and climate policies (2020–2022)
• Chief Sustainability Officer, Enbridge Inc.
• Vice-President of Sustainability, Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games
• Vice-President of the Pacific Region, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada
• Vice-President of Environmental Affairs, BC Coastal Group of Weyerhaeuser Canada and MacMillan Bloedel Ltd.

Coady has been a Distinguished Fellow at the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and has taught corporate sustainability at UBC's Sauder School of Business. She has also served on advisory bodies to different levels of government and was most recently a member of Canada's Net-Zero Advisory Body, which provides independent advice to the federal government on meeting requirements under Canada's Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act.

What Linda Coady could bring to future roles: Coady's unique experience bridging environmental advocacy, corporate sustainability, government relations, and forest industry leadership positions her to guide organizations through complex stakeholder environments. Her demonstrated ability to champion Indigenous reconciliation, advance climate-smart policies, and integrate ESG principles into traditional resource sectors suggests she would be valuable in senior leadership roles focused on sustainable transitions, multi-stakeholder governance, or environmental policy.