Barry Penner, QC is the Managing Director of the Vancouver International Arbitration Centre (VanIAC), a not-for-profit dispute resolution organization based in Vancouver, Canada. During his 16 years as an elected member of the Legislature in British Columbia, Canada (1996-2012), Mr. Penner represented the public in a variety of roles. His responsibilities included serving as Attorney General for British Columbia, Minister of Environment and Minister of Aboriginal Relations & Reconciliation. Mr. Penner’s private-sector experience includes working in Southeast Asia as Senior Counsel with Myanmar Legal Services Limited, assisting with inbound investment particularly in telecommunications and energy. He has also worked with a law firm in Bangkok, Thailand and as Senior Counsel for what is now DLA Piper (Canada) LLP in their Vancouver office, from 2012 to 2014.

Mr. Penner is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. Mr. Penner is also a past-President of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, based in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Penner’s skill set includes environmental regulatory issues, First Nations requirements, government strategy and communications/media advice. In addition to his role with VanIAC, Mr. Penner operates an independent legal and public affairs advisory practice (Penner Pacific Advisory Services).