A Professional Engineer with over 45 years of experience as an executive and entrepreneur in the private and public sectors. David combines a strong business, engineering and accounting background with experience in utility regulation and thorough knowledge of energy policy. As Commissioner and later Chair and CEO of the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for over ten years, he developed expert-level understanding of the intersection of traditional and renewable energy, infrastructure, and public policy.

At the BCUC, David participated in numerous decisions on a wide variety of utility applications. He initiated and led several formal Inquiries into key areas of energy policy, including: the regulation of EV charging infrastructure; the regulation of the emerging hydrogen for fuel industry in BC; the definition of renewable natural gas and how it can be delivered; and the jurisdiction of municipalities in the regulation of municipal corporations that own and operate energy infrastructure.

David also presided over Inquires directed by the BC Government. These included: An Inquiry Respecting the Regulation of Indigenous Utilities which delivered 36 recommendations to government; and An Inquiry into Gasoline and Diesel Prices in British Columbia which analyzed the competitive state of the wholesale gasoline market in BC, resulting in government implementing a program to collect data and monitor the market.

Another key file of the BC government was An Inquiry Respecting Site C in 2017. Site C, the largest infrastructure project in the history of the province, is the third of three dams and powerhouses on the Peace River in northern BC., with a planned capacity of 1.2 GW. This inquiry was responsible for answering questions posed by government to assist them in determining whether to continue the development of the Site C dam, reservoir and powerhouse. This inquiry was the largest project ever undertaken by the BCUC and David’s leadership was instrumental in completing it on time under a very tight mandated timeline of three months.

Since departing from BCUC in 2023, David remains actively engaged in national and international energy and regulatory associations. He is the Chair of the International Confederation of Energy Regulators and leads the Economics Committee of the Canadian Energy Bar Association. He is the past Chair of the Canadian Association of Utility Commissioners (CAMPUT) and Co-Chair of its International Affairs Committee, and past Vice Chair of the National Association of Regulatory Utilities Commissioners’ (NARUC) Committee on International Relations.

David is a featured speaker, author, and consulting expert to industry and governments around the world. He has presented to agencies in 20 countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Prior to joining BCUC, David owned a software development and IT service company. He holds an engineering degree from the University of Toronto and the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. David has served extensively on not-for-profit boards in the arts in Vancouver.