Patrick Searle is taking over as CEO of the Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI) ahead of what looks to be a “turbulent” year for Canadian tech.

Searle, the vice-president of corporate affairs at CCI, has worked at the tech scaleup advocacy group since 2017. He will take the top job when CEO Benjamin Bergen leaves to lead the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA) in January, the organization announced today. Vice-president of strategy and advocacy Dana O’Born will become chief strategy officer.

Searle says that aggressive US protectionism should spur a response from the Canadian government that is “informed by the companies on the front lines.”

CCI was established in 2015 and is co-chaired by former Research in Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie and Maverix Private Equ

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