Creative BC announces Jesse Finkelstein as Board Chair and welcomes Kesi Smyth, Bill Tam, and Kate Wattie to Creative BC’s Board of Directors

Jesse Finkelstein is co-founder and principal of Page Two, a publishing company that helps experts, industry leaders and organizations publish non-fiction books. Jesse brings to her work an extensive knowledge of author relations, publishing operations, sales strategy, and digital publishing. In previous publishing roles, Jesse ran D&M Publishers’ day-to-day operations as Chief Operating Officer, leading the company’s digital and international sales strategies, licensing content in multiple formats and in global markets, and developing enhanced ebooks. Prior to this role, Jesse was associate publisher at Raincoast Books, where she managed the publishing department, oversaw acquisitions and sold foreign rights. She holds a master of publishing degree from Simon Fraser University.

Kesi Smyth began her career in Canada’s music industry in 2003, undertaking roles of progressive responsibility at Simkin Artist Management and 604 Records where she now holds the title of General Manager & Human Resources. With studies in marketing and human resources management, Kesi now oversees both label operations for the 604 Label Group and the many clients it serves, as well as professional development, people management, and inclusive practices for the company and its staff.

Most notably, Kesi was Sr. Project Manager for Carly Rae Jepsen during the peak of her Grammy-nominated blockbuster hit, “Call Me Maybe”. During that time Kesi was responsible for an array of activities including strategic marketing, day to day operations, and logistical planning for performances like the MuchMusic Video Awards, Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards, and more.

Kesi is a Board Member of both the Western Canadian Music Alliance, the Canada Independent Music Association (CIMA) and serves ADVANCE, Canada’s Black music business collective, as a regional representative and as part of its membership committee.

Bill Tam is the Cofounder and COO of the Digital Technology Supercluster, part of the Government of Canada’s $950-million, five-year Innovation Superclusters Initiative driving large-scale collaboration across industry, enterprise, and post-secondary to develop and scale high-potential technologies in Canada.

A lifelong champion of entrepreneurship, Bill is recognized as a pre-eminent leader in B.C.’s tech sector with 20 years’ experience in capacities from start-up founder to executive, investor, advisor and board member. He is recognized for forging partnerships across the private and public sectors to accelerate economic growth and foster inclusiveness.

Bill now serves in a variety of advisory roles including: member of the Steering Committee, Cascadia Innovation Corridor initiative; the Innovation Committee of the Rideau Hall Foundation; and as an industry advisor to UBC, SFU and BCIT. He holds an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University, a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Summa Cum Laude) from McGill University, and in 2018 was awarded the Applied Science Dean’s Medal of Distinction by UBC for his contributions to the engineering and tech community.

Kate Wattie is an entrepreneur in B.C.’s dynamic music industry and a leader within the province’s broader arts and culture community, where she also currently chairs the board for Karen Jamieson Dance. Kate is both co-owner of boutique guitar store, Exile Electronics, and artist manager and general manager of her own boutique record label and management company, Tonic Records. Kate brings a global perspective on the industry to combine with a deep understanding of the business behind music. Her career in the music industry began with Virgin Records in London, UK and led her back to B.C., with increasing responsibilities and experiences spanning from management of vintage guitar store, Another Music Shop, to serving previously for four years as a board member of the industry’s membership association. Her company Tonic Records has been recognized by the Western Canadian Music Awards for ‘Impact in Artist Development’ and its current and past roster of award-winning clients includes: The Harpoonist and The Axe Murderer, Leeroy Stagger, We Are The City, Ryland Moranz, Satellite and The Harpoonist, Terence Jack, Buckman Coe, Bocephus King, Rodney De Croo and Jody Peck.

View all Creative BC board members