The persuader

John Tennant keeps an eye on the IT industry from an unusual perch. He’s chief executive officer of Canada’s Technology Triangle, a public-private sector agency charged with helping bring business and investment to one of the country’s biggest technology centres, the southern Ontario region surrounding the cities of Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge.
With a population of just under 500,000, it boasts leading tech companies such as Research In Motion as well as several universities and colleges that emphasize IT.
A member of the foreign service for 30 years, Tennant moved to the private sector three years ago.
The following is an edited transcript of our interview.

CDN: What’s the difference between being a diplomat and representing a group of municipalities?

John Tennant: In essence the job within the Canadian foreign service is to represent the country over a broad spectrum of activities. A good portion of my career was in terms of outreach to business, including attracting investment. In a sense our task at Canada’s Technology Triangle Inc. in marketing the Waterloo region is analogous at a different level to some of what is done as a Canadian representative.
I was very interested to have the opportunity with Canada’s Technology Triangle Inc. because I believe rather profoundly that the key competitive factors involved in economic development are brought together today at the regional level. We’ve had a very significant reduction of barriers in national boundaries, growth, the attractive features that will entice business to look seriously at an area come together at a regional level and, of course, the Waterloo region has always been exciting in terms of bringing together quite a vibrant and diverse economy with outstanding post-secondary institutions that is close to quite a number of the factors that promote business growth.

CDN: What challenges does the
area face?

J.T.: The area is blessed with a diverse economy. Manufacturing remains very important, but with higher Canadian dollars, competition from China, issues of seamless crossing into the United States the sector is one that will be subject to adjustments.
Another area of challenge is future growth. It has been one of the top three regional economies in Canada in terms of economic importance. The Conference Board expects the Waterloo area will be among the top performers to 2008.

CDN: Were you at the recent “Canada Day” picnic in Silicon Valley?

J.T.: Yes, together with the technology association Communitec and the University of Waterloo. It provides access to a number of Canadians, or people with close affiliations with Canada, who have been successful both on their own and with major companies in Silicon Valley who understand or have been receptive to the message about the opportunities to establish in our area, particularly for research and development operations.

CDN: You were there to entice Canadians back?

J.T.: Certainly that was part of the agenda, also to have Canad-ians either who have their own firms or are with other firms updated on the value equation of having a significant presence in the Waterloo region.

CDN: What’s your most persuasive argument to persuade people to come back?

J.T.: A key factor for many of them — aside from the fact that the playing field for capital gains and options has been leveled — is the Canadian lifestyle. A very key message for them (also) is we have a diverse and healthy technology sector that is hiring and foresees considerable need over the coming year or two for additional hires. It is an area that offers them a career choice. There’s a sufficient range of outstanding and prominent companies that if after three or five years with one employer they’re looking for opportunities elsewhere within this area they can find it.

CDN: Who’s the smartest person you ever met?

J.T.: One person I have very high degree of respect for is Mike Lazaridis founder and co-CEO of Research In Motion.
What I admire greatly about Mike, and it was evident when he and a small group of us were in Pittsburgh in early June, he makes sure he has thought things through sufficiently to distill the wisdom he imparts down to the essence.

CDN: What’s most important lesson you’ve learned in being a leader?

J.T.: Transparency, and with it goes honesty and genuiness. Put the reverse, successful leaders do not posture or play games.

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Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

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Howard Solomon
Howard Solomon
Currently a freelance writer, I'm the former editor of ITWorldCanada.com and Computing Canada. An IT journalist since 1997, I've written for several of ITWC's sister publications including ITBusiness.ca and Computer Dealer News. Before that I was a staff reporter at the Calgary Herald and the Brampton (Ont.) Daily Times. I can be reached at hsolomon [@] soloreporter.com

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