The head of an economic development corporation that operates through the Alberta Premier’s office has abruptly left the organization.
Rick Christiaanse, who was chief executive officer of Invest Alberta, departed the agency after four years at the helm.
The province established the corporation, which has a $17-million budget, in 2020 as part of an economic recovery plan aimed at bolstering Alberta’s coffers as it grappled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Invest Alberta’s goal is to draw investments to the province across various industries, including agriculture, aviation, carbon capture and storage, data centres, energy, petrochemicals and technology.
Keith Bradley, Invest Alberta’s former chief operating officer, has been installed as its acting CEO.
Mr. Christiaanse’s profile was removed from Invest Alberta’s website early Monday afternoon. Around the same time, Mr. Bradley shared news of Mr. Christiaanse’s departure in an e-mail to the corporation’s stakeholders, obtained by The Globe and Mail.
Mr. Bradley said he would be serving as acting CEO “to ensure continuity and stability” in the organization’s work after Mr. Christiaanse stepped down.
“Our mandate, priorities, and strategy remain unchanged, and there is no impact to the work currently underway with our partners and stakeholders,” Mr. Bradley wrote. “Our team remains fully engaged and focused on delivering results.”
Invest Alberta’s mandate is global. With offices across North America, Asia and Europe, it works directly with investors to start businesses or scale up existing ventures in the province.
Between Jan. 1, 2022, and June 30, 2025 (the corporation’s most recent expense disclosure), Mr. Christiaanse travelled to dozens of locales in countries across the globe, including Vienna, Dubai, Tel Aviv, New York, Brisbane, Tokyo, Copenhagen, Milan, Zurich, London and Guernsey.
He also regularly travelled to destinations in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, including Banff, Lake Louise and Kananaskis.
During that time, Mr. Christiaanse spent $615,073.67 on travel, hospitality and workshops, according to his expense disclosures. His salary was $281,280 in 2024.
In a Jan. 26 blog post on Invest Alberta’s website, titled “Alberta’s Next Trillion-Dollar Trajectory,” Mr. Christiaanse wrote about the province’s opportunities in agri-food, aviation, hydrogen, technology and carbon capture.
Sam Blackett, press secretary to Premier Danielle Smith, said in an email Monday evening that Mr. Christiaanse “helped bring significant investment to the province” before he resigned from his role.
“We are confident Invest Alberta will continue to ensure that Alberta remains a destination of choice for global investors.”
As of Monday evening, Invest Alberta has not yet commented on Mr. Christiaanse’s departure.