Byng Giraud

Partner 

Order of British Columbia

Byng specializes in obtaining approvals for major projects in the industrial, natural resources and infrastructure sectors. Byng has been using his extensive experience to help clients de-risk large scale projects at early stages in order to allow for construction.

Previously, Byng was with Woodfibre LNG Limited from 2013 as the company’s first North American employee.  During the development stages of the project Byng served as Vice President of Corporate Affairs and then led the project locally as Country Manager. As the project moved to construction, he wrapped up his role in order to move to new projects. Byng concurrently served five years as Chairman of Ridley Terminals Inc. a Canadian government owned bulk export terminal in Prince Rupert, BC. Some of the recent highlights of Byng’s work include:

• Obtaining federal, provincial, and indigenous approval of the 2.1 mtpa Woodfibre LNG project near Squamish, British Columbia.
• Negotiated and helped Squamish Nation implement the first ever indigenous environmental assessment process in Canada
• Negotiated the first ever agreements between operating mines and First Nations in British Columbia including agreements with five first nations at two separate projects.
• Led the corporate affairs and indigenous consultation processes leading to the 2012 re-opening of the Huckleberry Mine in northern British Columbia.
• Led the Northwest Powerline Coalition, a coalition of companies, indigenous groups and individuals that successfully lobbied the BC Government to build the Northwest Transmission line along Highway 37 –thus opening the region to mining and power projects.
• Chaired Ridley Terminals Inc. during the Federal Crown Corporation’s negotiations with Altagas that led to the building of a 1.2 mtpa liquified propane export facility in Prince Rupert—the first      hydrocarbon export facility on the west coast in decades.
• Directly negotiated numerous indigenous economic benefit and related agreements.

Recently he was asked to sit on the BC Assembly of First Nations-BC Business Council “Champion’s Table”, a body dedicated to breaking new ground in economic reconciliation. Byng continues to be involved in innovative efforts at First Nations economic reconciliation.

Before Woodfibre, Byng was in an executive role with a Canadian copper/gold mining company. Byng has also served as a Vice-President with both the Association for Mineral Exploration BC and the Mining Association of BC. Before that, Byng worked with some of Canada’s top public affairs agencies. And prior to his corporate career, Byng obtained extensive political experience working for Members of Parliament, MLAs and a Senator as well as holding senior roles in several election campaigns. He has served on the board of directors of the BC Business Council, the Vimy Ridge Foundation, Geoscience BC, Canada Place Corporation, Initiatives Prince George, and a number of other organizations.

In 2023 Byng was awarded the Order of British Columbia, the province’s highest civilian honour, recognizing his work in the field of Indigenous economic reconciliation. In 2012 Byng received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for volunteerism. Byng holds a MSc. Econ. from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, an MBA from the University of Cambridge (Jesus College) and a BA from the University of Victoria. 

On the weekends Byng collects bruises playing rugby and practices his Spanish (fluency A2/B1).