IBET Climate is now Rethink Climate!
Denis Connor, PhD
Director

Dr. Denis Connor brings over four decades of experience, creativity, and insight to his role as Founding Director of Rethink Climate.
With a PhD in Electrical Engineering from UBC, Denis worked at Bell Labs and Bell Northern Research, specializing in digital video signal processing. He then joined the senior leadership team at MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. as Vice President of Engineering and later as Executive Vice President of Business Development.
In 1996, Denis became the founding CEO of QuestAir Technologies Inc., a developer and supplier of proprietary gas purification systems for the biogas and industrial hydrogen sectors. He subsequently held a C-suite position at Angstrom Power and served on the board of directors at Carbon Engineering. Additionally, Denis was a Founding Director of Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Canada, Svante (a point-source CO2 capture company), and General Fusion (a leader in the magnetized target approach to controlled fusion).
His work with various levels of government includes leading the Science Council of British Columbia (now known as InnovateBC) from 1988 to 1990 and serving on the BC Premier’s Technology Council from 2005 to 2009. He also held the position of Global Practice Lead for Cleantech in the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada from 2009 to 2014.
He has been a long-term supporter of his alma mater as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council in the Faculty of Applied Science at UBC. He is also a proud father and grandfather.