CWTA gains former BlackBerry head of government relations Eric Smith as regulatory VP

The Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) has hired on former BlackBerry executive Eric Smith as vice-president of regulatory affairs.

Smith was formerly head of Canadian government relations at BlackBerry for over two years and previously held various other legal positions at the company since 2010.

“We are thrilled to welcome Eric to the team,” said CWTA President and CEO Robert Ghiz, who prior to joining the CWTA was Premier of Prince Edward Island.

“Continued investment in wireless infrastructure is critical to Canada’s innovation agenda. Eric’s practical approach to regulatory issues will serve us well as we continue to advocate for public policy that supports economic and social growth in Canada.”

The CWTA is a wireless industry group that has members including Bell and Rogers. The association represents those members before government and various regulatory agencies, such as Canada’s telecom regulator, and “actively promotes the industry,” among other activities.

Source: CWTA