Principal, Mainland Strategies Inc.
Barinder S. Bhullar
Two decades at the intersection of government, business and community, from the Premier's Office to the boardroom.
Barinder S. Bhullar is Principal of Mainland Strategies Inc., advising businesses and organizations on government relations, public policy, corporate affairs, strategic communications and stakeholder engagement. A former senior government executive, corporate leader and experienced board director, he brings more than two decades of experience helping organizations navigate complex decisions, build relationships and communicate effectively.
Barinder spent over a decade in senior roles within the Government of British Columbia. As Director of Policy in the Office of the Premier, he led policy files across government and a team responsible for strategic planning and cross-government coordination. He served as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Children and Family Development, working at the centre of ministerial decision-making on significant public policy and service delivery issues.
As Senior Director of International Missions with the Ministry of International Trade, he led trade and investment delegations to China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, connecting British Columbia businesses, First Nations and local governments with international partners and investors. A central focus of that work was establishing British Columbia's liquefied natural gas industry. Earlier, as Assistant to the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, he developed the stakeholder engagement strategy and supported legislative preparations for the Tsawwassen First Nation and Maa-nulth First Nations treaties, the first two modern treaties under the BC treaty process.
In the private sector, Barinder most recently served as Senior Vice-President, Corporate Affairs at Brains Bioceutical, where he led government relations, international partnerships and investor relations, alongside public policy and strategic communications. He also served as the company's internal chief of staff. Previously, he was Vice-President, Government Relations and International Affairs at Supreme Cannabis, where he led government engagement and international market strategy.
Through Mainland Strategies, Barinder brings this experience to organizations seeking strategic advice, effective government and stakeholder engagement, and clear public positioning. His work includes executive advisory support, media relations, issues management and communications that connect an organization's objectives with the audiences and decision-makers who matter.
His board and advisory experience spans health care, community development, arts and education. He is Chair of the board of 5X, Co-Vice-Chair of the Surrey Hospitals Foundation, a trustee of the BC Government House Foundation and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Guru Nanak Institute of Global Studies. He previously chaired the LiveBIG Society and advised Clean Prosperity's public affairs group. He is a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Barinder provides commentary on public policy and political issues on radio and in mainstream media. He communicates fluently in English and Punjabi. He is an Executive MBA candidate at Simon Fraser University's Beedie School of Business and lives in British Columbia with his family.