Dr. Terry Rock is a senior innovation and economic development leader currently serving as Senior Vice-President, Operations and Chief Operating Officer at Alberta Innovates. In this role, he supports province-wide innovation strategy, organizational performance, and the scaling of research and commercialization initiatives that strengthen Alberta’s innovation economy.
Previously, Dr. Rock was President and CEO of Platform Calgary, where he led the transformation of Calgary’s startup ecosystem. Under his leadership, Platform Calgary became a nationally recognized innovation hub, convening hundreds of thousands of founders, investors, corporates, and community partners annually. He helped align the ecosystem around a shared ambition to create 1,000 new technology companies and 30,000 jobs, while overseeing the development and activation of the Platform Innovation Centre in Calgary’s East Village.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Rock served as founding CEO of the Calgary Arts Development Authority, Executive Director of the Alberta Small Brewers Association, and held senior roles in civic innovation and economic development with the City of Calgary. He has also taught strategic management and entrepreneurship at the university level and continues to advise boards and senior leadership teams on strategy, governance, and ecosystem design.
Dr. Rock holds a PhD in Management focused on strategy, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing, with Distinction). He is widely recognized for bridging culture, innovation, and economic development, and for building collaborative institutions that enable long-term, inclusive growth.