Mayor Ken Sim is looking for a new chief of staff, after just three months in office.
Kareem Allam, who also managed the ABC Vancouver election campaign, announced late Monday afternoon that he has quit the $150,067-a-year job to return to the private sector.
Allam remains listed on both the website and corporate registration for Fairview Strategy, a strategic communications, public opinion research and Indigenous relations firm. A year ago, Allam managed Kevin Falcon’s winning BC Liberal leadership campaign.
“None of what we have accomplished over the last 100 days would have been possible without Kareem’s effort and support,” said a statement attributed to Sim. “I have a deep amount of respect and admiration for Kareem, both as a person and as a professional. Our whole team wishes him nothing but success in the future.”
Allam called working in the mayor’s office a “highlight of my professional life.”
“I am proud of the work that we have been able to accomplish and I am grateful for the confidence that Mayor Sim has placed in me. I look forward to continuing to support the team as I return to business life."
Allam’s temporary replacement is Mellisa Morphy, who was director of policy before being promoted to deputy chief of staff. Her pay rate before Allam’s departure was $88,031.
Morphy was a consultant with Hill + Knowlton Strategies for three years after working as constituency assistant to former BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson.
