The BC Conservative Party issued a press release today announcing Rick Peterson will head up the party's provincial election campaign in the city of Vancouver.

Peterson is an investment banker and consultant to mining interests who was a BC Liberal supporter, backing Kevin Falcon for the leadership battle won by Christy Clark.

In 2008 he ran for the BC Liberal nomination in Vancouver-Fairview.

Peterson created buzz last year by declaring his intent to run as a BC Conservative in the Vancouver-Quilchena riding, but then backed out for "personal reasons."

Today's press release describes Peterson as "a prominent and well-known Vancouver business man" with "more than 20 years experience at senior levels of the Canadian capital markets."

The release says Peterson, who sits on the board of directors of the Ottawa-based Macdonald-Laurier Institute "has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Alberta and is diplomé from the Instut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris."

BC Conservatives leader John Cummins is quoted: "Rick's experience and enthusiasm will be a tremendous asset for our entire BC Conservative party as we gear up for the provincial general election next May."

David Beers is editor of The Tyee.