Continuity Central received the sad news last week that Jim Burtles Hon FBCI passed away earlier in 2021. Jim was a regular contributor to Continuity Central over the years and always tried to look ahead, providing thought leadership and challenging the status quo. His last article, The Hexagon Hypothesis: six disruptive scenarios, was published in 2015.
Jim was actively involved in the formation, growth, and development of the BCI in its early days, as well as being a strong supporter of the now defunct Survive organization. He was a director of the BCI from November 1994 to November 2009, was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in 2010, and was presented with the BCI’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.
Andrew Hiles, Hon FBCI, sent Continuity Central the following obituary:
“I was privileged to know Jim Burtles during some 40 years of his life he devoted to promoting ITDR and BCM.
“Jim was an early, influential, and fervent supporter of Survive and of the BCI, among the handful of early members of both.
“His insightful writing and training over a quarter of a century helped many to select BCM as their career and to grow in this new and, originally controversial, but now mainstream profession.
“His ethics, applied wisdom, and insights into BCM will be sadly missed but his contribution to BCM scope, methods, practices, and professionalism endure as his legacy.
“As a speaker, trainer, writer, and consultant, he was eloquent and pragmatic, delivering an iron message in a glove softened with humour and tempered with integrity. The global BCM community extends its condolences to his family, friends, and wider circle.
“Jim believed in reincarnation and his Plan B has sadly now been put to the ultimate test.”
