Hugh J. Finlayson is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) and a faculty member in the School of Business, Human Resources Management Program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). He is also an Affiliated Scholar with the Centre for Educational Leadership and Policy (CSELP), Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University.

His current research and teaching builds upon his 35-year career in human resource leadership and management across multiple roles in the public and private sectors, from practitioner, manager, part-time faculty member, and director to chief executive officer. Hugh held senior leadership positions in the K-12 public education sector at the school district level and ultimately at the provincial level as the chief executive officer of the human resource services agency and accredited bargaining agent for British Columbia's K-12 public education employers. While there he led two other multi-employer associations, one in the post secondary education sector and the other in the community social services sector, through governance and organizational changes as interim chief executive.

An active contributor to advancing the human resource profession, Hugh was president of the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of British Columbia & Yukon and served as chair of the BCIT Human Resources Management Program Advisory Committee.

Hugh is an Honorary Life Member of the CPHR BC & Yukon in recognition of his contribution to the field of human resources and designated a Fellow CPHR, a title that recognizes the most exceptional CPHR holders in BC and the Yukon.