A heat dissipating flexible or resilient standoff is mechanically clamped between an electronic module and substrate, such as, PCB. The clamping arrangement comprises a heat sink compressing a thermally conductive flexible interface pad over the upper surface of the electronic module by way of mechanical linkage to the PCB. The heat dissipating flexible standoff provides a force opposing the compression force to thereby reduce stress on solder ball connections between electronic module and PCB. Thermally conductive flexible standoffs in the form of spring arrangements, such as a wire mesh, act to provide heat dissipation by both thermal conduction and thermal convection. A thermally conductive flexible polymer pad and a layer of porous metal foam may also act as thermally conductive standoffs.