The IEEE Canada Industry Forum

Saeed El-Darahali is the president and CEO of SimplyCast, a leading provider of self-service multi-channel marketing services empowering small businesses to create, manage and track their own online and offline marketing campaigns.

He is the driving force behind SimplyCast's all-in-one marketing solution that has been built from the ground up and today has clients in over 175 countries. Saeed has participated as a speaker at many conferences, including NAWeb, CABI, the 7th World Congress of e-Business, Enterprize Atlantic and ARCN. A part-time lecturer at Saint Mary's University, he has taught a senior level computer information systems course, System Analysis and Design.

Saeed brings over seven years of management experience in the IT industry, with an interest in strategic partnering, corporate financing, strategic growth, operations, and sales and marketing management. Saeed most recently served as Acting CEO for the organization since January 2009 and mentor since January 2006.

In his spare time, Saeed enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, running, playing computer games and web development.

Saeed holds a Masters of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, a Certificate of Human Resource Management and Minor in Economics, all from Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He enjoys sharing his experiences with start-up companies, offering insights into growing a business and becoming successful.

George Palikaras

As President and CEO of MTI, George Palikaras's vision positions the company as an industry first-mover that led in developing nano-composite solutions that can master light and revolutionize several industries including Aerospace & Defense, Energy and Cleantech.

Recently he was awarded with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program for business CEOs with the highest growth potential. He has worked for Wireless Technology Laboratories (former Nortel Networks) with a team of engineers through contract bidding and technology development for large telecommunication OEMs in excess of $20 million.

George is a technology innovator, a passionate entrepreneur with strong scientific background. Since 2010 he has been fully dedicated to the commercialization of nano-composites and developed patented metamaterial technology that helps solve a few of the world's most difficult problems in optics. As a high-tech entrepreneur he has extensive experience of lean start-up and business management, raising capital investment from private and federal support in excess of $2 million.

George has an MSc. in electrical engineering and a Ph.D. in metamaterials. He is presently a visiting research fellow at Queen Mary University of London. He has authored more than 30 journal and conference publications as well as a book chapter in metamaterial technology.

Stephen (Steve) Duff is president and CEO of Innovacorp, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In this role, Steve oversees Innovacorp's work in helping early-stage Nova Scotia technology companies succeed in the global market.

Joining Innovacorp in April 2013, Steve arrived with 30 years of experience as a business and product development professional in the private sector.

For the past 25 years, Steve held senior roles at Precision BioLogic Inc., which develops, manufactures and markets innovative blood diagnostic products. The Dartmouth-based company grew significantly in recent years, and now markets its products throughout Canada, the U.S. and Europe.

With Steve's assistance since 1987, Precision BioLogic transformed from a struggling start-up with a modest market in Atlantic Canada, into a profitable, 60-plus employee company with internationally recognized products. Through his roles leading the company's business development and product innovation, Steve was instrumental in establishing Precision BioLogic as a trusted partner with leading health care organizations and developing over 30 new products through the company's research and development process. In his recent position as co-CEO in 2011 and 2012, he helped achieve double-digit sales growth and an award for being one of the best places to work in Canada.

Before joining Precision BioLogic, Steve worked for five years in sales and promotion with Organon Teknika Canada, a division of the Dutch diagnostics multinational Akzo.

Steve was an Innovacorp board member from 2005 to 2013 and an investment committee member from 2011 to 2013. He is also past-president of BioNova, the Nova Scotia life sciences industry association. The New Brunswick native has a bachelor of science and an MBA from Dalhousie University.

Chuck Maillet is Director General for Regional Operations at ACOA Nova Scotia. In this capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the approximately $70M in funding that ACOA invests annually in business and communities.

Before joining ACOA, Chuck spent a number of years working in both the private and non-profits sectors, where he gained valuable insights into the challenges of starting and growing businesses. Chuck is passionate about encouraging entrepreneurship and supporting innovation and technology development in Nova Scotia. He feels privileged to be helping businesses benefit from ACOA programs, and enhancing economic opportunities for the province.

A native Nova Scotian, Chuck is a graduate of Dalhousie University in Halifax. When not at work, he is very happy travelling and spending time canoeing and camping with his family.

Bradley Goodyear, M.B.A., Executive Director, NRC-IRAP Atlantic & Nunavut.

Brad has been with NRC-IRAP's Atlantic & Nunavut region since 2007 and served as its Executive Director since 2009. Prior to this, he spent several years in the NRC-IRAP National Office in management positions of increasing responsibility including leading the Support Operations Directorate, with accountabilities for finance, policy, IM/IT, and portfolio management.

Prior to joining the National Research Council in 1997, Brad spent nine years with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as several years in the private sector. His educational background includes studies in Information Technology, Public Sector Marketing and Business Administration.

Brennan Gillis is the Director of Business Development for Mitacs in Nova Scotia. Mitacs is a national, not-for-profit organization that funds research collaborations between industry and academia. Brennan completed his Bachelor of Commerce from Saint Mary's University in 2001 and received his MBA in 2011. Brennan spent nine years working for Nova Scotia's 13 Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs) and he now volunteers as a Director with CBDC NOBL, providing start-up/expansion loans and support to SMEs in Colchester, Pictou and Antigonish counties. Brennan also offers experience in the solid waste and recycling sector. While working with RRFB Nova Scotia as a Business Development Officer, he was responsible for Research & Development, Value-Added Manufacturing and Student Research Grant programs aimed at reducing waste in landfills.