Our Mission

Executive Director of the Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub, Royden is a lawyer by training and a communications and policy expert by inclination.

A member of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society, he specializes in public policy, regulatory and legislative matters, compliance, principle-based negotiation, facilitation, and alternative dispute resolution. He received his King’s Counsel designation in 2022 for “outstanding contribution and positive impact on public policy in the Province of Nova Scotia.”

Royden has served as General Counsel for Canadian and US-based education corporations and is an expert in compliance and accreditation processes in both countries.

He has held several key senior positions in public administration, including COO of Skills Ontario (Apprentice Ontario), leadership of the British Columbia regulatory oversight board for Private Post-Secondary Education, Principal Secretary to a Nova Scotia Premier, and Senior Executive Director for strategic corporate policy across three major government departments. He also served as Senior Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables on critical initiatives, including forestry.

Greg Maloney is a founding partner of BioApplied, a lead consulting organization specializing in the commercialization of new innovation in the bio-resource sector. Greg has worked extensively in the field of nano-cellulose material technology, building industrial partnerships and supporting joint ventures for application and commercialization development. Prior to BioApplied, Greg held senior marketing, product development, and project management positions with Whirlpool Corporation and Domtar Inc.

Greg serves as an advisor to several companies developing or deploying new cleantech products and technologies. He is also a director on the board of BioIndustrial Innovation Canada, and serves on the audit and finance, and investment management committees.

He is a graduate of King’s College, at Western University, and continued studies at Indiana University through Whirpool Corporation’s management development program.

Rod is passionate about the Bioeconomy. He spent the beginning of his career in operational roles with Alberta Pacific Forest Industries and Bowater Mersey Paper Company where he specialized in forest management.

In addition to an MBA from Saint Mary’s University, Rod holds a Bachelor of Science in Forest Engineering from the University of New Brunswick.

Rod is also an entrepreneur and has been involved in the launch of several firms, including a consulting business that supports product and process innovation in the forest industry.

After ten years of dedicated leadership in advancing the bioeconomy in Nova Scotia and the Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub, Rod will remain as a strategic advisor for Greenspring Bio to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Allan Eddy is a retired natural resource and business development professional. From 2018 to 2023, he was responsible for business development, community and government relations, and strategic forestry issues at Port Hawkesbury Paper.

Previous to this position, he had served in senior executive roles in four Nova Scotia government departments, including Assistant Deputy Minister in the departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Fisheries & Aquaculture.

As a graduate of Natural Resource Management in Forestry from the University of New Brunswick, Allan has worked for both Federal and Provincial levels of government and the private sector over the past 39 years.

Allan has been involved with various aspects of policy development, sector issue management, and stakeholder liaison activities throughout his career. He has been deeply involved in change management and sector transition in the last several years, with a significant focus on innovation.

Allan was a driving force in establishing the Nova Scotia Innovation Hub, now Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub, and believes strongly that the emerging global bioeconomy presents a significant opportunity for Nova Scotia’s renewable bio-resource sector and, by extension, rural economic development.

Mike is currently responsible for the Michelin Nova Scotia energy strategy, primarily focused on the
decarbonization ambitions for their three Michelin Nova Scotia plants.
Mike began his career at Michelin over 34 years ago as a Process Engineer and has held a number of
production management positions at the Michelin Bridgewater, Pictou, and Anderson, South Carolina
facilities. Most recently, Mike was the head of Human Resources at the Michelin Bridgewater facility.
Mike has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree and an MBA from Dalhousie University.

Paul Richards is the sector lead for Agri-technology for Innovacorp, Nova Scotia’s early-stage venture capital organization. Paul focuses on enabling knowledge-based companies to accelerate the commercialization of their technologies and to create a dynamic high-growth entrepreneur culture in Nova Scotia.

Since taking on this role Paul has worked to establish a growing ecosystem in Atlantic Canada capable of growing venture grade companies for the Agri-tech sector. His portfolio of early-stage start-ups has raised over $50 million dollars.

In addition, Paul servers as a Director for Bioenterprise, Canada’s leading national Agri-tech accelerator where he advises companies from across the country on commercialization and raising investment.

Brennan Gillis (MBA) brings a wealth of economic development experience, including time spent working in the Mitacs program supporting industry and academic collaborative research. His tenure as CEO of the Truro & Colchester Partnership was marked by the development of programming designed to assist businesses in Truro and Colchester in starting, growing, and navigating challenges. He is also a founding director of Truro Cannabis Inc. With a robust background in business and community economic development, Brennan is a valued member of the research support team. Brennan has an undergraduate Commerce degree and obtained his MBA from Saint Mary’s University in 2011.

Alana works for FPInnovations, a research and technology organization for Canada’s forest sector, where she creates and maintains strategic relationships with partners and stakeholders in Ontario and within the Federal government since 2021. She has a masters degree in energy management from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Pétrole et des Moteurs (IFP School), The Norwegian School of Business and the ESCP (École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris). Before joining FPI she worked for the Norwegian government for 17 years as a trade and energy specialist and gained experience with CCS, fuels, and infrastructure electrification. Prior to that, she worked in the control room at Canada’s first all-digital television station in 1998, and holds an undergraduate from Toronto Metropolitan University in broadcasting.

With an MBA in Strategy and a Certificate in Energy Innovation and Emerging Technologies, Suzanne Fraser work as an Investment Attraction Executive at Invest Nova Scotia, a crown corporation that supports strategic and innovative projects that advance the province's economic priorities. Suanne's role is to attract and support foreign and domestic investors in the clean technologies and life sciences sectors, two of the fastest growing and most impactful industries in the world.

Suzanne has over eleven years of experience in the international trade and development industry, and has developed a strong network of contacts and a deep understanding of the market opportunities and challenges in these fields. Her core competencies include business planning, analytical skills, project management, site selection and sales. Suzanne has successfully facilitated multiple investment projects in Nova Scotia, resulting in job creation, economic growth, and environmental benefits. She is passionate about promoting Nova Scotia as a destination of choice for innovative and sustainable businesses, and is always looking for new ways to connect and collaborate with potential and existing investors.

Paul Richards is the sector lead for Agri-technology for Innovacorp, Nova Scotia’s early-stage venture capital organization. Paul focuses on enabling knowledge-based companies to accelerate the commercialization of their technologies and to create a dynamic high-growth entrepreneur culture in Nova Scotia.

Since taking on this role Paul has worked to establish a growing ecosystem in Atlantic Canada capable of growing venture grade companies for the Agri-tech sector. His portfolio of early-stage start-ups has raised over $50 million dollars.

In addition, Paul servers as a Director for Bioenterprise, Canada’s leading national Agri-tech accelerator where he advises companies from across the country on commercialization and raising investment.

Business Strategy, International Trade and Global Affairs Professional, Public Servant, Professor, Entrepreneur, and a Columnist. He is The Director of Economic Development and Trade with the Department of Lands and Forestry, as well as, The Chair and Project Manager of the Nova Scotia Interdepartmental Wood Heat Initiative Task Group. He is a member of the Nova Scotia Innovation Hub Investment Attraction Working Group. Rany is a Certified International Trade Professional (CITP/FIBP)®, as well as, in Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP)® and have international business experience in Private, NGO & Public Sectors strategic management with focus on International Trade, Investment Attraction, Project Management, Customer Relationship Management, Economic Development, and Government Relations. He worked as a Consultant with several Provincial and Federal Government Departments and Corporations as an expert on International Trade. His work experience includes working in an international diplomatic environment with IFI's and the World Bank Group. He also serves on various academic, community, and professional boards. He served as an Advisor on the Minister of Immigration Council, Governor on Cape Breton University Board of Governors, Senator on Dalhousie University Senate, Trustee on the Halifax Regional Library Board, Advisor, The Canadian Business Strategy Association, as well as, The International Institute of Marketing Professionals. He was involved as a freelance Columnist, Writer, Reporter, and Analyst and did interviews with CNN, BBC, CBC, Global and CTV and published articles with a variety of publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Chronicle Herald, and Cape Breton Post. As an academic and part-time University Faculty, he teaches International Business Strategy, Strategy Formulation, Strategy Implementation, Global Marketing, and Managing People at Dalhousie University to BCOM, BMGMT, MBA, MPA, and MEC. He presented a wide range of academic papers at international conferences and served as a guest speaker and panellist on Economic Development, Politics, Public Policy, and Immigration topics. Rany received several awards for leadership and entrepreneurship and selected as a member of the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference. He’s among Atlantic Canada’s 50 most inspiring entrepreneurial leaders under 40, Volunteer of the Year Award from both the Province of Nova Scotia and the City of Halifax and is a Top Canadian Immigrant Awards Winner. He is also recognized by the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for his various contributions and community involvement. He is passionate about immigration, human rights, freedoms, and democracy.

Blair Clark CPA, MBA, BSc has over 20 years experience of starting, growing and operating businesses. This has been done across a wide range of industry sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, nutraceutical and transportation and in varied roles including sales, finance and operations. Consistently, Blair uses innovation and technology to help commercialize start-up enterprises and expand existing companies in regional, national and international markets. While enjoying collaborating with his strong network of contacts within business, university, intergovernmental and international trade organizations, Blair is able to enhance his unique mix of strategic, financial, marketing and operational leadership strengths to add value to organizations.

Originally from Cape Breton and currently living in Halifax, with his wife and two sons, Blair has been heavily involved in community through charity and athletic organizational volunteering and especially enjoys offshore sailing/racing. Blair now works with the Department of Lands and Forestry as Manager, Innovation and Business Development.

Greg Maloney is a founding partner of BioApplied, a lead consulting organization specializing in the commercialization of new innovation in the bio-resource sector. Greg has worked extensively in the field of nano-cellulose material technology, building industrial partnerships and supporting joint ventures for application and commercialization development. Prior to BioApplied, Greg held senior marketing, product development, and project management positions with Whirlpool Corporation and Domtar Inc.

Greg serves as an advisor to several companies developing or deploying new cleantech products and technologies. He is also a director on the board of BioIndustrial Innovation Canada, and serves on the audit and finance, and investment management committees.

He is a graduate of King’s College, at Western University, and continued studies at Indiana University through Whirpool Corporation’s management development program.