Meet our Team
With a private sector led Board of Directors, NSBI is driven by a dedicated team of professionals who are committed to working towards a strong, thriving and globally competitive Nova Scotia.
Contact our team to explore how NSBI can help you find your export or investment solution for your business.
Executive Team
Laurel C. Broten
President & Chief Executive Officer
Laurel Broten is the President and CEO of Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI), the agency responsible for investment attraction and export development for the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. She is the first female to hold this position in the history of the organization. Since taking the helm in 2015, Laurel has led the agency’s transformation, attracting over 90 investments, increasing average export sales and the number of exporters, approving over 250 film funding commitments, and working with 160 businesses of diversity.
Laurel is a seasoned public policy expert, former senior Ontario Cabinet Minister, lawyer, legislator, and advocate. She currently serves on the boards of the International Women’s Forum - Atlantic, Prince's Trust Canada, the Prosperity Project, the Public Policy Forum of Canada, and Roots of Empathy; and she is a part-time instructor at Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law, focused on law and public policy.
Laurel has been the recipient of several awards, including Atlantic Business Magazine's Top 50 CEOs; Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 - CIBC Trailblazers and Trendsetters; the Women in Communication and Technology Gamechanger Award; and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. She and her husband live in Halifax, Nova Scotia with their twin teenaged sons.
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Peter MacAskill
Chief Operating Officer
Peter is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI), responsible for Business Financing, Regional Business Development, Export Development, and Film and Television Financing.
Joining NSBI in 2002 as Director, Compliance and Risk Management, Peter has since expanded his leadership responsibilities in the areas of finance, client service, operations, and corporate services. Peter became Vice President in 2012, leading to his current role as COO in 2015.
Prior to NSBI, Peter spent eight years with TD Waterhouse in Toronto, where he managed operations departments for the brokerage lines of TD Bank.
Peter is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He is committed to continuous education, participating in leadership courses such as Rotman’s Executive Leadership Program, the Negotiation and Influencing Master Class at Dalhousie University, and the Bill Black leadership values course.
Peter is dedicated to sharing his expertise and knowledge with numerous community and charitable organizations, volunteering with Symphony Nova Scotia as a Board member, Chair of the Finance Committee and member of the Executive Committee. He also mentors with Fusion Halifax and Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia, inspiring and preparing youth to succeed in a global economy.
Peter resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with his wife, Nicole, and their four children: Noah, Liam, Erin and Emma.
Michael Branchflower
Vice President, Sales and Strategic Marketing
Michael Branchflower is Vice President, Sales and Strategic Marketing at Nova Scotia Business Inc. Michael oversees the strategic direction and investment initiatives of our Investment Attraction, Marketing and Research teams. Michael also provides insight into transformation and innovation — both areas of key focus at NSBI.
Michael has more than 25 years of international experience throughout Europe and North America, joining us from Colorado-based Execution Specialists Group (ESG), a management consulting firm where he was Vice President of Corporate Development. Throughout his career, he has built and maintained world-class relationships globally and leveraged these networks for mutually beneficial success.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Michael spent 12 years in Connecticut before relocating to Nova Scotia. He is a Board Member for Embrace Hope - Sandy Hook Equine Assisted Therapy, an organization working with children affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. Michael lives in Halifax with his wife, Carol, and two of their four children.
Business Lines
Regional Business Development
Todd Coombs, Director
Strategy, Research & Marketing
Beth Girard, Director
Communications & Public Affairs
Shawn Hirtle, Director
Corporate Services & Compliance
Glenda Lindsay, Director
Investment Attraction
John Ludovice, Director
Corporate Projects & Partnerships
Angela Ralph, Director
Export Development
Kyle Schmeisser, Director
