Forbes' professional experience includes top-executive posts for some of the leading corporations in Canada. Most recently, he was president and chief executive officer of Aliant Inc., an Atlantic-Canadian telecommunications and information technology company generating revenues of approximately $2 billion. He also was a member of Aliant's board of directors. Prior to joining Aliant, Forbes was executive vice president and chief financial officer of Oxford Properties Group, a $3.5-billion commercial real estate company. He also se ...

Broadband links to the information highway is the key to Cape Breton entrepreneurs competing in a global economy, a strategic marketing and management consultant said Tuesday. Branham Group president and CEO, J. Wayne Gudbranson of Ottawa, offers consulting services to technology companies that develop the products and deliver the services. The company has a unique relationship with the province and Nova Scotia Business Inc. “I like the vision of Nova Scotia; they have a strategic imperative that could easily allow them to emerge a close fifth among provinces in the information communication technology sector. It’s helping local businesses grow and at the same time attracting big brands here. “The two of them together allows you start to build an ICT cluster and then you can start marketing that to achieve worldwide global exposure.”

Gudbranson told the 30 people who attended the session the export market offers real opportunity. While everyone is looking to Alberta and any oil-r ...