Educated in law and business, Jeff Larsen holds a BA from McMaster University, a Juris Doctor from the University of Toronto, a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School and an MBA from the Imperial College, University of London.
Currently the Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Jeff is also the Site Lead for the Creative Destruction Lab – Atlantic.
Jeff practiced law in Halifax at McInnes Cooper, and in Toronto with both Fasken Martineau and CIBC. He taught law at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Osgood Hall Law School in Toronto and the University of Malawi. He has also held senior positions in the investment sector as VP and General Counsel of Halifax-based Clarke Inc. and as Executive Director of Business Management and Chief Compliance Officer with CIBC Asset Management in Toronto.
His work in the province of Nova Scotia has focussed on innovation, start-ups, entrepreneurship, education, foreign direct investment, and knowledge- and technology-based industries. Jeff has taken on numerous Executive Director roles, including those in the Office of Planning and Priorities, and the Investment and Trade division of Economic Development. He has also served as the CEO of both ReNova Scotia Bioenergy Inc. and the Strategic Opportunities Fund. In keeping with his entrepreneurial and management experience with new businesses in the energy sector, he is the co-founder of Seaforth Energy, Watts Wind and Katalyst Wind. Jeff has served on the Board of Directors of DSME Trenton Inc. as well as other private and TSX-listed public companies. He remains active in his community as a volunteer, dividing his time between Halifax and the beach at Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, although he did spend a year of his childhood in Austin when his father was on sabbatical at the University of Texas.