After a national search the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. has new a new president and CEO.
Greg Hughes of Waverley will start his new role with the Crown corporation on May 31, Finance Minister Karen Casey announced on Wednesday.
Hughes will replace former president and CEO Bret Mitchell who resigned in February for personal reasons. NSLC board chair George McLellan has been acting in the position in the interim.
An email sent out from NSLC senior vice-president and chief operating officer Tim Pellerin to vendors in late 2017 suggested Mitchell, who held the position for 13 years, didn’t want to sell cannabis and alcohol under the same roof.
“Although this announcement does not align with Bret’s previously communicated preference, the minister of finance and her colleagues have been very clear that the decision is first and foremost based on the government's confidence in the NSLC to do the job safely, efficiently and effectively,” stated Pellerin in the email.
But Hughes said he knows what he’s signing up for.
“As long as we continue to focus on safe consumption and grow a little bit with changes, it certainly makes sense at this point in time to have it regulated under that umbrella,” Hughes said on Wednesday.
“It will probably look a lot different in the future, but I think the roll out of cannabis went very well,” he said.
Hughes said he couldn’t speak on much until he officially starts and is able to evaluate everything, but will use previous job experiences to his benefit. The incoming president’s salary will be $243,000.
“Mr. Hughes comes to the role with extensive corporate leadership experience, which will benefit the NSLC as it continues to implement its expanded mandate,” Casey said in a news release.
Hughes was president and CEO of CleanEarth Technologies, an industrial cleaning and waste management services company, which he purchased and rebuilt in 2014. Before that he worked at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce for more than 20 years. He’s a graduate of Saint Mary’s University with a commerce degree.
Hughes is currently chair of the Nova Scotia chapter of the Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada.
