Propel Appoints James Geneau as Chief Executive Officer

Halifax, NS - Monday, January 12th, 2025 - Propel, Atlantic Canada’s leading virtual accelerator, today announced the appointment of James Geneau as its new Chief Executive Officer. James brings more than 25 years of experience working alongside founders and leadership teams to help build, scale and grow technology-enabled companies in Canada, the United States, and Europe.

Born and raised in Atlantic Canada, with a career spent globally, James has held senior executive and advisory roles across SaaS, technology, fintech, HR tech, and professional services. He has worked directly with founder-led companies at critical moments of growth, helping them clarify their go-to- market strategy, scale revenue, build strong leadership teams, and compete in global markets.

“James brings the kind of global operating experience that matters to local founders who are scaling,” said Cathy Bennett, Board Chair, Propel. “He understands the realities of growth in the Canadian economy in 2026, the pressure founders face, and what it takes to build companies that endure. His leadership marks an important next chapter for Propel.”

Prior to joining Propel, James served as a fractional CMO and executive advisor to global growth- stage companies, led go-to-market and revenue strategy for venture capital and private-equity backed firms, and worked closely with boards and investors through periods of expansion, acquisition and transition. He has contributed to significant revenue growth, capital formation and successful exits across multiple sectors.

“As someone who has spent decades working alongside founders, I’ve seen how transformative the right support can be at the right time,” said James. “Propel plays a critical role in helping entrepreneurs across Atlantic Canada find clarity, momentum, and confidence as they scale. I’m looking forward to working with founders, partners and the broader ecosystem to help build companies that can compete globally.”

Under James's leadership, Propel will continue to strengthen its focus on founder development, go- to-market readiness, and scalable growth ensuring entrepreneurs have the tools, coaching and networks needed to build ambitious, durable companies from Atlantic Canada.
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About Propel‍

Propel is Atlantic Canada’s leading virtual accelerator, built for founders ready to move faster, think bigger, and scale smarter. With over 1,000 startups supported, they’ve helped entrepreneurs validate product-market fit, land repeatable customers, and raise the capital they need to grow. Their 100% virtual model delivers direct access to world-class experts, coaches and a proven founder-focused curriculum.
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Learn more about upcoming cohorts, programming, and how to apply on the Propel website.
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James Geneau Bio

‍James is a seasoned senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, and operations - specializing in driving strategic growth within the tech industry. With a proven ability to deliver transformative results, James excels in leading organizations through market expansion and scaling efforts, combining strong leadership, strategic vision, and operational expertise.

James has deep expertise in crafting and executing strategies that accelerate revenue growth,
enhance brand positioning, and drive customer success. He has successfully led digital transformation initiatives, optimized sales and marketing processes through modern tech stacks, and built high performing teams that maximize impact. Over the course of his career, he has served as both a full time sales and marketing leader and a Fractional CMO to more than 16 founder-led ventures across North America and Europe. He also brings deep knowledge and experience from working with accelerators, venture capital, and private equity firms over his career.

James holds a diploma in Executive Leadership from Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford and is passionate about building high-performance teams within high-growth ventures. As a native New Brunswicker, he returned to the region four years ago with a goal of helping to grow the tech eco-system, leveraging his global experience and a deep-rooted passion for seeing the region grow.

Media Contact:‍

Tara Wickwire
Marketing Lead, Propel
Tara@propelict.com
902.403.6391

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