Paul Cataford

Paul is passionate about public service and believes in the power of community. As Executive Director of Business Link, he is dedicated to promoting and developing entrepreneurship and small business in Alberta.

His eclectic career started with a 15-year stint on Bay Street as a corporate banker and a venture capital and private equity investor.  He then saw the light and moved out west starting with 5 years leading University of Calgary’s technology transfer office where he created an early-stage company creation incubator and spun out 4 companies.  He then co-founded a leading medical device product development and manufacturing company in Calgary and ran that for 11 years bringing in over $15 million in capital from US strategic investors and clearing a new medical device through the FDA.  Unfortunately all of that came to a halt as a result of COVID.  Picking himself up, Paul then served as Interim President and CEO and Board Chair of a public-listed medical device company (TSX/NASDAQ) and Board Director and interim CFO at a public-listed hydrogen fuel cell company (TSX).  In addition to all this, Paul has also been an independent corporate director on the boards of directors of over 35 companies and organizations for more than 25 years, including public-listed (NASDAQ, TSX, TSVX) companies, private companies, a 6 year appointment to a crown corporation, and several not-for profits and associations including SPARK, Calgary’s science centre.

Paul spent his early years in the Greater Toronto Area. He completed his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Queen’s University, followed by his MBA in finance and strategy at Schulich School of Business. Paul also completed his independent corporate director training at the Rotman School of Management. Paul spends off time in the Rockies where he hikes, rides mountain and road bikes, downhill and cross-country skis, golfs, canoes & does fine woodworking.