Leadership Team
Meet our Leadership Team — A seasoned team of management professionals leading Clearwater in its mission to build the world’s most extraordinary, wild seafood company dedicated to sustainable seafood excellence.
Ian D. Smith | Chief Executive Officer
Ian D. Smith is the Chief Executive Officer of Clearwater Seafoods. Ian joined Clearwater in May of 2010, with over 36 years of international experience in the food and consumer products industry. Prior to joining Clearwater, Ian held senior leadership positions at the Campbell Soup Company in Canada, the United States and China. Prior to his time at Campbell’s, Ian held various marketing, sales and international business development positions with Allergan, Colgate-Palmolive and the Gillette Company. Ian has held various director roles (both past and present) on a number of boards and advisory councils focused on international trade and public policy, including the Business Council of Canada, Asia Business Leaders Advisory Council of the Asia Pacific Foundation, and Rabobank’s North America Agribusiness Advisory Board. He is a graduate of McGill University, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Masters of Business Administration, in addition to being a former Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve. Ian currently serves in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve as Honorary Colonel for 36 Combat Engineer Regiment in Nova Scotia.
Christine A. Penney | Vice President, Sustainability and Public Affairs
Christine Penney joined Clearwater Seafoods in 1995 and is the Vice President of Sustainability and Public Affairs. Christine oversees the company’s sustainability program, which includes fisheries research and management of core species, third-party certification programs and environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments. Christine also oversees Clearwater’s corporate public affairs, communications, and Indigenous relations. Throughout her career, Christine has served extensively in the governance of industry and sustainability organizations. She has served for many years on the Board of Trustees for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) while co-chairing the Stakeholder Advisory Committee. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for several organizations, including the Fisheries Council of Canada, Seafood Producers of Nova Scotia, Association of Sustainable Fisheries, and the FISH Crew Standard. Christine is a graduate of Dalhousie University in Halifax, where she received a Bachelor of Science and a Masters of Marine Management.
Dieter Gautschi | Vice President, Human Resources
Dieter Gautschi is Vice President of Human Resources at Clearwater Seafoods and is responsible for driving organizational performance on a global scale, as well as the company’s capability and capacity. Dieter joined Clearwater in July of 2015, bringing over 15 years of global experience in senior human resource roles in the food and retail industry. Prior to Clearwater, Dieter was Vice President of Leadership Planning and National Director of Human Resources for Sobeys Inc., in addition to holding senior roles in human resources with Coca Cola in Europe. A Canadian citizen and native of Switzerland, Dieter holds a Masters of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and a degree in Naval Architecture.
Tony Jabbour | Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain
Tony Jabbour began his career with Clearwater Seafoods in 1993 after studying Business Administration at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. He continued to expand his skills both academically and professionally through extensive training courses and hands-on global experience. Throughout his career at Clearwater, Tony has taken on various roles in the lobster business, the harvesting fleet, plant operations, and research and development. Today, as Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain, Tony is responsible for Clearwater’s global harvesting and land-based operations, which include third-party co-packing as well as research and development activities.
Telaina M. Kelly | Vice President, Legal & Corporate Secretary
Telaina Kelly is Vice President, Legal and Corporate Secretary for Clearwater Seafoods, managing the company’s legal department and overseeing legal affairs globally. Telaina is also responsible for legal and corporate secretarial functions, including securities reporting, regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and enterprise risk management, in addition to supporting a wide range of commercial and operational matters. Telaina joined Clearwater in 2015, having held senior management roles in private sector and law firm environments. Telaina holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Calgary. She also holds a Certified In-House Council Canada (CIC.C) designation from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Business. Throughout the course of her career, Telaina has served in various volunteer and Board positions in the legal and business community, and is a volunteer lawyer with the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society. Telaina is actively involved in the Women General Counsel Canada (WGCC) Atlantic Chapter.
Shaun Mitchelitis | Group Vice President, Commercial & Value Added
Shaun Mitchelitis joined Clearwater in 2008 and currently serves as the Group Vice President of Commercial & Value Added, where he is responsible for the strategic and commercial leadership for our portfolio of global businesses. Before his current role, Shaun held various senior commercial leadership positions at Clearwater, including General Manager of the Canadian & Argentine Scallop Divisions, and most recently, on assignment in the UK where he served in the hybrid position as Vice President of Sales EMEA and General Manager of Macduff Shellfish, Clearwater’s Scottish subsidiary. Shaun holds both a Bachelor of Commerce (2008) and an Executive Master of Business Administration (2018) from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
Nicole Henneberry | Interim Chief Financial Officer
Nicole Henneberry is the Interim Chief Financial Officer of Clearwater Seafoods. She joined Clearwater in August 2022 as Vice President Finance, Corporate Accounting & Reporting. As Interim Chief Financial Officer, Nicole is responsible for financial and management reporting, treasury, taxation, stakeholder relations, and risk management. Prior to joining Clearwater, Nicole spent over 13 years with Nova Scotia Power, where she held various financial leadership roles. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Saint Mary’s University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.