Leadership
John Xidos, President & CEO
The founder and visionary behind Techlink's uncharted success, John has built an internationally recognized technology company from the ground up. A seasoned entrepreneur with more than 30 years of perseverance to his credit, he has yet to meet a challenge he couldn't overcome.
Known for his compassion for his employees, vision and passion for the gaming industry, and off-the-wall personality, John is Techlink. He's motivated by the opportunity to provide high-quality entertainment to people around the world, and to elevate the class, popularity, responsibility and sustainability of the entire industry.
He loves the challenge of trying to realize the company's full potential and doesn't hesitate to dig into the game development process, product engineering, finance, marketing and sales. Techlink has grown to rival the best gaming companies in the world because of John's commitment to consistently creating great game content and integrating social interaction and player control into every product.
Rubin Binder, Chief Technology Officer
With his ability to translate technical details into plain language, Rubin bridges an important gap – sometimes, even a chasm – for his colleagues. The one person in the room who's always guaranteed to get excited about technology, Rubin has a wealth of experience in IT, systems and engineering. His impressive track record includes several accomplishments in research, product design, manufacturing and customer service, including numerous board-level designs, wide area network deployments, telecommunications systems installations, custom firmware and embedded systems design.
A typical week for Rubin involves alternating between evaluating, designing, advising, collaborating, and of course, troubleshooting. He loves the freedom for innovation and new product design that being part of the Techlink team affords. The ability to make a difference in a big company and the close-knit relationships among the team inspire him to continuously learn and up his game.
Leanne MacKenzie, VP, Sales
Leanne is a rare gem; one of those few people who can see the big picture, plan the path to get there, and make sure the execution is right. Her ability to fly in the face of challenges – she loves “making it happen, against all odds" – while building relationships and seeking out opportunities along the way, is a cornerstone of Techlink's innovative culture. Her passion for lists, diagrams and plans keeps her focused on corporate objectives and encourages everyone around her to stay organized.
She appreciates the enthusiasm and collaboration of the Techlink environment and says the team's shared commitment to pushing the limits is a big source of pride for her. Her solutions-oriented entrepreneurial spirit makes her great at closing the deal, whether it's building a new relationship, developing a new strategy, writing a sales proposal, or contributing to product development.
Maggie McGee, VP, Marketing
Growing up in Sutherland's River, Nova Scotia, Maggie's home was one of several on a “party line", a telephone line that was shared among multiple homes on the street. After spending many, many hours listening in to the conversations of her neighbors, Maggie learned that stories are the currency of life. Before landing at Techlink to help tell the story of their products and innovation to media, players, gaming operators and industry experts, Maggie's career was marked by award-winning journalism and the achievement of more than half-dozen world firsts in responsible gambling for the crown corporation that manages the gambling industry in Nova Scotia.
A champion multi-tasker, Maggie loves that every day at Techlink brings a new challenge…and dozens of activities for her to juggle. A high-achiever (and self-professed perfectionist), Maggie is a Harvard Business School alumnus and recognized as one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40, a prestigious and highly coveted award presented annually. Inspired by Techlink's commitment to responsible gambling, Maggie helps steer the corporation's strategy, is constantly churning out creative ideas and product possibilities and is a true visionary in social responsibility.
Terrie MacIntyre, Director, Client Services and Human Resources
A people person through and through, anyone who has met Terrie won't be surprised to find her as Techlink's Director, Client Services and Human Resources. After 20 years of training and developing customer service programs for Atlantic Canada's largest communications provider, she's understandably in her element when expertly managing the needs of both clients and colleagues. It's no wonder her teammates describe her as always happy: “The best part of my job is the people I work with. Although we are small, Techlink has a great group of employees."
Terrie considers herself blessed to be back home and part of the Techlink team as she works to keep employees and clients alike informed, engaged and inspired by the big opportunities ahead of the company. Her main focus is ensuring that client needs are being met and that Techlink is delivering information or products to them on time, while at the same time ensuring all employees are content and fully understand the direction in which the company is going.
Russ Warren, Product Manager
Russ' formal title may be “Product Manager" but his informal one is “go-to guy." He loves the challenge of making sure that all of Techlink's technology stays on the leading edge of the industry. Russ was the kid who always took everything apart just to figure out how it worked….and he has never lost that sense of curiosity and wonder. This, combined with his 13 years of experience in technology and product management, makes him a perfect fit for championing innovation, researching the future of the industry, identifying emerging trends, analyzing target markets and identifying avenues for growth. His 9 years at Bell Canada allowed him to work extensively in introducing new and exciting innovations and providing many technological “firsts" in Canada. Most recently, prior to joining Techlink Russ worked in the geospatial industry to conceptualize and develop new areas of opportunities for clients in both the public and private sector.
Celia MacNeil, Project Manager
Celia joined Techlink in 2011 and after many years of globe-trotting she is thrilled be back home in Cape Breton where "my heart is", she says. Her idea of an ideal week is one where she is moving at lightning speed, juggling multiple projects, keeping everyone moving towards success and making it all look easy! She brings with her more than 12 years of extensive global experience in project and program management. During her 22 years with IBM Canada and IBM New Zealand (NZ) she managed a wide array of projects, ranging from smaller applications to complex, multi-year programs, participating in both national and global roll-outs.
Celia is a seasoned technology professional who successfully worked her way through the ranks at IBM Canada and IBM NZ, excelling at a wide range of positions, from Systems Engineer to Sales Representative, from Implementation Services Manager to Project Manager, before joining the Executive Team as a trusted advisor to the NZ General Manager (GM). After returning from IBM NZ to IBM Canada's Global Technology Services (GTS) business, Celia served as an Operations Executive to the GM and then was responsible for the deployment and end-to-end management of the global Incentives and Commissions process. Celia led a number of special projects for the GTS GM focused on business strategy, business transformation, opportunity management, incentive plan execution, forecasting & reporting, change management, technology implementation and service excellence. Celia has an unparalleled client focus and is adept at exemplary execution of complex projects.
Patricia McCann, Director of Finance and Administration
Patricia is an engaging combination of accounting smarts mixed with an incredibly fun, outgoing personality. She always has a smile on her face...even when pouring over spreadsheets! Patricia brings to Techlink 20 years of experience in accounting and finance. She earned her BA and BBA from Cape Breton University, an MPA from Dalhousie, and possesses a Certified General Accountant’s (CGA) designation. Patricia has an impressive track record of experience in both the private and public sectors holding, among others, the positions of auditor, appeals officer, financial services manager, controller and Chief Financial Officer. Patricia is Techlink's go-to person for budget management, forecasting, financial planning, analytics, pricing strategies and financial reporting.
