Our Team

Venture Planning Partners has a core team of 3 consultants.

In addition to Derek Mitchell, the lead consultant and Managing Partner, our core team is complemented by our broad International Network of associated agencies and consulting / research firms, providing a wide range of tecnhncial skills and competenencie. Each have over 25+ years of experience and bring the “best of the best” of their respective competencies to meet our client's needs.

Derek Mitchell, BA, MBA, MTS is a proven executive leader with significant achievements in both the private and civil society/NGO sectors in Canada and internationally.

He has an extensive international executive business background in strategic management, marketing and sales and an in-depth understanding of international, trade, finance and investment.

Derek has a wide breadth of brand and marketing management experience with a number of major multi-national corporations including Robin Hood Multifoods, RJ Reynolds, Kraft /Pillsbury and Unilever Canada, where he had responsibility for leading and mentoring numerous marketing and sales teams on many well known brand names.

Derek has also successfully led numerous international teams with diverse cultural backgrounds throughout the world. As VP Marketing and Business Development for Connors Bros/Weston Seafoods, he was responsible for the export marketing and distribution of Connors Bros/Weston products in over 60 countries where he developed a wide range of new business and new product achievements.

As the President of Venture Planning Partners, Derek is also the senior lead consultant.  He has successfully facilitated and led numerous strategic planning, change management, organizational development projects and new business and venture capital initiatives for public/NGO/governmental and private sector clients in Canada as well as for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Derek is a past Founding Director St. George’s YouthNet, an inner city mentoring program for young children and youth. He was also a Scout and Venturer advisor for inner city youth and the past Group Commissioner of St. Geroge's 2ND Halifax Scout Group and past NS Provincial Commissioner.  He also worked for a number of years as an advisor and strategic planning consultant to the Board of the Halifax Inner City Initiative, a community development organization working to improve the quality of life for inner city residents. He is the Past President and Exexutive Director of the Camping Association of Nova Scotia and PEI.

Derek lives in a tent each summer at an overnight camp for children and teens, where he volunteers his time at Adventure Camp Challenge as the Camp Director.

He is a former Canadian Forces Armoured Corp Officer.

Derek has a BA from the University of Kings College in Political Science and Economics and an MBA from Dalhousie University in Marketing and Finance. He has just completed his Masters of Theology at the Atlantic School of Theology / St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. His thesis and research focus deals with the topics of social responsibility and the ethics of judgment and choice, for both individuals and organizations.

Venture Planning Partners also has a broad International Network of associated and aligned agencies in public relations, advertising, market research, package design and syndicated market measurement in the USA, UK, Asia, Australia & New Zealand, the EU, Mexico and central America to meet any of your international marketing, advertising, export and business development needs.