At Best Startup Canada we track over 100,000 Canadian startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top British Columbia based President operating in the Biotechnology space. If you think a President is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.ca.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Surjit Dixit
Vice President Technology of Zymeworks
Dr. Dixit is Zymeworks’ Chief Technology Officer, responsible for the implementation of novel algorithms and advancement of the ZymeCAD™ platform. Prior to joining Zymeworks, Dr. Dixit was the coordinator of Computational Molecular Biophysics at Weselyan University, Connecticut, USA, where he was instrumental in the development of novel methods for management and mining of high throughput molecular dynamics simulation data.
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About Zymeworks: Zymeworks is a computational biotechnology company focused on optimizing therapeutic antibodies and other protein-based therapeutics.
Ali Tehrani
President & CEO of Zymeworks
Ali Tehrani is one of Zymeworks’ co-founders and currently serves as President and CEO of the company. He has been an integral part of many of the Company’s corporate achievements including raising seed and angel financing and overseeing the Company’s technical operations and patent filings. Dr. Tehrani has served on the MITACS Industrial Advisory Board, and BIOTECanada’s Industrial and Environmental Committee. Currently, he is a member of the Board of Directors of LifeSciences British Columbia and the Student Biotechnology Network.
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About Zymeworks: Zymeworks is a computational biotechnology company focused on optimizing therapeutic antibodies and other protein-based therapeutics.
Patrick L McGeer
Founder,President & CEO of Aurin Biotech
Dr. Patrick McGeer is a professor emeritus in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He received his PhD in chemistry at Princeton University and his MD at UBC. In between he worked for the DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware where he met his wife, Dr. Edith McGeer. Dr. McGeer is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of British Columbia. He has repeatedly served on scientific review panels for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and on advisory boards for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation and the Canadian societies for Parkinson’s disease, ALS and multiple sclerosis. For many years, he combined his scientific career with politics, serving in the British Columbia Legislature from 1962 to 1986, and in the British Columbia Cabinet from 1975 to 1986. In Government, he worked to promote the development of high technology industry in the province, and also served as President and Chairman of the Board of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, and on the Board of the British Columbia Hydro and Power authority, The British Columbia Petroleum Corporation, and the British Columbia Systems Corporation. He is the Founder of two charitable foundations, the Pacific Alzheimer Research Foundation, and the Canadian Dementia Action Network. Dr. McGeer is the author of more than 680 scientific papers and 8 patents. With his wife Edith and Nobel Laureate Sir John Eccles, he is an author of two scientific textbooks and is the editor of 3 others. Dr. McGeer is the recipient of four honorary degrees and is recognized as one of the world’s most highly cited neuroscientists.
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About Aurin Biotech: Aurin Biotech Inc. is a private company established to advance the development of a remarkable collection of small molecules.
Edith G. McGeer
Foounder,Vice President & Director of Aurin Biotech
Dr. Edith McGeer is a professor emerita in the Faculty of Medicine at University of British Columbia (UBC). She is the former director of the Kinsmen Laboratory of Neurological Research at UBC. She received her BA from Swarthmore College and her PhD in chemistry from the University of Virginia at the age of 22. She worked for the DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware, winning three patents and a citation from the Delaware section of the American Chemical Society before moving with her husband to UBC’s medical school. She has served on the editorial boards of 15 international journals in the neuroscience field. She has recently been on numerous scientific review boards, particularly for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, and was one of the initial members of the Executive Committee of the World Federation of Neurology Group on the Dementias. She is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a member of the Order of British Columbia and the recipient of three honorary degrees. She is the author of 525 scientific articles, 10 patents, an author of the textbook Molecular Neurobiology of the Mammalian Brain with her husband Dr. Patrick McGeer and Sir John Eccles. The McGeers were both original members of the Highly Cited Researchers database of the ISI, being among the world’ top 100 most highly cited neuroscientists.
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About Aurin Biotech: Aurin Biotech Inc. is a private company established to advance the development of a remarkable collection of small molecules.
Jeffrey Bacha
President & CEO/cofounder of Kintara Therapeutics
Jeffrey Bacha, BSc, MBA co-founded DelMar Pharmaceuticals in 2010 and has served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Company’s board of directors since inception. Mr. Bacha is a seasoned executive leader with nearly twenty years of life sciences experience in the areas of operations, strategy and finance. His background includes successful public and private company building from both a start-up and turn around perspective; establishing and leading thriving management and technical teams; and raising capital in both the public and private markets. From July 2006 to August 2009, Mr. Bacha was Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs and Chief Operating Officer at Clera, Inc. From March 2005 to July 2006 Mr. Bacha was Consultant and held various positions at Clera Inc., Urigen Holdings Inc. and XBiotech, Inc. From 1999 through 2004, Mr. Bacha served as President & CEO of Inimex Pharmaceuticals, a venture-capital funded drug discovery and development company and is a former Senior Manager and Director of KPMG Health Ventures. Mr. Bacha holds an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and a degree in BioPhysics from the University of California, San Diego.
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About Kintara Therapeutics: Kintara Therapeutics is engaged in developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of cancer patients.
Allen C Eaves
President and CEO of STEMCELL Technologies
Dr. Allen C. Eaves, M.D, Ph.D. serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President of STEMCELL Technologies Canada Inc. Dr. Eaves serves as the Head of Hematology of Vancouver General Hospital. He serves as a Director of Terry Fox Laboratory of British Columbia Cancer Agency. He served as a Member of Scientific Advisory Board of Sophiris Bio Inc. (formerly known as Protox Therapeutics Inc.). Dr. Eaves has published over 100 articles in numerous peer-reviewed journals on the treatment of cancer.
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About STEMCELL Technologies: Tools to Isolate, Culture and Assay Cells
Fahar Merchant
President and CEO of Medicenna Therapeutics
Fahar Merchant is a 25-year biotech veteran, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Medicenna. Previously he was President and CEO of Protox Therapeutics (TSX.V and TSX; now Sophiris Bio, Nasdaq) where he established a late clinical stage urology company. At Protox he raised more than $70M through multiple PIPEs, including a $35M investment by Warburg Pincus. In 1992 he co-founded IntelliGene Expressions, Inc., a biologics CDMO, and built it to one of the fastest growing companies in Canada. In 2000, by strategic in-licensing, he co-founded Avicenna Medica, Inc., a clinical stage oncology company that was sold a year later to KS Biomedix (LSE) for $90M. Fahar was CTO and Director of KS Biomedix until its acquisition by Xenova (Nasdaq and LSE; now Celtic Pharma). Fahar has closed several transactions valued at more than $300M. He has a PhD in Biochemical Engineering from Western University.
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About Medicenna Therapeutics: Medicenna is a clinical stage, privately held, immuno-oncology company.
Alistair Duncan
Co-Founder, President & CEO of viDA Therapeutics
Alistair Duncan, B.Sc., C.A. Co-founder of the Company in 2008 Alistair Duncan serves as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Company. From 2009 to present, Alistair Duncan was co-founder, Director, and has served as interim Chief Financial Officer for Agrisoma Biosciences Inc., a company building a high performance crop seeds business for the development of new genetically modified crops for renewable fuels. From 1998 to 2008, Alistair Duncanwas President and CEO of Chromos Molecular Systems Inc., where he was also a co-founder and Director. Prior to that, he was a Principal with the Ernst & Young Corporate Finance and International Life Sciences Group where he provided high technology and life sciences companies with corporate advisory services in strategic planning, valuations, financing, divestitures, and mergers and acquisitions. Currently, Alistair Duncan also serves as a director on the board of Metro Vancouver Properties Corp. Alistair Duncan is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia and holds a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia.
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About viDA Therapeutics: viDA Therapeutics is a Canada-based biotech company that develops treatments for chronic inflammatory and age-related diseases.
Patrick Foody
Executive Vice President, Advanced Biofuels of Iogen
Patrick Foody is the executive vice president for advanced biofuels at Iogen.
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About Iogen: Iogen creates technology to render agricultural residues and other organic waste clean burning, renewable cellulosic biofuels.
Mei Mei Tian
Vice President, Head of External Research of Bioasis Technologies
Mei Mei Tian is the VP & Head of External Research at Bioasis Technologies, Inc.
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About Bioasis Technologies: Bioasis Technologies, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company.
Michelle Seltenrich
Vice President of Operations of Sirona Biochem
Michelle Seltenrich brings 15 years of experience in publicly traded biotech companies. Her experience ranges from pharmaceutical lab management to corporate development in mergers/acquisitions. Ms. Seltenrich was previously Manager of Business Development at Forbes MediTech and was responsible for international business development, in-licensing and M&A. She worked with senior management in M&A recommendation and played a key role in the successful acquisition of a U.S. based biotech company. Ms. Seltenrich holds a BSc from the University of British Columbia and an MBA in Technology Management from Simon Fraser University.
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About Sirona Biochem: Sirona Biochem is a biotechnology company developing diabetes therapeutics, as well as skin depigmenting and anti-aging agents.
Craig Goodwin
Founder, President and Director of Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd.
Craig Goodwin has over 30 years of sales and marketing experience including Senior Account Executive for one of the largest outdoor advertising companies in the world, The Jim Pattison Sign Group. While with The Jim Pattison Sign Group, Craig was one of the most successful sales executives in Western Canada and received numerous awards for outstanding achievements. Craig held the position of Western Regional Manager for a grass roots division of the Jim Pattison Group, Kimberlite, focusing on electronic outdoor advertising. The groundwork and forward thinking vision established in part by Mr. Goodwin can now be seen in the way of large electronic advertising boards at major thoroughfares around Greater Vancouver. In addition to sales and marketing Craig has consulted for a number of public companies providing services from Investor Relations to raising Venture Capital.
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About Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd.: A multifaceted biotech company spanning many industries surrounding hemp. People, Planet, & Profit!
R. Lee Buckler
President & CEO, Director of RepliCel Life Sciences
Lee is Managing Director of and a consultant the Cell Therapy Group.Lee is the founder and managing director of Cell Therapy Group – a leading, boutique consultancy focused on the cell therapy and regenerative medicine industry.Through CTG Lee works with companies of all sizes to help position them in the cell therapy regenerative medicine space by focusing on business development including strategy development, competitive intelligence, market research and analysis, deal-making, marketing and communications, profile-building, sale-lead generation, etc. The core value Lee brings to CTG and its clients is a rare breadth of understanding of the entire spectrum of the cell therapy and regenmed industries primarily around who is doing what with whom. This knowledge of the industry players, what they have, and with whom they are working is both driven by and drives his proprietary industry database. Additionally, Lee leverages for his clients the relationships he has with executives in many of those companies. Since early 2000, Lee has been an executive in the cell therapy regenerative medicine industry. He has significant experience in both for-profit companies and non-profit organizations including Progenitor Cell Therapy, Malachite Management, Stem Cell Technologies, and the International Society for Cellular Therapy. Before transitioning to biotech, Lee earned a law degree (cum laude) and was a practicing commercial attorney for several years.Lee founded Cell Therapy News, created Cell Therapy Blog where he continues to blog, and serves on the Editorial Board of the journals BioProcess International and Regenerative Medicine. Lee founded and served as Chair of ISCT’s Cell Therapy Commercialization Committee (2006-9), founded and administers the LinkedIn Cell Therapy Industry Group, and has served as an advisor to dozens of groups and projects in the regenerative medicine space. He is a frequently invited speaker and moderator at conferences in the industry. Recent publications include a book chapter entitled, “State of the Regenerative Medicine Industry” in The Delivery of Regenerative Medicines and Their Impact on Healthcare (CRC Press) and “Opportunities in Regenerative Medicine: The Global Industry and Market Trends” in BioProcess International, March 2011 Supplement.
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About RepliCel Life Sciences, Restructur Advisors: RepliCel Life Sciences is a regenerative medicine company using cell therapy products for healing tendinosis, aging, and pattern baldness.
Nicole Ranger
Vice President of Engineering & Product Development of Pyng Medical
A Professional Engineer, Nicole brings over 17 years of experience in managing and developing product lines from concept to market, with over 9 years in the medical device industry. Since joining Pyng Medical, Nicole has led product development and enhancement projects, contributing significantly to Pyng Medical’s first reaching profitability. Prior to joining Pyng Medical, Nicole held R&D, engineering, project and product management roles in the medical device, sports equipment and bioengineer industries. She is responsible for developing over a dozen products now in the marketplace and is named in four patents. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Mechanical Engineering) from the University of Toronto as well as a Bachelor of Science (Honours Kinesiology) from the University of Waterloo.
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About Pyng Medical: Pyng Medical develops trauma and resuscitation products for the health care industry.
Liren Tang
President & CEO of Welichem Biotech
Dr. Liren Tang has been the President and CEO of the Company since November 2009. From 2007-2009, as the Director of Clinical Development at the Company, Liren led a clinical research team to the successful completion of multiple clinical trials. With the compelling clinical data, the Company reached a successful partnering agreement for it’s lead immunology drug program (WBI-1001) with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for a total price of up to $230 million dollars in the year 2012. Prior to joining Welichem, Liren was a principal or co-principal investigator at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute for diverse scientific and clinical research projects addressing various aspects of inflammatory diseases and cancers. He is an author of over 30 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Liren received his PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of British Columbia.
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About Welichem Biotech: Welichem Biotech is a development stage biotechnology company, engages in the discovery and development of therapeutic drugs.
Michael Lyle
Vice President – Research and Development of Welichem Biotech
Dr. Lyle joined the company in 2006 as a medicinal chemist working on our early stage drug development programs in inflammatory diseases and cancer. From there he became the Head of Chemistry in 2008 and the VP of Research and Development in 2010. Dr. Lyle played an integral role in the development of WBI1001 and these efforts ultimately culminated in the $230M acquisition of WBI1001 by GSK in July 2012. Dr. Lyle holds a PhD in Chemistry from Simon Fraser University (SFU) and has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and patents.
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About Welichem Biotech: Welichem Biotech is a development stage biotechnology company, engages in the discovery and development of therapeutic drugs.
Bruce Reese
Vice President of Finance of Apteryx Imaging
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About Apteryx Imaging: Apteryx Imaging develops tissue fluorescence visualization technologies.
Peter Haughton
Vice President of Australia/Asian Sales of Agro Epigenetics Corp
Peter has been instrumental in developing relationships with China and Australia to further the interests in AEC’s polyploidy seed technology.
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About Agro Epigenetics Corp: Agro Epigenetics Corp is a canadian biotechnology company.
Jason Crawford
Vice President, Scientific Operations of Centre for Drug Research and Development
As the Vice-President of Scientific Operations at The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD), Canada’s fully-integrated national drug development and commercialization centre, Jason plays a key role in the evaluation of potential drug development projects to be incubated within CDRD, and holds responsibility for the successful execution of all subsequent project development plans, and thus the overall management of CDRD’s scientific resources. Prior to assuming this role, he was Head of Medicinal Chemistry at CDRD, having joined the organization in 2008. Previously, from 1999-2007, he held a series of increasingly-senior positions at AnorMED Inc. – initially a Medicinal Chemist, and eventually the Manager of the Development Chemistry Group, leading the synthetic development of all lead and candidate compounds intended for use in pre-clinical and clinical trials. Notably, for plerixafor, which now generates over $150 million annually in global sales as Mozobil, he oversaw the technical transfer of the development process to a contract research organization, the subsequent clinical manufacture, and the eventual validation of the manufacturing process for commercial use. He also acted concurrently as an interdisciplinary project team leader for a clinical-stage anti-HIV therapeutic.
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About Centre for Drug Research and Development: The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) is Canada’s national drug development and commercialization engine.
David Turner
CEO & President of AlgaeCan Biotech
Former Exec Director of pharmaceutical and medical device co. > $1 billion in sales. Developed $100 million nutraceutical co. and completed several IPO’s in international markets.
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About AlgaeCan Biotech, Lignol: AlgaeCan Biotech Ltd., located in Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada is one of the first companies.
Michael Weedon
President and Director of Phytonix
Michael Weedon is the President and Director at Phytonix Corporation.
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About Phytonix: Phytonix is an industrial biotechnology company producing sustainable chemicals directly from carbon dioxide.
Frederick Sancilio
Chairman, President and CEO of Sancilio and Company
Frederick D. Sancilio is the Principle and Co-Founder of Sancilio and Company.
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About Sancilio and Company: Sancilio and Company develops biopharmaceutical supplements and products.
Kelly Crosby
President, Engineering of Cedar Biotech
Kelly Crosby – Founder – involvement in the air quality industry since the 1980’s, pioneering bio aerosols solutions for buildings. In 2007 with an approved Patent for diffuser and applications of “Cedar Oil Vapor”. J. Hudson Ph.D. – Headed Scientific Studies – Professor Emeritus Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine UBC, Vancouver is considered to be one of the foremost virologists in Canada. His experience includes researching viruses with humans, animals, fish and invertebrates; naturally occurring anti-viral and anti-microbial substances; molecular approaches to elucidating mechanisms of action of herbal medicines. His career in academia included assistant professor, UBC; department of microbiology & pathology. Publications include the Book of Antiviral Compounds from Plants as well as over 130 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Degrees he has earned include a BSc (chemistry/physiology), an MSc (biochemistry), a PhD (molecular biology) and post-doctoral fellow.
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About Cedar Biotech: The patented Cedar Biotech Deodorizer is engineered to retrofit to Commercial Buildings of Any Size, via the buildings HVAC or Air Handler.
Michael Parr
CSO & President of Sitka Biopharma
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About Sitka Biopharma: Transforming chemotherapies to further benefit patients by enhancing efficacy and improving tolerability.
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