Life Sciences BC Announces Incoming Board of Directors

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Life Sciences BC (LSBC) is pleased to announce new and returning members to the Board of Directors following its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on September 12th, 2023. The incoming Board of Directors is comprised of leaders within British Columbia’s life sciences community, all of whom are aligned with LSBC’s vision and mission of creating a provincial ecosystem where life sciences and health organizations thrive while advocating for and promoting the growth of the province’s world-class life sciences sector.

"We'd like to sincerely thank our outgoing board members for their invaluable contributions to our organization. Their generous commitment of time, expertise, and guidance have been instrumental in innovating our path forward,” says Wendy Hurlburt, CEO and President of Life Sciences BC and LSBC Board Member. “As we bid farewell to our respected colleagues, we warmly welcome our incoming board members. Their expertise will continue to enhance our collective efforts and support the ongoing growth and success of our organization and sector. I look forward to the collaborative and productive journey ahead."

AGM Board Level Announcements

Rajveer Hundal (PwC Canada, Partner), David Poon, Ph.D. (Gandeeva Therapeutics, Chief Business Officer), and Dr. Peter Zandstra (UBC School of BME & Michael Smith Labs, Director) were elected for three-year terms.

Ali Ardakani (Novateur Ventures, Founder and Managing Director), Dr. Lana Janes (Abdera Therapeutics, Co-Founder & Senior Vice President, Operations and Innovation), David Helliwell (Thrive, Co-Founder & Executive Board Chair) and Scott Phillips (Starfish Medical, President) were re-elected for three-year terms.

At the Board Meeting following the AGM, Joseph Garcia (Blakes, Partner), Hector MacKay-Dunn, K.C. (Farris, Senior Partner), and Roger Kuypers (Fasken, Partner) received renewed one-year appointments as Board Observers.

"As the incumbent Chair of the LSBC Board of Directors, I am delighted to welcome our incoming board members, Dr. Peter Zandstra, David Poon, Ph.D., and Rajveer Hundal, each of whom brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our organization. Their fresh perspectives and commitment to our mission will invigorate our efforts to advance the life sciences sector in BC," says Ali Ardakani, Novateur Ventures Founder and Managing Director and LSBC Board of Directors Chair. "We also want to express our sincere appreciation to our outgoing board directors, Dr. Pieter Cullis, Dr. James Taylor and Ian Heine, and observer, Pascal Spothelfer, for their dedicated service and contributions over the last year, which have been instrumental in shaping our ecosystem. I look forward to collaborating with our new members and building upon the strong foundation reinforced by our outgoing colleagues. Together, we will continue to propel our life sciences community forward, fostering innovation and growth for the benefit of all."

To see the full list of Life Sciences BC’s Board of Directors, please visit: https://lifesciencesbc.ca/about-us/board-directors/

About Life Sciences BC

Life Sciences BC is a not-for-profit, non-government industry association that supports and represents British Columbia’s life sciences community through numerous local, national, and international initiatives. We nurture economic development in the province through leadership, facilitation of investment and partnering, advocacy, and promotion of our world-class life sciences sector.

We represent sectors such as biopharmaceuticals, medical technology, digital health, and medical devices in our organization's initiatives. We aim to prevent any sector from working in isolation, promoting cooperation in a comprehensive, complementary, and coordinated manner.

Throughout the year, Life Sciences BC initiates a range of programs and projects designed to bolster these sectors. These initiatives encompass activities such as advocating for public policies, fostering connections between our local organizations and the global industry, enhancing our sector's international visibility, facilitating investment and global partnerships, and contributing to the economic growth of British Columbia by nurturing the life sciences industry.

Johanna Mills
jmills@lifesciencesbc.ca