Management Team

David G.P. Allan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer & Director
Vera Belaoussoff, H.B.Sc., M.Sc., Director, Preclinical and Scientific Policy
Melanie DuBois, B.Sc., Director, Quality Assurance
Gary Floyd, Vice President, Operations
David A. Kennard, Ph.D., M.B.A., Director, European Operations
Leonardo Viana Nicacio, M.D., Director, Clinical Affairs
Ali Raza, M.D., President, AeroLEF Division
German Rogés, M.D., Ph.D., Country Manager
Vincent Salvatori, Ph.D., President and Chief Operating Officer, CIMYM BioSciences Inc.
Sean Thompson, B.Sc., Vice President, Strategic Projects and Corporate Development
Len Vernon, B.Sc., C.A., Vice President, Finance and Administration
Mark Vincent, M.D., Director, Investigational Oncology
Andrew Yoshioka, B.Sc., Vice President, AeroLEF Division


David G.P. Allan
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer & Director
Mr. Allan has been Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation since April 1998 and Chairman of the board of directors of the Corporation since 1994.  In addition, Mr. Allan is a Director of Synthemed Inc. (medical devices), USA and DiaMedica Inc. (diabetes therapeutics), Canada. In 1992 he founded the Knowledge-Based Industries Group of a Canadian investment banking firm, organized as the first in Canada involved in financing, analyzing and creating strategic alliances for life sciences and information technology companies, where he was Executive Director until 1998. Mr. Allan was formerly a governor of The Toronto Stock Exchange, a member of the Awards Selection Committee for the Networks of Centres of Excellence in Canada, working group Chair of the Ontario Biotechnology Advisory Board and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Ontario College of Art and Design. Mr. Allan is currently a member of BIOTECanada's Emerging Companies Advisory Board.

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Vera Belaoussoff, H.B.Sc., M.Sc. 
Director, Preclinical and Scientific Policy
Ms. Belaoussoff has been with the Corporation since 2009. Prior to joining YM, Ms. Belaoussoff was engaged in providing consulting services to the biotechnology industry, with a focus on business development and capital markets communication. Ms. Belaoussoff was a healthcare analyst for eight years in the financial services industry, most recently on the buy-side with Scotia Cassels Investment Management where she covered the North American healthcare industry. Prior to that, she was a healthcare analyst in the brokerage industry and participated in over $80 million of biotech financing. Ms. Belaoussoff also spent eight years in basic research in the field of schizophrenia, and has her M.Sc. (Molecular Biology) from York University in Toronto, and an Honour's B.Sc. (Genetics) from the University of Manitoba.

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Melanie DuBois, B.Sc. 
Director, Quality Assurance
Ms. DuBois joined the Corporation in 2008 after a year in the capacity of consultant in Quality Assurance to the Corporation. From 1989 to 2006, Ms. DuBois was employed by GlaxoSmithKline in Mississauga, Ontario in increasing levels of Quality-related positions including Manager, North American Pharmaceutical Development Quality Assurance. She earned a Bachelor of Technology in Laboratory Sciences from Ryerson Polytechnical University in 1987, brings with her over 20 years of experience in the Quality area, and has a strong knowledge of current Good Manufacturing Practices and Quality Systems.

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Gary Floyd
Vice President, Operations
YM BioSciences USA Inc.

Mr. Floyd is a seasoned executive with an extensive background in the global pharmaceutical industry. Most recently, he served as President of Pharmavene LLC, a pharmaceutical consulting firm. Prior to his position at Pharmavene, Mr. Floyd was Senior Vice President, Worldwide Logistics and Procurement at Aventis Behring where he was responsible for Supply Chain Management of the company's global business. This included sales and operations planning, global purchasing and biopharmaceutical operations systems management and development. He also held the position of Senior Vice President, Worldwide Business Systems at Aventis Behring. Mr. Floyd has held various executive positions in the pharmaceutical industry, including Senior Vice President, Worldwide Industrial Operations at Centeon LLC and Vice President, Sales and Marketing, The Americas and Vice President, Operations at Armour Pharmaceutical Company where he managed a multipurpose manufacturing plant with 800 employees. Mr. Floyd is a Vietnam Veteran, having served in the United States Army where he received the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service. He received his BA in Chemistry and Zoology from Olivet Nazarene University.

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David A. Kennard, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Director, European Operations
Dr. Kennard has been with the Corporation since 2004. Prior to joining, he was CEO of the pain development company NeuroTargets.  Dr. Kennard spent eight years prior to that as the COO of SR Pharma, a publicly traded UK-based biotechnology company which developed therapeutic vaccines.  He was also with GlaxoSmithKline in clinical research and regulatory affairs and subsequently in strategic planning.  Dr. Kennard holds an MBA and Ph.D. from the London University, and is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

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Leonardo Viana Nicacio, M.D.
Director, Clinical Affairs
Dr. Nicacio, a medical oncologist joined the Corporation in 2008. Dr. Nicacio was the Medical Manager of Eurofarma Laboratorios Ltda in Brazil and was responsible for the clinical development of the oncologic, antiinffective, and biotech portfolio. He received his Medical degree in Brazil and did his residency at Hospital Sirio Libanes in Sao Paulo, BR. Prior to joining the Corporation he was an advisor of drug development for Brazilian pharmaceutical companies and received training in molecular and clinical research in the US. He is currently a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

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Ali Raza, M.D.
President, AeroLEF Division 
Dr. Raza joined the Corporation in 2008. He was with AstraZeneca for 14 years, ultimately heading up the Clinical Sciences Department at the Company's Global Headquarters for Cardiovascular R&D in Sweden.  He has led teams responsible for registration of a number of molecules including b-blockers, ACE inhibitors and statins.  He has spent the last five years in the biotech arena in senior leadership positions, latterly serving as President of Sosei, Japan.  He holds a degree in Biochemistry from Manchester University, completed his post-graduate research at Imperial College, London and holds a medical degree from London University.

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German Rogés, M.D., Ph.D.
Country Manager
Dr. Roges joined the Corporation in 1998. He had previously worked in the Tropical Medicine Institute "Pedro Kourí" from Havana, Cuba as a Virologist and Cooperation Manager. He worked also as a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Guyana while on assignment with the Pan-American Health Organization from 1987-1989. Dr. Roges has authored and co-authored numerous scientific publications in peer review journals and sat on two Advisory Committees of the Cuban Ministry of Health. He graduated as an M.D. from the Superior Institute of Health Sciences in Cuba and in 1986 received the title of First Degree Specialist on Microbiology from the Cuban Ministry of Health. Dr. Roges attended fellowships at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and the University of Southampton, UK. He also received the accreditation of Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) from SOCRA.

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Vincent Salvatori, Ph.D.
President and Chief Operating Officer, CIMYM BioSciences Inc.
Dr. Salvatori has been with the Corporation since 2002, and is an experienced drug development executive with an accomplished background in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.   He has more than 20 years of experience in all aspects of drug development, corporate operations and external collaborations. He most recently held the position of Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations for Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. He was formerly at StressGen Biotechnologies Corporation where he held the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of Research and Development, subsequently appointed to Senior Vice President of the company. In this capacity he was responsible for corporate operations, strategic management and clinical/regulatory development. Prior to joining StressGen, Dr. Salvatori was the Senior Director of Program Management at QLT PhotoTherapeutics Inc. and various positions at Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd.

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Sean Thompson, B.Sc.
Vice President, Strategic Projects and Corporate Development
Mr. Thompson is responsible for all aspects of corporate development for YM, including licensing, identifying targets for M&A and development partnerships.  He has a solid background in clinical development and big Pharma marketing experience, and was previously Director of Clinical Research for YM.  Prior to YM he worked for Roche, sitting on the Global Business Team in virology, and was Clinical Research Manager. Prior to Roche, he was a Clinical Scientist for SmithKline Beecham developing products for oncology, respiratory and CNS disorders. He is currently Vice Chair of the BIOTECanada Health Policy Advisory Board, a member of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research Industry Advisory Board and was previously a Board member for Variation Biotechnologies Inc. Mr. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Waterloo.

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Len Vernon, B.Sc., C.A.
Vice President, Finance and Administration
Mr. Vernon earned a B.Sc. in 1968 and was awarded his C.A. in 1972 with Clarkson Gordon & Co. (now Ernst & Young).  He has held senior financial positions with a number of organizations both public and private.  Prior to joining YM in 1997, Mr. Vernon was an independent consultant working with senior management in a variety of industries.  Prior to 1992 he was Vice-President, Finance and Administration of Unitel Inc. (now MTS Allstream Inc.) a major Canadian telecommunications company.

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Mark Vincent, M.D.
Director, Investigational Oncology
Dr. Vincent has been with the Corporation since 2000.  In addition to his position at YM as Director, Investigational Oncology and Chair, Scientific Advisory Board, he is an Associate Professor, Dept. of Oncology, with the University of Western Ontario and Staff Medical Oncologist at the London Regional Cancer Program, in London, Canada.

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Andrew Yoshioka, B.Sc.
Vice President, AeroLEF Division
Mr. Yoshioka joined the Corporation in May 2005 with the acquisition of DELEX Therapeutics Inc. which he had been with since 2001 as Director of Product Development. He has over 23 years of pharmaceutical experience. Previously, Mr. Yoshioka held various positions at GlaxoSmithKline, SmithKline Beecham Pharma, Bencard Allergy Laboratories, and Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. and has submitted and negotiated various types of registration files as a Regulatory Affairs Associate/Regulatory Marketing Associate. Mr. Yoshioka has a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from McGill University.

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