David Allan | Executive Chairman

Mr. Allan was appointed Executive Chairman of Stem Cell Therapeutics in July 2011. He is the founding Chairman of the Board of the Canadian biotechnology company, YM BioSciences Inc., since its incorporation in 1994 and served as its Chief Executive Officer from April 1998 to November 2010. He is Chairman of YM’s subsidiaries in the USA and Australia Ltd. In addition, Mr. Allan is a board member of a number of public and private companies primarily in the life sciences and is lead director at DiaMedica Inc., a Canadian public biotechnology company developing novel therapies for diabetics.

Following a 30-year career in investment banking, securities trading and as head of the investment research department of one of Canada’s major institutionally-focused investment banks, in 1992 he founded the first Canadian investment banking and research team specializing in the life sciences. He is a former member of the Awards Selection Committee for the Networks of Centers of Excellence in Canada, Governor of The Toronto Stock Exchange and founding and sunset Chair of the Toronto Stock Exchange Market Access Implementation Committee (a creature of Ontario Premier Bill Davis to create access for small and medium-sized enterprises to Canada’s principal capital market). He has been a member, and working group Chair, of the Ontario Biotechnology Advisory Board (a creature of Ontario Premier Bob Rae) and is currently a member of BioteCanada’s Emerging Companies Advisory Board and of the Board of Directors of Life Sciences Ontario, the industry organizations. He is a recipient of a Dora Mavor Moore Award, has been a Governor of the Shaw Festival Theatre and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Ontario College of Art and Design.