Our Team is

Your Team

Our Team Is Your Team

Our core team has been working together for well over a decade. We’ve developed a unique ability to cultivate winning investment themes while keeping watch over the landscape of healthcare in North America. We are proud to help top-tier biotherapeutic and medical device companies realize their vision.

Investment Team

Peter van der Velden, MBA, MSc.

Managing General Partner

With 28 years of investment and operating experience, Peter has participated in building companies from start-up through to expansion in the life sciences, information technology, and consumer... Read More

Gerry Brunk, MBA

Managing Director

With over 28 years of investment, consulting and entrepreneurial experience in the health care industry, Gerry has helped build life sciences companies at all stages of development. He focuses on... Read More

Beni Rovinski, Ph.D.

Managing Director

With over 30 years of investment, operational, managerial and research experience in the healthcare industry, Beni has helped build life sciences companies at all stages of development. Known both as... Read More

Daniel Hétu, M.D., MBA

Managing Director

With over 20 years of investment banking, corporate development, and licensing and investment experience, Daniel has been involved with life sciences companies at all stages of development in North... Read More

Jacki Jenuth, Ph.D.

Partner and COO

With over 20 years of life science, IT and business development executive-level experience, Jacki is a key member of the senior investment team sourcing, conducting diligence on, structuring deals... Read More

Lu Han, Ph.D.

Partner

Lu is passionate about helping entrepreneurs achieving their goals being a co-founder of a start-up company prior to joining Lumira Ventures in late 2014 as an analyst and later promoted to Director... Read More

Brent Norton, M.D., MBA, ICD.D

Venture Partner

With over 25 years of experience in the life sciences industry, Dr. Norton uses his cross-functional knowledge to develop strategy, raise capital and build important relationships in the academic and... Read More

Richard Glickman, L.L.D. (Hon)

Venture Partner

Dr. Richard M. Glickman is one of Canada’s best known and most successful healthcare entrepreneurs. He is a co-founder and the chairman of Aurinia Pharma Corp., the founding Chairman of the Board... Read More

David Novak M.Sc.

Venture Partner

David Novak joined the Lumira team in 2022 as a venture partner with a focus on developing public market investment strategies that leverage and build on the Lumira franchise. Mr. Novak brings to... Read More

Nikhil Thatte

Senior Principal

Nikhil Thatte is a Senior Principal with Lumira Ventures and been with the firm since March 2019. Nikhil is primarily focused on next generation modalities including protein degradation, gene... Read More

Suman Rao, Ph.D.

Senior Associate

Suman comes from a strong life science background, with special expertise in oncology and developing multi-targeted strategies to treat advanced cancers. Suman joined Lumira in 2021 as an Associate... Read More

Baye Galligan, MA, HBA

Director of Research

Baye Galligan joined Lumira Ventures' Toronto office as an analyst in 2017. She focuses on business and technical due diligence and analyses of investment opportunities, as well as financial analysis... Read More

Alice Luo, Ph.D.

Analyst

Alice joined the Lumira Ventures as a full-time member in January 2022, following her successful experience of being selected in 2021 as part of the inaugural class of the Lumira Venture Innovation... Read More

Theodore Witek DrPH, MBA

Special Advisor

Dr. Witek served Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals for nearly 25 years where he held various pharmacology and clinical research positions, including Director of Respiratory and Immunology Clinical... Read More

Operations Team

Vasco Larcina, CPA, CA

CFO

Contributing over 20 years of senior financial management and audit experience, Vasco is a key member of senior management working closely with our investment team, external auditors and other... Read More

Dahlia Abbott

Accounting / Office Manager

With over 25 years of financial and office management experience, Dahlia is a key member of the operations team responsible for the day-to-day operational and financial administration of Lumira... Read More

Michael Leung, CPA, CA, CFA

Controller

Michael joined Lumira Ventures in August 2022; as Controller, Michael will focus on the finance, legal, and operations of the Lumira investment funds. He will continue to enhance the implementation... Read More

Alyssia Watkin

Director of Communications and Investor Relations

Alyssia joined the Lumira Ventures team in September 2021 as a Junior Analyst. Prior to joining the team, Alyssia completed an honors BSc degree in biology, majoring in genetics from Western... Read More