YOUSSEF BENNANI

Managing Partner Fund III

Dr. Bennani brings a wealth of experience from project inception to clinical work, technology transfer, in-and-out licensing transactions with academic and corporate partners R&D units. His work has led to over twenty preclinical and clinical-stage NMEs, out-licensed partnerships; as well as contributions to approved medicines. His governance leadership has contributed to corporate strategy alignment, leading to corporate growth and to nine single-asset and technology spinoff companies from Domain Therapeutics, and AdMare BioInnovations. He has over 25 years' experience in pharmaceutical R&D leadership and management. He previously was Chairman of the Board of Domain Therapeutics from 2014-2023; and an independent Board Director at Bellus Health from 2014-2023, until its successful acquisition by GSK in 2023.  He also was a founding CEO at Find Therapeutics.  . Previously, he served as Site Head and Vice President of R&D at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. Prior to this position, Dr. Bennani spent several years as Vice President Drug Innovation at Vertex's Headquarters (Boston – MA). He has also held various positions of increasing responsibility in pharmaceutical R&D at Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Laboratories (now AbbVie) and Athersys. His experience spans multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, neurology, infection, inflammation, rare and renal diseases. Dr. Bennani has studied in chemistry (PhD, Université de Montréal), business (MBA, LFGSM – Chicago) and corporate governance (ICD.D, McGill-Rotman Schools of Business).