Management Team
Aras Azadian, M.Mgmt
Chief Executive Officer
Utilizing his extensive senior management experience in both financial and bio-technology sectors, Aras co-founded Avicanna with the vision of establishing a bio-pharmaceutical company with a strict focus on medical and pharmaceutical applications of cannabinoids. His expertise experience in the biotechnology industry have been integral to Avicanna’s thought leadership pertaining to R&D and clinical development. Since 2016 Aras has successfully led a team of executives, scientists, and medical professionals across several countries with the vision of vertical integration and a strong company focus on quality controls, scientific vigour and competitive advantages. Aras holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from York University and an International master’s in management degree from EADA Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
Interim Chief Financial Officer
Joining the Company in 2021 as Senior Vice President of Finance, Phillip took over as Interim Chief Financial Officer in May 2022. He gained his experience at MNP LLP in the public company assurance group, where worked with new and young companies, managing, and advising them through go-public transactions and f financial reporting requirements. While at MNP, Phillip was audit lead for Avicanna from 2018-2020. He is applying this prior knowledge to ensuring accuracy and reliability of Avicanna’s financials and sound financial management.
Lucas Nosiglia, MFin
President, Avicanna LATAM
A seasoned entrepreneur and executive with experience across Europe, North America and South America, Lucas has been at the forefront of Avicanna’s Latin America (LATAM) operations since the company’s inception in 2016. His innovative and transformative approach in navigating the cannabis industry and his former involvement in management consulting, finance and health care have been invaluable in establishing and operating the company’s Colombian subsidiaries including two fully operational cultivation projects. Lucas’ experience from working at Deloitte along with his leadership values are at the core of his success in leading Avicanna’s largest teams. Lucas graduated with an Honours degree from Faculty of Economics of University of Buenos Aires and holds a Masters degree in Finance from EADA in Barcelona Spain.
Ivana Marić
Executive Vice President, Marketing
Dr. Frantz Le Devedec, PhD
Executive Vice President, Research & Development
Dr. Le Devedec has over 15 years of experience in academic and industrial research in biomaterials, drug delivery platforms and purification processes of natural compounds applied to cancer therapies, pain management and infectious disease. With a strong background in biochemistry, he received his PhD in Physical Chemistry at Université de Montréal with honors and worked for Dr. Christine Allen’s Research Group (CARG) at the University of Toronto, leading several pharmaceutical projects for industrial partners and academic oriented research. He also worked at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre as a research associate where he developed new approaches for pancreatic cancer therapy. He is the first author of more than fifteen scientific publications, patents and presented in international conferences and universities. For the past 3 years, Frantz has been at the top of the R&D department of Avicanna Inc, where he has developed numerous advanced cannabinoid formulations (orals and topicals) now commercialized in North America, Latin America and finally put in place methodologies to purify cannabinoids from lab scale to industrial capacity in our cannabis cultivar in Colombia.
Stephen Kim
Board of Directors
Dr. Chandra Panchal
Chair
Dr. Panchal has been the Chief Executive Officer of Axcelon Biopolymers Corp. since 2008, has authored over seventy scientific papers, holds several patents in oncology, diagnostics, biopolymers and microbiology, and is an Adjunct Professor in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the University of Western Ontario. Dr. Panchal currently sits on the board of directors of both an oncology company known as Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. (MDNA), and Canadian Oil Recovery and Remediation Inc. (CVR) as well as Pure Global Cannabis Inc. (PURE). Dr. Panchal holds a Master of Science degree in Molecular Biology and a Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario.
Chief Executive Officer
Utilizing his extensive senior management experience in both financial and bio-technology sectors, Aras co-founded Avicanna with the vision of establishing a bio-pharmaceutical company with a strict focus on medical and pharmaceutical applications of cannabinoids. His expertise experience in the biotechnology industry have been integral to Avicanna’s thought leadership pertaining to R&D and clinical development. Since 2016 Aras has successfully led a team of executives, scientists, and medical professionals across several countries with the vision of vertical integration and a strong company focus on quality controls, scientific vigour and competitive advantages. Aras holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from York University and an International master’s in management degree from EADA Business School in Barcelona, Spain.
Dr. Assad J. Kazeminy
Director
Dr. Kazeminy is the founder and former President and CEO of Irvine Pharmaceutical Services Inc. and Avrio Biopharmaceutical LLC. Dr. Kazeminy received his doctorate degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, graduate studies in Biochemistry and completed his post doctorate at the University of Southern California (USC) Medical School, Department of Pharmacology. Since January 2014, Dr. Kazeminy has been a member of the Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP) Dean’s Professional Advisory Group, has served as a member of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Console of Experts 2000-2020 and has been awarded by United States Pharmacopeia a Winner for Innovative Responses to a Public Health Challenge.
Flavio Jose Zaclis
Director
Mr. Zaclis has more than 20 years of experience in private equity, venture capital and entrepreneurial projects. After completing several investment cycles, Mr. Zaclis founded Barn Investimentos in 2012, a venture capital investment boutique, dedicated to early-stage investments in the Brazilian and Latin American markets. Mr. Zaclis is a board member of several companies and has actively participated in initial public offerings, private placements, and merger and acquisition negotiations for portfolio companies. Mr. Zaclis is responsible for fundraising, deal execution, and team leadership at Barn Investimentos.
John McVicar
Director
McVicar is an experienced senior finance executive with more than 30 years of Canadian and international experience in both industry and professional services. Mr. McVicar retired as a Consulting Partner at Ernst & Young LLP (EY) where he focused on advising large corporations to drive operational excellence and to transform the performance of their finance organizations. Prior to EY, he spent 10 years in senior finance roles with several Canadian and U.S. public companies. Mr. McVicar brings significant international experience. During his career, he has served in roles based in Canada, South America, the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa. Mr. McVicar is a CPA, CA and holds an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.
Director
Business Advisory Board
Adam M. Vassos
Adam is a Senior Partner of Vassos Law LLP. Adams Practice is focused on Regulatory Law, with a specific concentration in Cannabis and Liquor Law. He has over 30 years of legal experience and is also the one of the founding members and President of the Retail Cannabis Council of Ontario. He received his Bachelor of Laws at the University of Western and his Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto. Adam has been recognized as a leading authority on the subject of cannabis and has appeared on The Agenda With Steve Paiken, Power and Politics with Katie Simpson and The National. He has lectured on the subject at Canadian Bar Association, and authored several papers on the subject.
Dr. Aline Masuda
Dr. Aline D. Masuda is currently an associate professor at EADA Business School in the department of Strategy Leadership and People. She also conducts research in motivation and leadership, employee attitudes, and flexible working arrangements across cultures. She has published in journals such as Journal of Vocational Behavior, Academy of Management Discoveries, Applied Psychology an International Review. She holds Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the State University of New York-Albany and Missouri State University respectively. Previously, she was a senior project manager for International Survey Research, currently part of Towers Watson. She also worked at the workforce research and marketing intelligence departments at IBM and was a post-doctoral researcher at IESE Business School.