AusBiotech announces new Board appointment

AusBiotech today announced the appointment of Dr Mark Harvey to its Board, to join the leadership team of AusBiotech in its efforts to grow and attract capital to the biotechnology industry.

Chair of the AusBiotech Board, Dr Deborah Rathjen, said: “I’m pleased to announce the invited appointment to the AusBiotech Board of well-respected investment manager and venture capitalist, Dr Mark Harvey.

“With capital widely-acknowledged as the ‘life-blood’ of Australia’s promising biotechnology sector, Mark’s expertise in the investment community and specific experience in the life sciences sector will make him a valuable addition to the Board.”

The AusBiotech constitution allows for both elected and appointed Board members, to ensure balanced representation, skills and experience, to enable effective leadership of the industry organisation.

“The appointment reflects AusBiotech’s focus on the attraction of capital to the sector and supports the work being undertaken at a policy level and in the AusBiotech global investment series, which provides a platform for Australian companies seeking partnering and investment,” said Dr Rathjen.

Dr Mark Harvey is a Partner with CM Capital Investments, one of Australia’s leading venture capital companies with over $250 million under management. Mark has over 20 years’ experience in medical research, technology transfer and commercialisation, and has played key roles in the formation, fund raising, and management of numerous life science companies.

Mark is a member of the Board of Directors of Sunshine Heart, a NASDAQ and ASX-listed company developing a treatment for heat failure; Osprey Medical Inc, an ASX-listed medical device company commercialising a coronary catheter system; and Pathway Therapeutics Inc, a clinical-stage oncology company based in San Francisco.

“I am delighted to join the AusBiotech Board and contribute to the vital role that AusBiotech performs so diligently for our industry,” said Dr Harvey.