Board and Management
The Directors bring to the Board relevant experience and skills, including industry and business knowledge, financial management and corporate governance experience.
Mr Michael Spooner was appointed as Chairman of Simavita in April 2016. Mr Spooner also serves on the Board of Directors of Mesoblast since 2004. During this period he has filled various roles including as Executive Chairman from the date of the ASX public listing in 2004 until 2007. He is currently the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee as well as a member of the Remuneration Committee.
Over the past several years Mr Spooner has served on the Board of Directors in various capacities at several Australian and international biotechnology companies, including BiVacor Pty Ltd (2009-2013), Advanced Surgical Design & Manufacture Limited (2010-2011), Peplin, Inc. (2004-2009), Hawaii Biotech, Inc. (2010-2012), Hunter Immunology Limited (2007-2008), and as managing director of Ventracor Limited (2001-2003).
Prior to returning to Australia in 2001, he spent much of his career internationally where he served in various roles including as a partner to PA Consulting Group, a United Kingdom-based management consultancy and a Principal Partner and Director of Consulting Services with PricewaterhouseCoopers (Coopers & Lybrand) in Hong Kong.
In addition, Mr Spooner has owned and operated several international companies providing services and has consulted to a number of American and Asian public companies.
Dr Pace has more than 40 years of experience in the development and commercialization of advanced life sciences and related technologies, spanning biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and food industries. He is a serial entrepreneur and has held senior positions in small to and large-scale life sciences ventures and companies in Australia, the USA and Europe. Dr Pace has contributed to the development of the biotechnology industry through honorary university appointments and industry and government committees.
Dr. Pace is currently a Director of three other public companies; Pacira Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: PCRX); Antisense Therapeutics (ASX: ANP) and Invitrocue (ASX: IVQ) as well as several private companies.
Dr. Pace holds a B.Sc. (Hons I) from the University of New South Wales and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Also he has held visiting academic positions at the Universities of New South Wales and the University of Queensland. Dr. Pace is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
Damien is the Managing Director of a private family office. He manages in a portfolio including commercial property, property development joint ventures, mezzanine finance and bridging loans as well as investments in start-up and pre-listed companies. Damien's background includes; due diligence work, forecasting, market assumptions and trends. He has a keen interest and is following the growing wearable technology space as well as Connected Devices (Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Devices, Mobile Apps).
Both sectors having substantial future growth with impacts in many areas.
Damien is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Damien was previously a Director of Simavita Holdings Limited from 2012 until February 2016 and a Director of Simavita Limited from the time of its ASX listing in November 2013 until 2016.
Peta was appointed Chief Commercial Officer in September 2015. She has extensive experience in health and technology companies. Prior to joining Simavita, Peta was the Head of Hills Health Solutions at Hills Limited where she was responsible for leading the Health division, providing health technology to hospitals and aged care facilities in Australia and New Zealand. She has also held senior management positions at Telstra, Veolia Environmental Services and Mayne Nickless Health Care. Peta has a strong commercial background and extensive experience running commercial and operational business units and governance areas such as compliance, risk management, human resources, safety and legal services. Peta is also a Non-Executive Director of the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Healthdirect Australia Limited.
