Ottawa, March 19, 2024 – Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC) is pleased to announce Dr. Bettina Hamelin has been appointed as its new President, effective April 8, 2024.
Dr. Hamelin, PharmD, EMBA, comes to IMC with over 30 years of experience in academia, industry, and not-for-profit organizations. Most recently, she served as President and CEO of Ontario Genomics, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to catalyzing and supporting the development of genomics- and engineering biology-based solutions across key sectors of the economy.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Hamelin lead our industry association at a time when healthcare transformation is top of mind for Canadians,” said Brigitte Nolet, Chair of IMC’s Board of Directors. “Dr. Hamelin has spent the last six years leading advocacy efforts on behalf of biotech organizations that epitomize the future of innovation. Her deep expertise and knowledge in this space make her a natural choice to work alongside health stakeholders to ensure Canada is ready to adopt the next generation of pharmaceutical innovations that will advance the total health of Canadians.”
Prior to joining Ontario Genomics, Dr. Hamelin served as Vice President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Research Partnerships Directorate, where she was responsible for encouraging public/private sector collaboration and technology transfer by connecting Canadian research enterprises to Canadian and global innovation partners. She also previously held positions of increasing responsibility in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, including leadership positions at BioChem Pharma and Pfizer, in addition to 10 years of academic research expertise as a tenured professor at Université Laval.
“It’s an honour to advocate for an industry that continually leverages the power of science to improve the health and well-being of Canadians,” said Bettina Hamelin, Incoming President of Innovative Medicines Canada. “The innovative pharmaceutical industry does this not only by delivering new treatments and vaccines, but also by contributing to our economy, investing in research and development, supporting high-value jobs, and sponsoring the majority of clinical trials in Canada.”
Dr. Hamelin is an active volunteer in the broader research and innovation community, serving as a Board Director at the Centre for Probe Development and Commercialization and IRICoR, a centre of excellence in commercialization and research specialized in drug discovery. She also chairs the National Engineering Biology Steering Committee, serves on Ontario’s COVID-19 Genomics Network Steering Committee, is involved in several advisory committees, and is a Mentor at the Creative Destruction Lab, a global startup program for seed-stage, science-based companies.
Dr. Hamelin will assume the role from David Renwick, who has been Interim President of Innovative Medicines Canada since November 2023. We’d like to thank Mr. Renwick for his valuable contributions to the association during his tenure.
About Innovative Medicines Canada
Innovative Medicines Canada is the national association representing the voice of Canada’s innovative pharmaceutical industry. The association advocates for policies that enable the discovery, development, and delivery of innovative medicines and vaccines to improve the lives of all Canadians and supports the members’ commitment to being a valued partner in the Canadian healthcare system. The association represents 48 companies that invest nearly $1.4 billion in R&D annually, fueling Canada’s knowledge-based economy, while contributing $8 billion to Canada’s economy. Guided by the Code of Ethical Practices, all members work with governments, private payers, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders in a highly ethical manner.
Source: Innovative Medicines Canada