Speakers

Abhinav (“Abhi”) Kalra is a visionary leader in healthcare technology and transformation, bringing extensive public and private sector expertise to his role as Executive Vice-President of Connected Care at Canada Health Infoway. At Infoway, Abhi has been instrumental in developing and driving the Shared Pan-Canadian Interoperability Roadmap, a landmark strategy that is transforming healthcare in Canada by enabling seamless health data exchange and interoperable healthcare. Through his leadership, Infoway has fostered unprecedented collaboration between public and private sectors, catalyzing innovation and driving the adoption of interoperable digital health solutions to improve patient outcomes and enhance provider experiences. With a career spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, Abhi has held key leadership roles at large corporations, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Oracle, and General Electric, where he successfully built long-term strategies, delivered complex multi-year transformation programs, and drove revenue growth through innovative digital solutions. His ability to bridge technical expertise with strategic vision has consistently delivered impactful results, enabling organizations to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. Abhi’s leadership is defined by a focus on collaboration, innovation, and actionable change, making him a driving force behind Canada’s digital health transformation. Through his work at Infoway, he continues to champion initiatives that empower patients, enhance provider efficiency, and position Canada as a global leader in healthcare interoperability and innovation.

Annie-Kim has over 20 years’ experience in various areas of the healthcare field. For 9 years, she worked as a researcher and R&D program manager for the multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

She then joined the research center of the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, where she worked as deputy scientific director and manager of a consortium on Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2016, she joined the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, where she assumed the role of Director of University Teaching and Research, with responsibility for 3 FRQ research centers and 5 university institutes, the office de valorisation, 4 research ethics committees and the management of over 7,000 trainees annually. In addition to these functions, Annie-Kim was President of the Teaching Committee of INoPSU at the Université de Montréal.

Drawing on her experience in academic, clinical and industrial research, and her passion for innovation and healthcare, Annie-Kim is now President and CEO of MEDTEQ+, an organization that supports entrepreneurs from concept to commercialization in the development of innovative technologies that improve tomorrow’s health.

Betsabeh Madani-Hermann is a global innovation leader known for speed of execution and turning bold ideas into market-shifting outcomes. In 2023 she became the first non-Dutch and first female head of research at Philips in the company’s 134-year history, where she leads breakthroughs translating advanced technology into real-world impact.

With a background in physics, biochemistry, and engineering, and an MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School, she brings more than 20 years of experience as an operator, investor, and strategist. Her career spans early-stage startups to $30 billion enterprises, across sectors from health care and biotech to AI, robotics, and cleantech. Sector-agnostic and global, Madani‑Hermann thrives on ambiguity, mobilizing cross-disciplinary teams to challenge limits and accelerate transformation. Her leadership blends systems thinking with a builder’s mindset, driving growth, aligning stakeholders, and scaling innovation across industries and geographies.

At the head of SPEAK Agency, Christine Beaudoin puts her expertise in communication and hosting at the service of companies and events that want to make a lasting impression. With over 15 years of experience in hosting, including 10 years in radio and television (Cogeco Media, TVA, Global News), she stands out for her ease on the microphone, her instinct for connecting with all audiences, and her ability to deliver a powerful message, regardless of the format. Sometimes a host, sometimes a narrator, a fan of live broadcasting and original projects, Christine specializes in the art of public speaking.

Louis-Philippe Amiot has held the position of VP & General Manager, ORTHOsoft Zimmer-Biomet since January 2009. He manages the research and development of ROSA Robotics as well as the legacy Personalized Solutions of ORTHOsoft, a whollyowned subsidiary of Zimmer-Biomet, the largest orthopedic implant manufacturer.

ORTHOsoft provides software, surgical instruments, disposables and robotic systems to assist orthopedic surgeons during Hip and Knee replacement procedures, allowing for very accurate orientation and implant positioning. Using his backgrounds in engineering and medicine, Louis founded ORTHOsoft in 1995 and served as Chairman & CEO from 2004 until he successfully completed the sale of ORTHOsoft to Zimmer in October 2007. Louis is an entrepreneur, engineer and orthopedic surgeon who successfully maintained these combined roles in order to build a
new technology with a high-performance development team. Louis was responsible for elaborating the initial product software and hardware and raised over $30M in order to grow the business as a public Company on the TSX Venture.

Since 2008, ORTHOsoft has grown from a group of 55 to a group of more than 300 engineers spread between 2 sites (Montreal and Montpellier, France). Activities were strategically refocused to robotics in 2016 with the acquisition of MedTech (Montpellier France), a leader in neurosurgery robotics. Since then more than 1,500 robots have been installed for knee and hip procedures, in 50 countries of the Americas, Europe and Asia,
totalling more than 450,000 cases (from zero in 2016).

Louis obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering in 1988 at the École Polytechnique of the Université de Montréal. He entered medical school at the Université de Montréal in 1990. After completing his Medical Doctorate in 1995, Louis started his orthopedic residency in 1995 and obtained his M.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences in 1997. Louis completed his Post Doctora l Orthopedic surgery training in 2000 on the Dean’s Honour list and completed a Fellowship in Spine Reconstruction Surgery at JohnsHopkins University under the direction of Dr. John Kostuik from July 2000 to July 2001.

Louis, who is also an oncology Spine Surgeon at Hospital Maisonneuve-Rosemont (affiliated with the University of Montreal), continues to dedicate a few days a month to his medical practice, where he specializes in the surgical reconstruction of the spine in patients with metastatic spine disease.

Emmanuel Daigneault is a Strategic Customer Director at BD, where he leads enterprise-level partnerships across key healthcare systems in Quebec and Atlantic Canada. With a career spanning engineering management, upstream marketing, global sales, and senior leadership, Emmanuel brings a multidisciplinary perspective to strategic healthcare transformation. He specializes in aligning BD’s diverse portfolio with the evolving priorities of health systems, delivering long-term value through innovation, collaboration, and data-driven planning. Emmanuel is recognized for building trusted relationships with executive stakeholders and orchestrating cross-functional teams to drive patient-centered outcomes. His passion for MedTech innovation is reflected in his ability to connect strategy with execution across clinical, commercial, and operational domains.

Frank Baylis is a Canadian social entrepreneur, engineer, and philanthropist.

He is the Executive Chairman of Baylis Medical, a leading medical device company that played a key role in supplying ventilators during COVID-19 pandemic.

Frank is a former Member of Parliament for Pierrefonds–Dollard, where he championed innovation, human rights, and bipartisan cooperation. In 2025, he ran for leadership of the Liberal Party to promote national unity and economic prosperity.

Frank oversees the Gloria Baylis Foundation that supports access to education and healthcare. He is also a filmmaker who produces socially conscious films highlighting human rights and social justice issues.

Recognized as a mobilizing leader with a keen sense of strategy, Isabelle Hudon has systematically brought an ambitious and resolutely action-oriented vision to all of the organizations she has led. She was appointed President and CEO of BDC in August 2021, after serving as Ambassador of Canada to France and Monaco for four years and holding the positions of President and CEO (Quebec) and Senior Vice President (Canada) of Sun Life Financial.

Since joining BDC, Isabelle has dedicated herself to putting the ‘D’ in BDC at the forefront of the activities and priorities of her 2,900 colleagues. Driven by a strong desire to increase the organization’s contribution to the country’s development through its entrepreneurs, she is accelerating the deployment of multiple initiatives across BDC that will enable it to increase its impact and contribute to fair, inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

In addition to her duties at BDC, Isabelle is Co-chair of the Ordre de Montréal’s Council and the Co-founder of The A Effect. She previously served as the Personal Representative of the Prime Minister of Canada for La Francophonie and sat on the boards of directors of Hydro-Québec, Groupe Marcelle, Holt Renfrew and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Isabelle Hudon has received several notable awards: In recognition of her contributions to society, she was bestowed an honourary degree of Doctor of Law from Concordia University, and the insignia of the Commander of the Legion of Honour from the French government. Her contributions to culture in Canada earned her the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Isabelle’s commitment to women’s ambition was acknowledged with the Medal of the National Assembly of Quebec, and her efforts to promote the vitality of the francophonie were celebrated with the insignia of the Ordre de la Pléiade from the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie. She has also been inducted into the Women’s Executive Network Hall of Fame, following multiple recognitions as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100.

Martin is a visionary leader in digital health and workplace benefits, boasting nearly two decades of industry experience. As the head of Payor & Provider Solutions at TELUS Health, he leads a comprehensive portfolio that combines market-leading positions in Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM), public payor technologies, Electronic Medical Records (EMR), and pharmacy software solutions. Known for his strategic acumen, Martin excels at leveraging technology to create tangible value for the market, clients, and partners alike. His forward-thinking approach has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth within the organization. For 2025, Martin’s strategic focus is centered on advancing data interoperability, enhancing health navigation systems, and capitalizing on TELUS Global Ventures and acquisitions to fuel international expansion. With his proven track record and commitment to technological advancement in healthcare, Martin continues to shape the future of digital health solutions at TELUS Health.

Nicole DeKort is the President & CEO of Medtech Canada – the industry association representing Canada’s Medical Technology Companies – pursuing opportunities to demonstrate the value of innovative medical technology to government, stakeholders, and key partners in the health care system.

She previously served for 10 years as the Vice-President of Ontario & Marketing for Medtech Canada, overseeing Ontario government relations and national marketing programs for the association. In response to the heath system challenges we’ve faced in the last few years – both the pandemic and the wait times and decreased access to health services in Canada – Nicole worked with her colleagues to launch www.medtechinnovation.ca which highlights the vast impact the medical technology had in response to the pandemic, and also highlights the tremendous role that the medical technology industry is playing to help address the medical services backlogs in Canada.

Prior to joining Medtech Canada, Nicole has a 15-year background in politics and government in a diverse portfolio of roles. Nicole’s last role in government prior to joining Medtech Canada was serving as the Executive Director of Strategic Planning for the then Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

Nicole was proud to receive the King Charles III Coronation Medal from the federal government in April 2025, through a nomination by Premier Doug Ford of Ontario. This prestigious honour recognizes individuals who have made a profound and lasting contribution to Ontario and to Canada.

Dr. Susan D. Moffatt-Bruce, MD, FRCSC, PhD, MBA, MBOE, FACS, is Divisional President, Beth Israel Lahey Health, and President of Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, responsible for leading all operational aspects of the 333-bed academic medical center regarded for its clinic model of care, pioneering medical treatment, innovative technology and leading-edge research. In 2024, she led the launch of the UMass Chan-Lahey Regional Medical School campus in Burlington, furthering Lahey’s advancement as a learning health system and its delivery of world-class care. An accomplished cardiothoracic surgeon and research scientist, she serves as a professor of surgery for UMass Chan-Lahey. Prior to Joining Lahey in 2023, Dr. Moffatt-Bruce served as Chief Executive Officer of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and Royal College International and was a faculty member and professor at the University of Ottawa. Previously, she served as executive director at The Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center. She holds an undergraduate degree from McGill University; medical degree from Dalhousie University; and doctorate in transplant immunology from the University of Cambridge. She completed her cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Stanford University. She received her Master of Business Operational Excellence and her Executive Master of Business Administration from Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University.
An academic leader, surgeon and funded health outcomes research scientist, Dr. Moffatt-Bruce has a deep commitment to high-quality care and the development of standards in health care. She was honored with the American Medical Association Women Physicians Section Inspiration Award in 2023, was named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s Women Hospital Presidents and CEOs to Know for both 2024 and 2025, and was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts in 2024 and 2025. She was recently recognized by the Boston Business Journal 2025 Icon Awards: A Women Who Mean’s Business program. She serves on the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association Board of Trustees and is a leader in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons.

As CEO of AI4Eyes, a Canadian health tech startup at the intersection of AI, SaaS, and vision science, Tara Akhavan is driven by a mission to create meaningful, user-centric innovation that enhances how people experience the world. With over 15 years of experience in product strategy, entrepreneurship, and technology leadership, She has consistently transformed cutting-edge ideas into scalable, market-ready solutions, commercializing over 30 Software products over the last decade.

Previously, She served as VP of Software & Ecosystems at FORVIA, a global leader in automotive technology. Her journey with FORVIA began after they acquired Irystec Software Inc., a perceptual display and image processing startup she founded and scaled. Post-acquisition, she took on a leadership role managing innovation strategy and ecosystems globally , including leading the acquisition of other startups such as Appning by FORVIA, strengthening FORVIA’s software capabilities and ecosystem reach.

This dual perspective, selling Irystec and acquiring startups for FORVIA, gives her deep insight into both sides of M&A, and the ability to navigate the complex dynamics of strategic alignment, valuation, integration, and scaling.

Her expertise lies in B2B SaaS, SaaP, and B2B2C business models, with a strong track record in growing P&Ls, launching innovative products, and leading global teams. Tara hold a Ph.D. in Image Processing & Computer Vision from Vienna University of Technology as well as an MSc in AI, and she is a TEDx speaker, award recipient, startup advisor, and board member.

Tara Akhavan is honoured to be recognized as 40 under 40 & Top 100 Canadian professionals by the 100 Magazine. She hold Innovation awards from CES Innovation, Automotive News, EY Entrepreneur of the year and a few others. She has authored and co- authored over 35 patents globally for the Innovative technologies she has introduced & commercialized in different industries such as Telecom, Consumer, Automotive & Medtech.

At the heart of everything she does is a belief in the power of AI & software to drive innovation and elevate the user experience. Let’s connect with her if you’re passionate about the future of AI or software ecosystems.

Bernhard Hufenbach leads the commercialisation and innovation team at the ESA Directorate for Human and Robotic Exploration. In this role, Bernhard is responsible for fostering the growth of an industrial ecosystem that supports applied research and production in space, aimed at both terrestrial and future in-space markets. The target markets include health and biotech, sustainable agriculture and food, new materials, space resource utilization, and in-space manufacturing .

Bernhard has been with ESA for 35 years, working in various areas such as strategic planning, innovation management, project management, policy development, programme appraisal and evaluation, partnership development, future studies and programme definition, outreach, and technology development, with a particular focus on space exploration. Bernhard holds two master’s degrees from the Technical Universities of Berlin and Delft in Space Systems and Technologies and Space System Engineering, respectively

As a patient partner, Catherine Wilhelmy is committed to placing my life journey— as a patient, caregiver, and citizen—at the service of improving the health system. In her roles as Patient Partnership Lead at the CHUS Research Centre, co-leader of Expériences, and Co-Scientific Director (patient partner) of the SSA Québec Support Unit, she actively contributes to the structured integration of health partnership within research and governance. Catherine is guided by the conviction that health cannot be imposed; it is co-constructed in the consciousness of the other.

Céline Landie is a seasoned executive in the pharmaceutical industry. She currently serves as Vice President at Novartis Canada and President of the Radioligand Therapies franchise. In this role, she is responsible for the development and deployment of these therapies in Canada, now recognized as a new structural pillar of the oncology therapeutic arsenal. She actively contributes to strategic discussions on equitable access to cutting-edge treatments.

She brings recognized international experience in strategy, leadership, and organizational transformation within the life sciences sector. Prior to joining Novartis, she worked as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group and held senior leadership roles in global pharmaceutical companies across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Belgium, and Switzerland. Her expertise spans multiple therapeutic areas, including respiratory diseases, gastroenterology, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases.

Céline Landie holds an MBA from ESSEC Business School in Paris and has completed an executive education program at INSEAD.

Deeply engaged in the medical innovation ecosystem, she regularly speaks at national forums dedicated to oncology and radiopharmaceuticals. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council, where she contributes to strategic reflections on the future of medical isotopes in Canada.

CEO and co-founder of Kinova, Charles Deguire has made it his life’s work to empower individuals through robotics. His priority is to allow human beings to become extraordinary by transcending everyday limitations using next generation robotic technologies.
His achievements quickly earned him the reputation as a trailblazer in the modern robotics revolution, including a 2014 Ernest C. Manning Innovation Award, as well as a 2016 Governor General Innovation Award.
Charles has chaired the Advanced Manufacturing Table , as part of Government of Canada 2017 Budget Economic Strategy Tables and was a member of the Business Council of Canada (Next Generation Business Leaders). Since 2021, he has also actively participated in the Governor General Innovation Awards as a jury member. Today he currently lends his expertise as a board member of the Canadian Robotic Council.
Charles developed Kinova during his Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at École de technologies supérieure de Montréal. After studying health technologies and innovation management, he pursued entrepreneurship studies at MIT. By that time, his first robotic arm, JACO, was launched.
His goal was to create an assistive robotic arm that provides life-changing manipulation capacities for people living with upper-body mobility limitations. His inspiration came from his uncle “JACO” Jacques who lived with muscular dystrophy. To this day, no other technology improves these lives drastically. Kinova products are now sold in over 50 countries to over 700 public and private research organizations worldwide.

Cindy Carvalho is Petal Health’s Executive Vice-President of Growth and Marketing, bringing a global perspective shaped by more than 20 years of experience across healthcare, technology, edtech, publishing, and ecommerce. Her career spans the delivery of growth strategies to the building of high-performing teams for organizations in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Cindy is known for a deep level of collaboration, comprehensive insight, and the ability to turn complex challenges into actionable plans that drive sustainable success. At Petal, she channels that expertise into a mission she deeply believes in: improving access to care for patients everywhere.

Outside of her corporate role, Cindy leads Les Lutins, a nonprofit dedicated to creating meaningful experiences for children in underprivileged schools. Her work continues to touch the lives of thousands of children in need every year.

Dominic Laporte became Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Procurement on January 29, 2024.

In this role, Dominic oversees the planning and delivery of procurement projects and initiatives supporting the department’s mission to provide high-quality services and programs that meet the needs of federal organizations while ensuring responsible stewardship on behalf of Canadians. He also leads the development and implementation of procurement modernization initiatives aimed at making procurement processes easier, faster and more accessible for both suppliers and buyers.

Before joining the Procurement Branch, Dominic served as Chief Executive Officer of Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Translation Bureau, the Government of Canada’s centre of excellence for linguistic services. Prior to that, he worked for several years as Assistant Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Corporate Services at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, as well as Executive Director of Pension Policy and Programs with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

Dominic’s commitment to ensuring that procurement is conducted in a fair, open and transparent manner is deeply rooted in the various roles he held during the first part of his career at the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, where he served as a lawyer, research director, secretary and executive director.

Dominic holds a bachelor’s degree in economics as well as degrees in common law and civil law from the University of Ottawa. He is a member of the Law Society of Ontario.

Florence Nater, Minister of Economy of the Canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, has a background in social work, team management, and public economics and finance. After an initial career within cantonal and national organizations active in the field of mental health, she entered politics and was elected to the Neuchâtel government in 2021, where she took the helm of the Department of Employment and Social Cohesion. Re-elected in 2025, she also assumed leadership of the economy portfolio, becoming the first woman to hold this position in the canton.

With extensive institutional experience, Florence Nater favors a pragmatic approach based on dialogue and co-construction. Attentive to the needs of businesses, she promotes constructive consultation between authorities and the economic sector, convinced that economic dynamism relies on innovation, collaboration, and predictability in the public framework.

Aware of the diversity and quality of Neuchâtel’s economic fabric, she works to strengthen the canton’s attractiveness nationally and internationally, to enhance skills, and to adapt public policies to economic and social developments, with a view to sustainable and balanced development.

A graduate of École Polytechnique in 1977, Mr. Bastien held senior executive positions for more than fifteen years in major hospital centers. He later transitioned to the private sector, co-founding CIM Conseil in 1998 as a senior partner and Vice President of Consulting Services. He led numerous projects, including those related to the planning of the CHUM and the MUHC.

In 2008, Mr. Bastien joined the TELUS Québec team, where he made a significant contribution to TELUS’s success by participating in major digital transformation initiatives. Since 2018, Mr. Bastien has been sharing his expertise in health technologies through his own consulting firm, “Effet B.” He has been a distinguished member of the MEDTEQ+ consortium since 2012 and currently serves as Chair of its Board of Directors.

Gabriela Prada, MD, MHA is a physician and global healthcare leader with over 25 years of experience in clinical practice, stakeholder engagement, policy, and education. She is a Senior Program Director at Medtronic, supporting the Cardiovascular and Neuroscience portfolios, where she leads pricing policy, value-based healthcare strategies, digital health, and market-shaping initiatives. Since 2022, she has been a part-time professor at the University of Ottawa and has also served as a guest lecturer at the University of Toronto and Harvard.

Passionate about improving patient outcomes, Dr. Prada is recognized as an expert in value-based healthcare and procurement. She has extensive experience leading international teams, working effectively across cultures, mentoring talent, and advancing the adoption of innovative therapies worldwide.

Dr Hung Q. Ly obtained his MD degree from Université de Montréal (1997), where he also completed his postgraduate training in General Internal Medicine (2000) and Adult Cardiology (2003). Subsequently, he completed an interventional cardiology fellowship (clinical and research) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital (2003-2007), affiliated with Harvard Medical School. He also obtained a master’s degree in clinical epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health (2005).

Since 2007, he has been affiliated with the Montreal Heart Institute’s Dept. of Medicine and Interventional Cardiology Service where he is also clinician-scientist, the Director of the CHIP-CTO program and Co-chair of the Cardiogenic Shock Working Group (2021-2025).

An Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Université de Montréal, Dr Ly played key roles in both postgraduate and undergraduate medical education. He served as the Adult Cardiology Postgraduate Training Program (2014-2022) and as well as Director of Clerkship of the MD program and member of the UGME Board (2022-2025).

He has actively contributed to the CAIC (Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology), serving as its President and Past President (until 2021). At the CCS level, he has been Track Captain in Interventional Cardiology, a member of the Quality Indicators in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Working Group and was on the Primary Panel of the Position Statement on Multivessel Revascularization. At the provincial level, he has contributed as a member of INESS Expert Panel on Revascularization and MSSS ECMO Working Group.

His catch phrase (on “X”/Twitter) read as follow: “Dad, Husband, Son, Bro, Runner & Doc. In that order. Part of a Clan”

With over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, he has worked within two global organizations, recognized for their expertise in logistics, distribution, manufacturing, innovation, and artificial intelligence.  Marc-Sébastien is passionate about optimizing health systems and places the patient at the center of his priorities. He actively collaborates with various stakeholders in Quebec’s healthcare ecosystem, both at the governmental and institutional levels, to support the objectives of healthcare institutions and promote best practices as well as optimal clinical outcomes.

Marie-Ève Desrosiers has been President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) since 2024. She also serves as Chair of the RUISSS of Université de Montréal.

Having been with CHUM since 2016, she notably led, alongside her team, the creation of the Network Flow Optimization Centre (COFR), an organizational innovation that earned the Network Excellence Award in 2020 in the category of access to care and services. COFR subsequently gave rise to the Intensive Care Bed Occupancy Optimization Centre (COOLSI), a provincially mandated body with a pan-Quebec mission to coordinate tele-expertise services and patient transfers across the province. She also oversaw CHUM’s telehealth teams as well as the Telehealth Coordination Centre of the RUISSS of Université de Montréal. Improving access to care and optimizing patient care pathways have been central to her work in recent years.

With 20 years of experience in the healthcare system, she began her career in communications, followed by roles in training and organizational development at Santa Cabrini Hospital. From 2010 to 2016, she worked within the Office of the CEO at CHU Sainte-Justine, focusing on partnerships and network relations at the local, national, and international levels, collaborating with healthcare institutions, academic organizations, and private-sector partners.

Marie-Ève Desrosiers holds a Master’s degree in Health Administration from Université de Montréal, a graduate microprogram in healthcare process performance improvement from HEC Montréal, and a Lean Green Belt certification. She also holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology.

In addition to her executive role, she is a professional health researcher at the CHUM Research Centre and a clinical lecturer at the School of Public Health of Université de Montréal (ESPUM).

A tech entrepreneur for the past 12 years, specializing in web and application development, he has built and scaled multiple companies, including two successful exits. In January 2024, he joined Paratus Medical as a co-founder and serves as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Alongside his team, he won the Canadian Space Agency’s Deep Space Healthcare Challenge. He is the architect and team lead behind A.D.A.M.S and the Connected Care Medical Module (C2M2), a connected-care module that brings together monitoring, medical records, self-assessment, and clinical decision and logistics support, helping strengthen user autonomy and quality of care in austere, resource-limited environments.

Michele D’Elia joined Roche Diagnostics in 2007 after completing a PhD in Immunology and Virology and has held various roles in regulatory affairs and in 2010 transitioned to the marketing team as a Medical Advisorcovering core and point of care laboratory solutions. A few years later he joined the newly created Business Development team as a Medical Affairs manager and became Director, Medical Affairs in 2016. In July 2019, Michele joined the Canadian senior leadership team as the Executive Director for Medical and Scientific Affairs. In 2022, he was elected as a board member of Medtech Canada and in 2023 as a board member of CQDM. Since January 2024, he has been appointed as the Executive Director Medical, Access and Policy. In his role, Michele and his team are responsible for access, policy and innovation which includes the medical and market access strategy for all Roche Diagnostics business units, medical education, evidence generation, off-label unsolicited requests as well evaluating new technologies, scientific support, life sciences policy and engaging with various stakeholders from the healthcare sector and government officials.

Nicholas Gavin, MD, MBA, MS serves as the Vice President, Chief Clinical Innovation Officer, and Associate Chief Medical Information Officer for Digital Health of the Mount Sinai Health System.  In this role, Dr. Gavin leads a newly formed team whose goal is to identify and test how the delivery system can be redesigned. Key areas of focus will include shifting inpatient care to the ambulatory or home setting, partnering with tech companies seeking to use our Health System as a learning laboratory, and bringing rigour to the way in which we test delivery system innovations that are created internally or through partnership with external entities by applying behavioural economics principles and data-driven insights to optimize patient and provider decision-making.

Dr. Gavin’s team will look throughout the Health System for ideas, prioritizing ones that can reduce the cost of care, enhance the patient experience, optimize operational efficiency, and improve clinical quality. His team will work with key partners across the organization, to assess these ideas, break down any silos constraining them, and ensure their adoption across One Mount Sinai.

Throughout his career, Dr. Gavin has sought ways to use technology and informatics to improve the lives and experience of patients and clinicians. At Mount Sinai, he led the development of Virtual Urgent Care and Message Only Care, our rapidly growing virtual care options that allow patients to receive high-quality, on-demand care wherever they are.

Dr. Gavin joined Mount Sinai in 2022 as Vice Chair of Population Health and Clinical Innovation in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and became the Department’s Vice Chair of Clinical Operations last year, overseeing systemwide ED operations including the virtual care practice. Before joining Mount Sinai, Dr. Gavin held leadership roles in emergency medicine at Columbia University and NYU Langone. He earned his MD at NYU, completed an MBA and MS in health care leadership at Cornell, and did his residency in emergency medicine at Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland, California, where he served as Chief Resident.

Paul Grand is the founder and CEO of MedTech Innovator (MTI), the largest and most impactful accelerator of medical technology in the world. MTI’s rigorous review process identifies and accelerates the most promising early-stage companies in the world. With a 5% acceptance rate, MTI’s 838 graduates have collectively brought over 500 products to market, raised $11B in follow-on funding post-graduation, and improved millions of lives. 20% of investment dollars in the medtech sector in 2025 went to MTI graduates. Grand’s journey to founding MTI began as entrepreneur, starting companies in the biopharma, medtech, and tech industries. He became a venture capitalist in 2005, joining RCT Ventures, an early-stage life science investor where he focused on medtech investments and served as Managing Director. Grand founded MTI as a program within RCT Ventures in 2013 and with RCT’s support, left to run MTI as a stand-alone company in 2016.

Philippe Lachapelle currently holds the position of Director of Performance, Data Valorization, and Digital Transformation and Co-Manager of Digital Data at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval. He is also Co-Director of SCIENTA, the CHU de Québec’s center for the valorization and exploitation of digital data. He is responsible for implementing the CHU’s digital transformation and data valorization strategy, as well as its value-based healthcare strategy. A member of the Quebec Order of Chartered Accountants, he is currently completing a master’s degree in epidemiology and health economics at Laval University. He also has a green belt in Value Based Healthcare. He actively collaborates in the design and implementation of various studies based on the use of real-world evidence (RWE) and frequently acts as a knowledge user on various research projects in the areas of innovation and digital health and the economic re-evaluation of health technologies.

Dr. Rafaela Andrade, PhD is a biomedical scientist and the co-founder and CEO of Myomar Molecular, a biotechnology company focused on advancing non-invasive muscle health monitoring. She holds a PhD in biomedical sciences and has expertise in muscle metabolism, biomarker discovery, and translational diagnostics. Her work is focus on the development of tools that assess muscle function, recovery, and degeneration. Dr. Andrade has led the discovery of novel urine-based biomarkers for muscle health and overseen the clinical validation of Myomar’s proprietary testing platform. Her research and innovation efforts have been supported by national funding agencies, including the Canadian Space Agency, reflecting the relevance of muscle monitoring for aging populations as well as for performance and health in remote environments such as spaceflight and military operations.

After more than eight years leading an agency, Raphaël Jolicoeur built his reputation by orchestrating content campaigns and narrative frameworks for organizations such as Airbus, Uber, and CAE. Working in highly complex B2B environments, he learned how to turn sometimes abstract or technical objectives into clear, engaging, and measurable stories, while collaborating directly with decision-makers, teams, and stakeholders.

Fascinated by the intersection of technology, psychology, and design, he now devotes his energy to AI applied to human development. He founded Selfwise, an augmented coaching and emotional intelligence platform for leaders, and conceived Crush Guru, a relationship navigation tool designed for the emotional realities of Gen Z. His guiding principle: building experiences that are rigorous yet deeply human, where data serves clarity—not noise.

Since his cancer diagnosis, Raphaël has launched Tumour.me, a digital health platform that humanizes the patient journey and channels community momentum—mobilization, donations, and collective storytelling—around a symbolic figure, Béatrice. At the crossroads of lived experience, innovation, and social mobilization, he explores what digital health can truly transform: engagement, trust, communication… and an ecosystem’s ability to care, together.

Ratcho Batchvarov is a dynamic healthcare technology executive with over 17 years of experience delivering transformative solutions in both the public and private sectors. As Vice-President of Provider Solutions at TELUS Health, he leads the strategic direction and growth of key portfolios, including Electronic Medical Records, Pharmacy Management Solutions, Clinical Information Systems and  PrescribeIT.

Throughout his career, Ratcho has held multiple senior leadership roles, consistently driving growth, operational efficiency, and innovation. His strategic insight and hands-on leadership style have resulted in high-performing teams, successful cost-saving initiatives, and sales performances that consistently surpass targets. Under his leadership, TELUS Health has cemented its position as a market leader in healthcare technology through innovative strategies and customer-centric solutions.

Ratcho holds a Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering from Laval University and has specialized certifications from the Pragmatic Institute and HL7 Argentina, underscoring his expertise in healthcare data transmission standards. Fluent in French, English, and Bulgarian, his trilingual proficiency adds a unique cultural dimension to his leadership approach.

Sabrina Ricard has been working at the heart of healthcare innovation for over a decade, at the intersection of technology, organizational transformation, and patient impact. As Senior Director of Professional Services at Petal Health, she leads large-scale digital initiatives that are tangibly transforming how care is organized across Canada.

A key contributor to major digital health programs, including large-scale deployments, Sabrina brings a vision that is both strategic and firmly grounded in real-world practice. As a lecturer in Health IT Project Management at Université de Sherbrooke, she skillfully bridges expertise, innovation, and pragmatism.

Curious, engaged, and solution-oriented, Sabrina excels at fostering rich, practical discussions, making her an outstanding facilitator to lead this conversation on the future of health systems and innovation.

Sarah Arth is Senior Vice President, Event Strategy & Industry Engagement at the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), the leading trade association representing medical technology innovators dedicated to advancing medical innovation to improve lives and economies worldwide. She leads the strategy and execution of AdvaMed’s educational programs, conferences, and industry convenings. Sarah brings deep expertise in strategic event design, creating high-impact, results-driven programs that advance industry priorities and engagement for the life sciences industry.

Previously, Sarah spent 11 years at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) overseeing educational programs and events, and 10 years at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) in programming and outreach roles. She holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential and a marketing degree from the University of Delaware.

A member of the Quebec Bar since 1991, Stéphane Létourneau is Executive Vice-President of Mila, the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute.

With more than 15 years of experience in university-industry relations, he was Special Advisor, Major Structuring Projects, at the Vice-Rector of Research at the Université de Montréal, a role in which he accompanied the deployment of major institutional initiatives, such as the IVADO Data Valuation Institute and the establishment of Mila.

Stéphane Létourneau began his career as a partner at Fasken Martineau, a leading business law and litigation firm, where he practiced litigation in intellectual property and commercial matters.

Sylvie Bouchard holds a bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Université Laval in Québec city (1988). She also has a diploma (1989) and a master’s degree (1992) in Hospital Pharmacy from Université Laval (Faculty of Pharmacy), and an MBA in Corporate Management (2001), also from Université Laval (Faculty of Business Administration).

Sylvie Bouchard was a hospital pharmacist and hospital pharmacy manager. She joined the Conseil du médicament in April 2010, has since become l’Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux, where she has held various management positions over the years. In February 2020, she headed the Direction de l’évaluation des médicaments et des technologies à des fins de remboursement. She has recently become an active retiree, wanting to share her expertise in health technology assessment through consultation.

Tuba Yamaç is a partner in our Intellectual Property (IP) group and a
registered patent agent in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe . With
her extensive industry experience and global perspective, Tuba spearheads
intellectual property strategies for technology clients, spanning start – ups ,
large corporations , and research institutions. Clients appreciate Tuba’s
pragmatic and client – centric approach .
Tuba holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Materials and a M.Sc . in Intellectual
P roperty Management , both from the University of London. She is
recognized above all for her technical and industrial skills in medical
technologies , ranging from medical devices to digital health . Over the course
of her 20 – year career, Tuba has also built up proficiency in clean tech and
automotive technology .
Tuba advises clients in building and adapting intellectual property strategies
that align with business goals, at any business stage , including procuring
global patent and design rights, establishing trade -secret strat egies and
internal policies , providing IP partnering support, preparing for investment,
and delivering commercial transaction support, patentability landscaping,
freedom to operate, and due diligence.
Before joining BCF, Tuba was the intellectual property director of a medical
device company in Montréal , where she developed its IP portfolio , align ed IP
and medical device regulatory strategies, and provided business support
through multiple strategic initiatives.
Tuba is trilingual and regularly represents the Québec life sciences business
ecosystem in the United Kingdom and the United States. She also teaches patent law and is an invited speaker at the annual LifeSciences UK Patent
attorney conference (CIPA).

Ywe Looper is Vice President, Legal Affairs and Compliance at Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., where he has been advising the company since 2013 on all legal, regulatory, patent and intellectual property matters, as well as governance and compliance related to human pharmaceuticals and animal health activities in Canada.

From 2006 to 2013, he led the patent department at Boehringer Ingelheim’s global research center in Laval, Quebec, dedicated to exploratory research in virology and infectious diseases. Prior to joining Boehringer Canada, Mr. Looper served as Vice President, Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs at Ecopia BioSciences Inc., a Montreal-based company specializing in the discovery of new therapeutic molecules through genomic and bioinformatics platforms.

He has extensive expertise in issues related to the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products, the negotiation of commercial agreements and strategic partnerships, as well as the implementation of strategies to protect, monetize, and enhance the value of intellectual property assets.

A member of the Law Society of Ontario and a registered patent agent in Canada and the United States, he has also served since 2023 as Vice Chair of the Intellectual Property and Legal Affairs Advisory Team of Innovative Medicines Canada, the national association representing innovative pharmaceutical companies committed to advancing health outcomes through innovation, collaboration, and advocacy.