Mr. Hannes has over 25 years of finance, operations, sales and management experience. He has most recently served over 15 years as a managing director and a member of the operating committee, among other senior management positions, for Credit Suisse’s listed derivatives business in equities, commodities and fixed income in its Asia and Pacific region. From 1986 to 1993, Mr. Hannes was a director for Fay Richwhite Australia, a New Zealand merchant bank. Prior to his tenure with Fay Richwhite, Mr. Hannes was the director of operations and chief financial officer of Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette Futures Ltd, a US investment bank. He has successfully raised capital and developed and managed mining, commodities trading and manufacturing businesses in the global market. He holds a Bachelor of Business degree from the NSW University of Technology and subsequently completed the Institute of Chartered Accounts Professional Year before being seconded into the commercial sector.
From 2009 to 2019 Mr Hannes was a non-executive director of Sundance Energy Australia Ltd (ASX) and Sundance Energy Inc (NASDAQ) after a re-domicile to the US. Damien was Chairman of the remuneration committee and a member of the audit committee in his time on the board at Sundance Energy. Damien has held various other Directorships in other private businesses in a capacity as Chairman and as a non executive Director.
Professor Larisa Rudenko is Head of the Virology Department in the Institute of Experimental Medicine, St. Petersburg, Russia. Professor Rudenko worked with Academician Smorodintsev and has been responsible for the development and clinical trials of the live attenuated influenza vaccines in Russia. She is recognised as one of the world’s leading experts in live attenuated influenza vaccines and as such has worked closely over the past 20 years with scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA in developing effective influenza prophylaxis programs for use in children and in the elderly. She has published in excess of 225 scientific papers and 42 patents. Under her supervision, 11 PhD and 2 DSc theses have been prepared. In 1999 her contribution to medical science was recognised with the award of the title of Honoured Scientist of the Russian Federation. Professor Rudenko is currently leading the WHO and PATH programs, developing a new pandemic LAIV for developing countries.
Mr Fergus Mak is a professional Financial Analyst. He holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Warwick and an MSc in Project Analysis, Finance & Investment from the University of York. He has been with The Bank of East Asia, Limited for over 30 years, and has served across a number of functional areas including business development, trust, legal, mergers and acquisitions, and capital management.
Ms Julie Phillips is Chief Executive Officer and a Director of BioDiem Ltd and Managing Director of BioDiem’s subsidiary, Opal Biosciences Ltd. She has a strong background in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, having worked as the CEO and Director of start-up Australian biotechnology companies operating in the life sciences sector. Her technical background in clinical trials, regulatory affairs and pharmacoeconomic assessment/pricing of therapeutics was gained in multinational pharmaceutical companies. From 2014-2020 she was Chair of AusBiotech Ltd, the peak biotechnology industry association in Australia.
Melanie Leydin holds a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting and Corporate Law. She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and is a Registered Company Auditor. She graduated from Swinburne University in 1997, became a Chartered Accountant in 1999 and since February 2000 has been the principal of chartered accounting firm, Leydin Freyer. The practice provides outsourced company secretarial and accounting services to public and private companies specialising in the Resources, technology, bioscience and biotechnology sector. Melanie has over 23 years’ experience in the accounting profession and has extensive experience in relation to public company responsibilities, including ASX and ASIC compliance, control and implementation of corporate governance, statutory financial reporting, reorganisation of Companies and shareholder relations.
