With 30 years in medical device commercialization, Tim Smith draws on a wealth of expertise in R&D, sales and marketing, business development and intellectual property management. Tim works closely with Octane’s ventures and partners, bringing senior management perspective on private and public company business strategy and financing.

Ian Grant brings more than 30 years of experience in operations management. Our ventures and partners count on him for expert insight into regulated product development, production process implementation and dynamic manufacturing environments.

Robert Spiro brings more than 30 years of innovation and leadership experience in the medical industry, with a full-cycle development track record spanning research and development to manufacturing. He has occupied a series of executive roles in a number of U.S. biotechnology firms. Robert is an inventor on on more than 25 patents and has published over 40 scientific papers.

Jeremy has built his career on the pursuit of excellence in quality management. After earning his diploma in computer programming and networking at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ont., Jeremy worked in the automotive industry, initially as a quality inspector and quickly progressing to a certified quality engineer. At Octane, Jeremy oversees anything and everything quality-related, from qualifying and validating production lines to reviewing submissions to Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As a long-term Octane team member, Jeremy is firmly committed to ensuring the quality of products that improve and save lives.

J. Drew Phillips is a finance professional with more than 30 years of experience in the biotech, aerospace, telecommunications and aluminum industries, and in the not-for-profit sector. He has worked for global leaders such as Alcan Aluminum and Rolls-Royce Canada, and has extensive experience in raising public and private funds, as well as venture debt and asset financing.

Born and raised in Switzerland, Sonja is a biotechnology and chemical engineer with experience in vaccine research and process engineering. She won a Governor General gold medal for her PhD thesis at Royal Military College, an International Master Student Award at the University of Waterloo, and a Mobilite Valais Etude scholarship at the University of Applied Science in Western Switzerland. At Octane, Sonja leads projects that translate and automate implant processes.

Joe drives R&D of advanced biomaterials and processes at Octane, fine tuning specific properties to achieve clinical results such as accelerated bone growth in implants. He is a materials engineer with a University of Toronto Master’s degree in chemical engineering and applied chemistry. Prior to Octane, Joe gained expertise in medical science through Ontario-based research work at St. Michael’s Hospital, Victoria Hospital and Spinesonics Medical.

Almira’s passion for laboratory work manifests in virtually everything she does at Octane: from developing systems and troubleshooting protocols to ensuring assays yield productive results. After graduating with distinction from St. Lawrence College Biotechnology Technologist program, Almira took on research and laboratory technician roles at Queen’s University and Royal Military College of Canada, focusing on molecular biology experiments, Next Generation Sequencing libraries, as well as analyzing and documenting lab protocols.

From procurement and inventory management to shipping and receiving, Ryley oversees the end-to-end supply chain and logistics function for all Octane companies. He started his career with Octane in 2015, when he stepped into the role of project supervisor while completing advanced diploma studies in biotechnology at Algonquin College in Ottawa. Ryley is currently working towards designations from Supply Chain Management Canada and from the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.

After 14 years with KPMG LLP, and several years as an independent consultant, Amy accepted the position of Corporate Controller with the Octane Medical Group. Amy brings a wealth of experience to her new role, and she is currently responsible for managing all day-to-day accounting functions of the group. The preparation of internal and external financial statements as well as managing the invoicing, receivables and payables, all fall under Amy. Advising on major transactions such as partnership and acquisition discussions is also a significant part of her responsibilities.

Chris joined Octane in 2022 as a bioprocess development scientist – a role that drew on his previous work in regenerative medicine research, biobanking and laboratory management. While his academic career focused on biophysics and condensed matter physics, Chris subsequently became involved in project management and operations at the Centre for the Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine in Toronto, where he built expertise in Good Manufacturing Practices, workflow development and systems implementation. At Octane, Chris acts as a liaison with government agencies and partner organizations.

In his academic career, Mark looked for ways to solve medical problems with physics. He’s pursuing a similar path at Octane, where he currently leads a project investigating how the body’s natural bioelectricity can help manage pain and accelerate healing. Mark’s research has been featured in a number of journals and conferences. He was named a Dean’s Scholar at Queen’s University and received an NSERC scholarship during his doctoral work in mechanical engineering.

Sue left a job in the public sector in 2006 to launch her career in human resources. She led HR teams for big names like Proctor & Gamble, General Electric and SABIC before taking the leap to independent HR consulting in 2021. As an HR Business Partner for Octane, Sue gets to work with a widely diverse team that includes recent graduates, mid-career professionals and deeply experienced managers – all coming from different science and business disciplines. Sue is a licensed facilitator and a certified exercise physiologist.

Sean brings more than a decade of experience in manufacturing, marketing, and project management. He was born and raised in Malaysia, where he studied polymer engineering. He earned his MBA in the United Kingdom and later completed master-level studies in chemistry at Queen’s University. Through his work with a global manufacturer of high-end industrial and medical gloves, Sean developed expertise in Good Manufacturing Practice, Lean Six Sigma, process engineering, continuous improvement, and talent development. He is an experienced internal auditor for ISO 9001, ISO 17025, and health and safety standards.