Maurice O'Shannassy
Non-Executive Chairman
Maurice spent twenty five years in the financial services industry in Australia, the United Kingdom and Asia. His most recent role was that of CEO of BlackRock Investment Management in Australia. Prior to that he was CEO and CIO of the Asian operations of BlackRock's antecedents, Merrill Lynch Investment Management and Mercury Asset Management, and prior to that he headed the Emerging Markets Investment team for Mercury Asset Management in London. He began his career as an Economist in the Commonwealth Treasury in Canberra. He currently holds a number of Directorships in a variety of industries and not for profit organisations.
Dr Paul Howley, PhD
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer
Director and Co-Founder
Paul brings to the company experience and expertise in vaccine design and development from concept to clinical trials. His scientific background has been in the field of molecular virology, specialising in viral vectors systems and vaccinology. Paul is the inventor of the company's SCV platform vaccine delivery technology and of a number of vaccines in development. He directs and manages the vaccine development programs for Sementis, utilising his extensive knowledge, experience and networks in the areas of antigen design and discovery, proof of concept studies in animal models, GLP preclinical and toxicology studies, process development and cGMP manufacturing, regulatory affairs and cGCP first in man studies concerning live viral vectored vaccines.
Peter Wulff, retired European Patent Attorney
Board Director, VP, Business Development & IPR
Peter has gained over 30 years' experience in the biotech and pharma industry, especially vaccines and patents. He was a co-founder of NeuroSearch, a Danish corporation listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange developing drugs acting on the central nervous system. Peter was the Director of Patents and Licensing and Corporate Management member until 1997. Peter co-founded Bavarian Nordic, a biotechnology company listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange developing vaccines for infectious diseases and cancer, where he served as president and CEO from 1994 until the company had secured a large supply contract with the U.S. government for its MVA smallpox vaccine, Immvamune, in 2007. At NeuroSearch and Bavarian Nordic, Peter participated in several private placements, two IPOs, and a number of follow-on offerings. He also has extensive experience with investor relations and government relations in Europe, Asia, and North America. Peter later co-founded Sentinext Therapeutics (Malaysia) in 2009 to develop vaccines against EV71 and dengue, as well as other infectious diseases. He is currently an Independent Consultant to the Biotech industry, sits on the Advisory Board of the Veterinary Institute at the Danish Technical University and serves as advisor and/or board member of a number of companies in Malaysia, US, Germany, France, Denmark and Sweden. Peter holds a Master of Science in Organic Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen and qualified as a European Patent Attorney. Peter was the 2007 winner of the Biotechbuilders Association Hall of Fame.
Dr Glen Burgess, MB, BS, FRACS
Non-Executive Director
Glen is an Otolaryngologist , Head and Neck surgeon. He is based in Melbourne Victoria where he is principal of Southern ENT, and Director of Monash Health, Snoring and Sleep Apnoea Clinic. He is a lecturer (adj) at Monash University Dpt of Surgery. He graduated from Monash University in 1988 and completed his FRACS - ENT Head and Neck surgery in 2000. He worked at Stanford University medical school before completing consecutive fellowships in Head and Neck Surgery at St Georges Hospital, London and Queens University Hospital Nottingham. He has been a medical consultant for the medical industry including time with Arthrocare , Smith and Nephew and Phonak. He is currently a director of Victorian Hearing. He has published papers on airway management, sleep apnoea and hearing loss. He is currently engaged in research in assessment and treatment of sleep apnoea.
Michael Hickinbotham, BEc, LLB(Hons)
Non-Executive Director
Michael is the Managing Director of the Hickinbotham Group.
The Hickinbotham Group is the largest and longest established building and development group in South Australia having constructed over 35,000 homes and employing directly and indirectly more than 3000 people. It is also one of the largest private companies in South Australia and owns a number of market leading home building brands and associated brands, including ‘Keystart Finance’, ‘Subdivision Solutions’ and ‘Hickinbotham Invest’. The Hickinbotham Group masterplans and creates thriving community developments throughout Adelaide and surrounding areas and over recent years has commenced land developments in Melbourne.
Michael has always had a strong interest in entrepreneurial ventures that create value. An example of this is his lead involvement in the establishment of the Paringa vineyard in South Australia’s Riverland that he developed in the mid-1990’s, not long after he returned to work in South Australia. At almost 1000 acres at its completion, the Paringa vineyard was one of the largest and most profitable vineyards in Australia. Grapes from this vineyard were sourced for and underwrote a number of highly rated wine brands that were exported to Europe, Asia and the United States in large quantities.
Michael has a strong interest in innovation, education and community building and, in response to the South Australian government’s inability to fund public schools in a highly constrained capital environment in the mid 1990’s, pioneered the establishment of Woodend School, the first privately owned public school in Australia and, one of the first in the world. This school was delivered in record time and received national and international attention.
Michael also established Australia’s, and one of the world’s, first joint ecumenical Anglican Catholic Schools at Andrews Farm in the north of Adelaide. This school also received national and international attention and is the second largest school in South Australia.
Michael funds educational scholarships for children from high needs families, and supports many cultural, sporting and community groups and charities.
Prior to joining the Hickinbotham Group in the mid-1990s, Michael was a solicitor at the Melbourne office of national law firm Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst) where he specialised in corporate and commercial law.
Michael is currently a member of the board of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (SA). He is a former Chairman of the Australian Population Institute of Australia (SA), and a former board member of Family Business Australia (SA), as well as the Economic Development Board of South Australia which is the principal economic adviser to the Premier of South Australia.
Michael holds a degree in Economics from the University of Adelaide and an honours degree in Law from University College London. He is admitted to practice as a barrister and a solicitor in the Supreme Courts of Victoria and South Australia and the High Court of Australia.
Michael was awarded a Centenary Medal for service to the Australian building industry and the community.
Mr Martyn Evans BSc, GDipBA
Non-Executive Director
Martyn is a former member of State and Federal Parliament and held the office of South Australian Minister for Health from 1992 to 1993 and of Federal Shadow Minister of Science from 1996 to 2001. Since retiring from politics, Martyn has held several roles including working as the Director of Community Engagement at the University of Adelaide, chairing the South Australian Ministerial Advisory Committee on End of Life Matters and advising Medicines Australia on policy and government affairs. Martyn currently practices as a strategic consultant.
Mei Cockerall, CPA
Financial Controller and Company Secretary
Mei was appointed to the role as company secretary in February 2015. Mei has over 10 years’ experience working with a company in the Biotech industry, her previous experience was with Virax Holdings Ltd. Mei joined Sementis in 2012 and participated during the company’s incorporation. Mei has since provided financial support to ensure all regulatory and statutory reporting has been complied with in addition to the day to day management of all financial matters.