Verdemed has a talented team of experts working in Clinical Trials, Medical Affairs, Pharmaceutical Formulations Development, and Regulatory Affairs. The company consults with a select group of experienced leaders in the pharmaceutical industry across Latin America, and has exclusive access to product suppliers in Canada, along with regulatory advisors and medical consultants across the region.
Management Team
Jose Bacellar
President & CEO
José Bacellar is uniquely qualified to lead efforts across multiple jurisdictions, having assisted a number of North American companies to expand into Latin America. He brings extensive professional experience in the pharmaceutical industry and has relevant experience in the medical cannabis industry. Prior positions he has held include Head of Business Development for Canopy Latam; Interim COO at Canopy Health (UK); Head of Business Development at ACIC Pharmaceuticals (Canada); CEO at Vetnil (Brazil); and CEO & President at Bombril S/A (Brazil).
Fabio Lampugnani
Managing Director LATAM
Fabio has over 20 years of international experience (Europe, USA, LATAM, Middle East and North Africa), 13 in retail and 10 in turnaround and business model innovation. As well as a well-versed and versatile executive, Fabio brings unique skills in business development to Verdemed’s team. Over the years, he has accumulated a vast experience in this area and, today, is a partner at UPF Consulting and works as a consultant with expertise in turnaround, post M&A and business development for small, medium, and large local or multinational companies
Jairo Koda
Managing Director Verdemed Care
Jairo has over 25 years of experience in the IT industry. He is a versatile professional with an academic background in philosophy, business administration and technology from GV, USP and UNESP. He has more than 18 years of experience in business consulting focused on information technology, innovation, business model development, planning and entrepreneurship. For 16 years, he has held executive positions, having gone through companies such as Unilever (CTO), SBT Group (CTO) and Bombril S/A (CIO). He also has experience in launching internet ventures, as founder of JKT Consulting and creator of mapadeacao.com.br.
Patricio Aguirre
Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance Director LATAM & Caribbean
Patricio is pharmacist from Universidad de Chile and Master in Quality Control of Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Products. He is a senior executive in Latin American Regulatory Subjects and Quality Control of pharmaceutical, medical devices, foods & cosmetic products. In addition to assurance of Quality, Norms GMP, GLP, GDP, ISO9001, he has an extensive experience in clinical trials, resource planning, customer relations, leadership and continuous improvement. His previous experience includes Canopy Growth Corporation and General Electric Company (GE).
Michelle Ramos
Quality Systems Manager & Technical Responsible
Michelle is Bachelor of Chemistry and Pharmacist from Guarulhos University. Professional with over 20 years of experience in Quality Control, Analytical Validation and Quality Assurance, developing her career in the multinational pharmaceutical industries, having worked at all technical levels in the area, from routine analysis of raw materials, Bulks, finished products and stability until the development and validation of the analytical methodology, as well as innovation and analytical transfer projects. Extensive experience in data integrity, Lean Lab, 5s and training. Her previous experiences includes GSK (Stiefel Laboratories), Pfizer Company, Torrent Pharma and AstraZeneca.
Mariana Barbosa
Executive Assistant
Mariana has over 7 years of experience in the Marketing industry, working with product launching, advertising and focusing on the execution of administrative matters. Her carreer involves multinational companies in the pharma and medical business, such as Ansell and Fagron Group, experiencing several functions involving assistance to all levels of the company.
Board of Directors
Yoanna Parra Garzón
Colombian Partners Leader
Yoanna is a Colombian bacteriologist, with a masters degree in bioethics, and founder of Greenfarma in Cali, Colombia. Throughout her career, she has led several research projects and has extensive experience in managing clinical research and regulatory affairs. As a board member of Verdemed, Yoanna is the coordinator of medicinal cannabis expansion.
Richard Yates
Independent Board Member
Richard is an American lawyer from New York. He is an Chief Legal Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the financial services industry. Skilled in Capital Markets, Shareholder Rights, Securities Actions, Corporate Legal Advice, Enterprise Risk Management, Business Transactions, and Due Diligence. As a board member of Verdemed, Richard leads the compensation committee.
Gustavo Ribas
Independent Board Member
Gustavo is graduated in Law School from USP and he is qualified in Business Economics from EESP-FGV in 2007. CFA certification. Former partner of RXZ Investimentos, where he worked from December 2006 to February 2014, responsible for private equity investments and co-manager of the equity investment area. Founding partner and head of Mogno Capital's private equity and venture capital area.
Katia Costa
Independent Board Member
Katia Martins Costa has been Director of HS Investimentos Ltda since 2008. She is also a partner in SOPHO Investimentos and Hereditas. Vice-President of the Leo Madeiras Institute. Katia has degree in Economics from PUC SP, and she has many years experience in management and board positions as areas of IT, finance, sales, marketing, mergers and acquisitions in Brazil, Belgium, France, England and the United States. Katia has been working as advisor to different companies, such as Terra Nova (former Vanguarda Agro S.A.), between 2011 and 2016; Duratex in 2008,2009, 2015 and 2016 and Gera Maranhão (North S. A. Energy Generator) since 2009.
Medical Advisors
Clarita Margarido, MD, MSc, PhD
Clinical Trials
Dr. Clarita Margarido is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and an anaesthesiologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Dr. Margarido holds a Masters degree in Health Research Methodology from McMaster University. She is also the President of Obstetrical Anaesthesia at the Canadian Anaesthesiologist Society – CAS. Dr. Margarido has the educational, drug research, and medical background necessary to lead clinical trials for Verdemed.
Regulatory Affairs Consultant
Brainlike Regulatory Strategy (Latam)
Regulatory Affairs Consultant
Brainlike develops and manages specific regulatory strategies based on proprietary product data, creating more effective and more likely access to registration with the relevant Health Authority. In addition to preparing, obtaining and maintaining marketing authorizations, Brainlike supports clients in all segments, providing advice on company legalization, certifications of good practices, training and qualification of teams, technical translations, risk analysis, approval of promotional material, support in meetings with regulatory agencies, due diligence, strategic planning, and portfolio review.
Business Partners
James McVicar
Corporate Counsel
James McVicar is a Senior Partner in Peterson McVicar LLP, a boutique law firm specializing in securities law, located in the financial district of downtown Toronto. For over 20 years he has been partnering with emerging and established clients to help them succeed. He regularly assists clients in public and private financings, mergers and acquisitions, ongoing reporting and corporate governance.
Werner Buff
Head of Legal Affairs
A specialist in Brazilian Corporate Law, Werner has worked in renowned law firms in São Paulo, in M&A, capital markets and international contracts. Since 2002, he has taken many legal management and directing roles in large national and multinational companies. He has great experiencie with international negotiations, financial operations and treasury, tax planning, due diligence, competition law, startups, labor and union issues, regulatory law and corporate governance.
Diego Casco
Branding and Marketing
With over 24 years of experience in the use of innovative branding and marketing strategies, Diego Casco founded his own firm, the CASCO Agency, in 2002, in Toronto. Diego brings years of expertise and knowledge in creating and implementing a brand from the ground up.
Support Team
Pedro Bacellar
IT Specialist
With a diverse set of experiences and a knowledge of multiple languages, Pedro brings not only technical skills but also versatility in communicating, proving to be an essential member of the support team. He is working on his Computer Science degree at the Federal University of ABC in São Paulo.