Management team
August 29, 2017 08:00 ET Tetra Bio-Pharma Strengthens its Management Team in Preparation for the Initiation of its Commercial Activities OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug. 29, 2017) - Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. ("Tetra" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:TBP)(OTCQB:TBPMF) today announced that it has strengthened its management team in preparation for the initiation of its commercial activities with the appointments of Dr. Anne-Sophie Courtois to the position of Vice President, Marketing effective immediately and Mr. Bernard Lessard to the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective September 18, 2017. Mr. Lessard will be replacing Mr. Sabino Di Paola as CFO of the corporation. "I am very proud and pleased to be able to count on Dr. Courtois and Mr. Lessard as members of our executive team," said Bernard Fortier, CEO of Tetra Bio-Pharma. "They will be playing a key role as Tetra imminently initiates its commercial activities and generates revenues in 2017. These highly skilled and experienced individuals will further strengthen our organization as we execute our strategy and refine the tactics that will position Tetra as a biopharmaceutical leader in cannabinoid-based drug discovery, with a clinical program aimed at bringing novel drugs and treatments to patients and their healthcare providers." About Anne-Sophie Courtois, DVM: Dr. Courtois has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for over 10 years in Europe and North America. She held the role as Director of Marketing and Scientific Affairs at Jamp Pharma (generic division) and Orimed Pharma (medical division) for over 4 years where she successfully led the marketing team to a 150% growth in sales while preparing the strategic plans for the medical and generic divisions. She managed the marketing of the fastest growing Canadian generic company which launched over 120 products in that time. In addition, she managed the marketing of the medical division, successfully launching over 10 branded products, prescription and OTC under medical recommendation, in a wide diversity of therapeutic areas (osteoporosis, sexual dysfunction, pain management and vitamin deficiency). She has international experience managing product lines and scientific and commercial training of multiple sales teams across Canada, USA and Europe in retail with natural health products, generics and prescription brands. Dr. Courtois has been very effective in launching products faster and efficiently as a member of the operations go-to-market team. Her core expertise is building brands with a strong identity that have a credible scientific background while fulfilling an unmet need on the market for patients and health care professionals. Dr. Courtois is a veterinary doctor and holds a Specialized Masters in management and entrepreneurship from HEC Paris. About Bernard Lessard, MBA, CPA, CMA: Mr. Lessard has considerable experience as an executive in the life sciences sector serving as a member of the c-suite and as a trusted advisor to the board of directors in managing business strategy and research teams. He has been involved in numerous financings and the establishment of venture capital funds for start up companies in Quebec, dedicated to the life sciences sector. Mr. Lessard launched a new biotech start-up as CEO of the organization. Mr. Lessard has held the role of portfolio manager in helping companies finance their future growth and as a special project director to implement business turnarounds. He has considerable experience as a CFO in risk management and he has successfully managed the mergers and acquisitions process of various companies while enhancing the assets of these organizations. Mr. Lessard has considerable political connections with the Quebec government where he has served as a policy advisor with various Quebec government ministers with a specific mandate involving intellectual property and venture capital as a market strategy for the life sciences sector. He is actively involved in the business community with an extensive network both in the public and private sectors. Mr. Lessard is a member of the Quebec Order of Chartered Professional Accountants - CPA (Ordre des comptables agrs du Qubec) and is a Certified Management Accountant - CMA. He has a Masters in Business Administration and has a very strong interest in corporate governance. Corporate Update: The Corporation would like to thank Mr. Di Paola for all his efforts in working to grow Tetra where it is today and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.