A 2006 40under40 winner, Dr Stewart Washer has over 20 years of CEO and board experience, founding several biotechnology companies in both the agri-food and medical sectors.
Dr Washer was the chief executive of Calzada, founding chief executive of Phylogica, chief executive of Celentis, and managed the commercialisation of intellectual property from AgResearch in New Zealand with 650 Scientists and $130m revenues. He was also a founder of a NZ$120m New Zealand-based life science fund and venture partner with Swiss-based Inventages Nestlé Fund.
Dr Washer held a number of board positions including as chair of iSonea, Resonance Health, Hatchtech, Cynata Therapeutics, Minomic International and Orthocell; and director of iCeutica, Immuron and AusBiotech. He was also a senator with Murdoch University.
In March 2005, Dr Washer took biotechnology company Phylogica through a successful and oversubscribed initial public offering to list on the ASX at a 30 per cent premium. Phylogica had a novel drug discovery technology based on parts of proteins derived from diverse micro-organisms that are being developed to treat stroke, diabetes, asthma and other inflammatory diseases.
