TORONTO – MaRS Discovery District announced that Dianne Carmichael (pictured) has joined MaRS as Managing Director, Health Venture Services. Dianne brings over 25 years of senior executive and CEO experience across four industry sectors: healthcare, technology, financial services and consumer packaged goods.

She is an entrepreneur, intrapreneur and startup investor. Most recently, she was the interim CEO of a MaRS-supported digital health technology company.

“I am thrilled that Dianne will head our venture services team,” said Ilse Treurnicht, CEO, MaRS. “Her leadership experience and international profile align with our ambitious agenda for the health sector over the next three years. Health ventures are at the heart of our innovation engine, and their success is critical for building out the new health economy in Canada.”

“I am honoured to join MaRS, and look forward to building Canada’s international leadership in health innovation,” said Dianne Carmichael. “Together, with the ambitious entrepreneurs and breakthrough companies currently working with MaRS Health, we will drive transformative change in the health ventures landscape, significantly impacting healthcare and Canada’s competitiveness globally.”

Dianne will work closely with MaRS Health Systems, the EXCITE and MyHealth teams to drive health system transformation, as well as with MaRS Health advisors, volunteers and partners to grow the footprint of MaRS Health. She will also partner with the MaRS ICT and Cleantech teams to help foster cross-sector collaboration.

Dianne has expertise in driving innovation to enhance patient experience and improve healthcare delivery. Her extensive healthcare resume includes president of Best Doctors Inc. and founder & president of UHN Solutions at University Health Network.

She has significant board experience and is currently vice-chair, board of directors, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Hospital, board member at Patients Canada, Canadian Association for People-Centred Health and is on the advisory board to the Dean, Faculty of Health at York University.

Prior to moving into the healthcare sector, Dianne had a successful career in financial services. She built a high-net-worth portfolio management company, which was sold to a major financial institution.

She was vice president at TD Bank before becoming Chairman & CEO of Guardian Capital’s Worldsource Financial Management, creating and overseeing four divisions nationally, and ultimately growing the business to over $8 billion in assets.

Dianne is a graduate of the University of Waterloo. She is a sought-after international speaker for her business, leadership and healthcare expertise.

She was recognized in the Top 20 Business Women in Canada in 2009 and profiled in the Top Women to Watch in 2012. Schulich School of Business listed her amongst the Top 100 business leaders in Canada. In 2014, Dianne received the ‘Women Changing Healthcare Award’ recognizing female visionaries who are leaders in transforming healthcare.

About MaRS Discovery District

MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is the one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. MaRS supports promising young ventures tackling key societal challenges in the health, cleantech and ICT sectors. In the last three years, these ventures have raised $1.3 billion in capital and earned $640 million in revenue. In addition to helping start-ups launch, grow and scale, the MaRS community is dedicated to cross-disciplinary collaboration, commercialization of discoveries and driving ideas to impact.