David Darling has been appointed as an independent director on the board at medicinal cannabis R&D company Helius Therapeutics.
Following a career with a former multinational corporation Fletcher Challenge, Darling has been the chief executive officer of medical diagnostic company Pacific Edge for 19 years.
Darling led the Pacific Edge team to develop a suite of proprietary molecular diagnostic tests and built active commercial businesses in Australia, NZ, Singapore and the US.
Darling says he’s excited to join the board at Helius.
“Helius is a trailblazer and leader in New Zealand’s newest industry. The company continues to successfully meet all the unique demands and challenges that come with the transition from a start-up business to one of early-stage growth.
“I’m impressed by the Helius investors, board members, management, and staff. The company has an absolute focus on its founding motivation – to improve patients’ quality of life with locally produced plant-based medicines at more affordable prices.”
Darling replaces Helius founder, JP Schmidt, who is stepping down after five years in the business.