IPA Leadership

Since 2019 Dirk Witters is an independent advisor and executive partner in a family office structure, where he advises on capital raising assignments (cumulative volume of EUR 250 million raised through the family office network) and direct investments in industries including healthcare and real estate development.  In this capacity Dirk serves as director in an early-stage business in orthopedic implants  and in an HR-services provider.

From mid 2020 to April 2022, Dirk was President of the Board of Biostrand BV (discontinued when the company was acquired by IPA).

Previously Mr. Witters served as executive partner in a corporate finance boutique and was advisor to the founder of New Rhein Healthcare Investors, a private equity investment firm focused on healthcare therapeutics and medical devices, where he assisted with the capital raise of the second investment fund.

Mr. Witters also spent 20+ years with KBC Group’s Corporate and Investment Banking division where he gained experience in business development, strategy execution, advisory and corporate finance.

Dr. Jennifer Bath is the CEO and President of ImmunoPrecise Antibodies. She obtained a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology, specializing in immunology and biochemistry, with a focus on discovering and validating biologics for the prevention and treatment of neglected tropical diseases. Dr. Bath held a tenured position as an Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology, while concurrently serving as the Founder and Executive Director of the Concordia Global Vaccine Institute. She also served many years as a strategic growth and business operations advisor for global pharma, biotech, and government.

Dr. Bath has held executive roles in both biotechnology and contract research organizations, with her most recent post on the executive team at Aldevron, LLC. Here, she headed the global client relations and high value target teams, and defined business strategies by applying knowledge based on the science, technology and market. In addition, she served as a key technical specialist, converting challenges for pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients into operational initiatives.

Chris Buyse is currently a Board member and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Inventiva SA, a dual-listed company on Euronext Paris and Nasdaq and a board member and member of the Audit Committee of Hyloris Pharmaceuticals a company listed on Euronext Brussels.

Since October 2022, Chris Buyse is  holding the position of Managing Director of the Foundation for Education to improve Family Planning (FEFP).

Chris Buyse is a Member of the Board (Director) of DCS/DCF and was appointed CEO (Gedelegeerd Bestuurder) at the constitution of the Foundation.

Until mid 2023, Chris Buyse was Managing Partner at Fund+.  Fund+ invests in innovative life sciences companies and wants to create sustainable shareholders value and generate a tangible beneficial societal impact.  He is currently serving Fund+ as a board member representing FEFP as major shareholder of Fund+.

From September 2006 till mid 2014, Chris BUYSE  was CFO at ThromboGenics NV (now Oxurion).

He has over 30 years of experience in international company finance and in running and establishing best financial practices. He was previously CFO of the Belgian biotechnology company CropDesign, where he coordinated its acquisition by BASF in early 2007. Before this, he held several financial positions in companies such as Suez  and Unilever.

In addition, he is currently also serving as  a board member of some non-profit organisations such as LSRP vzw, the Francqui Foundation and the Louis-Jeantet Foundation.

From November 2022 to February 2024, Mitch Levine was Chief Executive Officer of SmartHealth Dx, where he led financial strategies to enhance corporate value and strengthen operating performance for both public and private companies in the life sciences industry.

From 2017 to 2022, he led Oncocyte, a molecular diagnostic company, as their Chief Financial Officer. Here he oversaw corporate growth from eight to more than 120 employees; conducted ten capital raises, brought the company to fully-funded status; built the shareholder base from one institutional investor to more than fifty; negotiated and integrated three acquisitions; and secured the most significant licensing deal in company history with one of the largest and fastest-growing diagnostic laboratories in China.

From 2000 to 2017, Mr. Levine was Founder and Managing Member of Enable Capital Management, LLC, whose underlying investment vehicle, Enable Growth Partners, LP, was one of the largest funds providing growth capital to small and mid-sized public and private companies.

Before Enable Capital Management, Mr. Levine was a Founding Member of The Shemano Group, a San Francisco-based investment bank focused on the capital needs of technology and life science companies, where Mr. Levine was widely recognized for originating and developing one of the largest alternative financing markets in the US, generating more than $100 billion of financings annually.

Barry A. Springer is currently the principal at Springer Bio-Tech Consulting, LLC and was previously the Vice President of Janssen Strategy, Operations and Innovation. Mr. Springer advised biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies providing executive level strategic advice in the areas of biologics and small molecule drug discovery and development, and platform technology development.