The Board of Directors of the Cancer Research Society announced the appointment of Max Fehlmann as its new president and chief executive officer, effective January 16, 2017.

Max Fehlmann, a senior executive with more than 35 years of experience in management, financing and business development in the public and private sectors, founded the NEOMED Institute, and was its president since 2012. NEOMED is a nonprofit organization bridging the gap between academic innovations and the needs of the industry.

Before NEOMED, Max Fehlmann founded the Consortium Québécois pour la Découverte du Médicament (CQDM) in 2008, a public-private nonprofit organization financing precompetitive research in drug discovery. He held the position of President and CEO until 2012. Prior to that, Max Fehlmann was president and CEO of Chronogen, a Montreal-based biotechnology company, from 2004 to 2007.

Max Fehlmann is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of OncoAge in Nice, France, a member of the Board of Directors of RSSPQ in Montreal, and a member of the Board of Directors of CQDM, Montreal.

Max Fehlmann received his Ph.D. in molecular biology from Université Laval in Quebec. He also holds a D.Sc. from the University of Nice, France and an MBA from HEC-CPA in Sophia-Antipolis in Nice. He was appointed Associate Professor in the Department of Management and Human Resources of the Faculty of Administration at the Université de Sherbrooke in September 2014.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome Max as president and CEO of the Cancer Research Society," commented Martin Thibodeau, newly-elected chairman of the Board of the Cancer Research Society, and president, Quebec Headquarters, RBC Royal Bank. "Max comes to the Society with a wealth of relevant knowledge and expertise that will be extremely helpful in delivering the Society's ambitious strategic plan. Max is succeeding Andy Chabot, who has recently announced his intention to leave the Society after eight years of outstanding service."

Under Andy's guidance, the Cancer Research Society witnessed a profound change, notably in terms of its income diversification. It should be noted that research investment increased from $6.5 million in 2008 to $14.1 million in the last fiscal year.

Under his leadership, no fewer than 30 partnerships were formed across Canada, thereby optimizing the Society's funds and meeting the expectations of many donors seeking greater collaboration between Canadian charities. Determined to ensure that all cancers receive adequate support, he created a number of alliances and partnerships to address this gap: about fifteen research funds on underfunded cancers have been created.

Another notable achievement was the establishment of the Scholarship for the Next Generation of Scientists program in 2013. This initiative aims to ensure that young Canadian researchers working in various cancer-related disciplines remain in, or return to, Canada, thus reversing the brain drain abroad. On a more personal note, Andy set up a perpetual family fund that provides an annual opportunity for a young student to pursue a training course at a Canadian university research laboratory.

"Andy's commitment and vision have enabled the Society to position itself as a leading research funder on all types of cancer in Canada. Indeed, he played a decisive role in the growth of research funds by allowing the Cancer Research Society to double its investments", adds Martin Thibodeau. "We are pleased to be able to count on his support even after his departure to ensure a smooth transition for the next president and CEO."