Al-Karim Rehemtula is a transformational, innovative, and purpose-driven executive leader with over 30 years of experience across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostics, healthcare, and investment sectors. With a rare fusion of scientific depth, business savvy, and global insight, he has led complex strategic initiatives, breakthrough partnerships, and multimillion-dollar transactions that accelerate innovation, amplify enterprise value, and meet pressing patient unmet needs worldwide.

Throughout his career, Al-Karim has bridged the worlds of scientific discovery, corporate development, and social impact. His professional journey spans startups to multinationals, venture capital to nonprofits, academic research to commercial product launches. He has catalyzed more than $2.5 billion in licensing, M&A, commercialization, and partnership transactions—boosting revenues by up to 70% and establishing 3x improvements in brand and partner equity.

Al-Karim is recognized for his ability to assess and unlock opportunity in complex, highly regulated environments. Whether leading due diligence for biotech M&A, evaluating cutting-edge AI/ML and precision medicine platforms, or advising startups on go-to-market strategy, he delivers with analytical rigor, technical fluency, and strategic vision. His expertise spans multiple therapeutic areas and modalities, including immunology, oncology, infectious disease, respiratory, neuroscience, diagnostics, and drug/device platforms.

A trusted advisor to CEOs, boards, and investment committees, Al-Karim is skilled in identifying whitespace, curating high-value deal flow, and presenting compelling investment cases. Al-Karim has led diligence and ensured favorable term sheet negotiations for multiple high-value deals, including a $504M license and counterparty collaboration and procurement agreement as well as a $337M royalty-bearing license. Additionally, Al-Karim has doubled deal flow and partnership pipelines within months by leading strategy and execution across non-AI and AI-driven diagnostics and therapeutics.

Al-Karim’s global experience is matched by his multicultural fluency and multilingual abilities. He has led and executed cross-border transactions and collaborations throughout North America, Europe, and Australasia. His international academic and professional experiences—spanning Switzerland, France, the UK, Canada, the U.S., and beyond—have deepened his capacity to navigate complexity with empathy, agility, and strategic foresight.

He brings a deeply multidisciplinary educational background to the table: an Hons BSc (with Distinction) in Biology from Concordia University, a dual-major MPH from Yale University with thesis work at the World Health Organization, and an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University. He also completed four years of medical training before pivoting full-time into business and innovation to drive systemic impact.

Al-Karim’s leadership extends beyond corporate roles. He has served on advisory boards, mentored startups and early-stage founders, and supported mission-driven organizations in healthcare, entrepreneurship, and education. As National Alliances Lead for the Ismaili Professionals Network (IPN), he spearheads initiatives in innovation, mentorship, and capacity building for over 20,000 members. He has also contributed to technology transfer initiatives, judged biotech venture challenges, and taught business management at the University of Toronto.

What sets Al-Karim apart is his ability to connect the dots—between science and strategy, operations and impact, research and revenue. He is as comfortable in the boardroom as he is in the lab, seamlessly translating between stakeholders to align vision, drive execution, and deliver measurable results.

He is currently seeking board opportunities where his multifaceted experience, thought leadership, and global perspective can help shape strategy, create enterprise and social value, and accelerate innovations that improve lives. For the right opportunity, Al-Karim is open to also considering more permanent or full-time roles. With a lifelong commitment to patient impact and equitable access, Al-Karim lives by the principle: “To advance innovative, life-changing medicines and technologies to not only augment enterprise value but positively impact high patient unmet needs and improve the quality of life of populations locally and globally.”

Character:
Al-Karim’s integrity and purpose-driven approach have guided his lifelong commitment to global health, innovation, and value creation. He is known for leading with empathy, resilience, and a mission to deliver tangible impact for patients and populations worldwide.

Knowledge:
With deep cross-disciplinary training in biology, public health, medicine, venture capital and business, Al-Karim brings unparalleled breadth and depth to every engagement. His global academic and practical experiences inform a holistic view of innovation, regulation, commercialization, and strategic growth.

Strategic:
Al-Karim is a proven strategist who identifies, curates, and activates high-impact opportunities across sectors and geographies. His work has catalyzed billions in commercial and investment value while accelerating critical innovation pipelines.

Communication:
A compelling communicator and trusted advisor, Al-Karim builds consensus across stakeholders—from founders to boardrooms to government partners. He excels at articulating complex ideas with clarity, connecting vision with execution.