Dr Ilse Treurnicht

Thinker in Residence 2018 - 2019

Ilse Treurnicht’s career spans scientific research and commercialization, health and cleantech firms, venture and impact capital, and public policy. From 2005-2017 she served as CEO of MaRS Discovery District (marsdd.com) in Toronto, overseeing the development of the organisation from a startup to a leading urban innovation hub.

Ilse is recognised for advancing a Canadian innovation ecosystem that fosters economic, environmental and social prosperity. She was chair of the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance (2010), served on the Government of Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation Council (2014-2016), Canada’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth (2016-2019) and on the boards of several technology firms and non-profit organisations. She is currently a member of the Advisory Committee on Open Banking and chairs the Impact Canada Advisory Committee. She also serves as executive chair of Triphase Accelerator Corporation (a cancer drug development firm), and as chair of the Public Policy Forum. She holds a doctorate in chemistry from Oxford University, which she attended as a Rhodes Scholar.