ABOUT EXKA – OUR TEAM
Our Team
Founded in 2019 by Dr. Maxime Paris, EXKA has brought together an exceptional team of passionate experts dedicated to redefining the cannabis experience. At the heart of every product lies rigorous research, precision, and innovation : all designed to deliver exceptional quality and experiences that go beyond the lab.
Maxime Paris
Chairman & CEO
Dr Maxime Paris is President and CEO of EXKA. He founded the company with the aim of creating a benchmark in cannabis innovation, genetics and extraction.
Maxime has a solid background in agricultural biotechnology and holds a PhD in plant molecular genetics from Murdoch University (Australia). His research has focused on the development and optimization of high-throughput methods for marker-assisted plant breeding.
He has financial market experience gained at CIBC World Markets as a healthcare sector analyst. Maxime also holds an MBA in International Business from HEC Montréal and a B.Sc. in Botanical Sciences at McGill University.
Sebastien Desormeau
Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer
Sébastien Désormeau brought over 20 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry to the creation and development of EXKA.
Sébastien has extensive experience in human resources and sales management at Pfizer Canada. He also acquired solid expertise in commercial partnerships, project management and government relations at Boehringer Ingelheim.
With an M.Sc. in Human Resources Management from HEC Montréal and a B.A. in Psychology from McGill University, Montréal, Sébastien also plays a key role as Head of Human Resources.
Sébastien is responsible for protecting personal information at EXKA, ensuring that the company respects and complies with Bill 25 on the protection of personal information. To contact him, please send an e-mail to info@exka.com.
Dominic Laflamme
Vice-President Sales and Marketing
Dominic comes to EXKA with 17 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry with Boehringer Ingelheim Canada.
He has held a number of strategic sales and marketing positions (District Manager for the Primary Care and Specialty Teams, and Marketing Field Lead for the Cardiometabolic and Respiratory Brand Teams).
Dominic holds a B.A. from Barton College, North Carolina. He has just successfully completed his MBA at the Université du Québec en Outaouais. Dominic brings new energy and synergy to the EXKA team. Dominic can be contacted directly for all inquiries and ordering questions at +1 819 210 3317 or by e-mail: dlaflamme@exka.com.
Mario St-Michel
Director of Regulatory Affairs
Mario St-Michel joined EXKA with over 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical development, covering a wide range of dosage forms: solid, liquid, semi-solid and injectable.
His in-depth expertise in regulatory compliance has enabled him to contribute to numerous successful submissions in the Canadian, American, European and Japanese markets.
Holder of a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, Mario has led several teams towards operational excellence, promoting performance, efficiency and scientific rigor.
At EXKA, he ensures the quality and compliance of processes and products, while playing a key role in the marketing of new innovative products. To contact him, you can write to the following address: info@exka.com.
Frédérik Gallant
Director of Innovation
Frédérick has in-depth expertise in biotechnology, chemical engineering and the food sector. Graduated with a DEC in laboratory technology specializing in biotechnology and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, he is also a Candidate to the engineering profession (CPI).
Frédérick joined the EXKA team more than five years ago and today holds the position of Director of Innovation. In this capacity, he supervises the cannabis extraction and purification processes, manages production operations and actively contributes to product development. A key member of the research and development team, he puts his know-how at the service of innovation, performance and quality that distinguish EXKA.
Patricia Di Zazzo
Commercial Operations Manager
Patricia Di Zazzo joined EXKA with 17 years of solid experience in the pharmaceutical sector. Holder of a DEC in medical technology, she worked for more than 10 years in a microbiology laboratory, where she developed scientific rigor and great attention to detail.
Since her arrival at EXKA, Patricia has held several strategic positions, which allowed her to familiarize herself with different aspects of the company. She eventually found her way within the sales team, where she acts as Commercial Operations Manager.
Patricia is recognized for her rigor, attention to detail and constant commitment, qualities that she uses in each of her responsibilities.
Alexander Aguirre
Cultivation Manager
With more than ten years of experience in agronomy and research project management, Alexander has in-depth scientific expertise combined with solid field experience. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in agronomic engineering and a master’s degree in agronomic sciences, specializing in genetics and plant breeding, he worked within world-renowned research organizations such as the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and McGill University, where he held research assistant positions.
Subsequently, he managed large-scale horticultural operations as Cultivation Manager, consolidating his skills in management and optimization of yields.
Today at EXKA, Alexander is dedicated to advancing the company’s genetics program, aimed at developing innovative and high-performance cannabis cultivars. It also ensures constant and impeccable quality of the final product, integrating scientific rigor and operational excellence.