Team

Strategic Partners

  • Althea DRF Lifesciences

    Our partner Althea DRF Lifesciences and their partner Dabur Research Foundation continue to be an integral part of Silklyfe’s journey. Althea is a multifaceted healthcare and wellness company that delivers innovative solutions to a range of healthcare sectors. It was originally founded by Dr. Anand C. Burman with a vision to revitalize India’s healthcare and wellness space by combining the knowledge of Ayurveda with pharmaceutical product development.

  • Dabur Research Foundation (DRF)

    Dabur Research Foundation (DRF) is an Indian Contract Research Organization offering pre-clinical services in drug discovery and development, ranging from identification of potential lead molecules to IND enabling studies.

Advisory Board

  • Peter Caldini

    Corporate & Commercial Strategy

    Peter brings an ideal mix of capabilities and experience to Silklyfe, having served in several senior leadership positions at major healthcare and consumer packaged goods (“CPG”) companies in the US and globally; earning a reputation as a strong and seasoned leader.

    Peter is the former CEO of Acreage Holdings, a leading vertically integrated multi-state operator in the cannabis industry. Previously, Peter served as President Pfizer North America Consumer Healthcare as well as Regional President Consumer Healthcare of EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). Prior to Pfizer, Mr. Caldini held similar senior leadership positions in other global markets while at Bayer Consumer Health and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Caldini started his career in brand management at Unilever. Peterholds a graduate degree from the University of Bocconi, an MBA from Northeastern University and an undergraduate degree from Boston University.

  • Dr. Manu Jaggi

    Research & Product Development

    Dr. Jaggi is the Chief Mentor of Dabur Research Foundation and CEO of Althea Lifesciences. He leads a team of over 100 scientists investigating the effects of alternative medicine on overall health and wellness — and has personally guided the development of ProVEDA product formulas, which blend the proven therapeutic benefits of traditional Ayurvedic plant extracts with modern discoveries.

    Dr. Jaggi holds a doctorate in Cancer Biology, is a postgraduate in pharmaceutical sciences, and has 30 years of research experience in drug discovery and preclinical drug development. He received his PhD. in 1994 from the National Institute of Immunology in New Delhi and joined Dabur Research Foundation the same year. He holds more than 100 patents and has published and presented over 200 research papers in peer reviewed journals.

  • Dr. Anu T. Singh

    Research & Product Development

    Dr. Singh is the COO of Dabur Research Foundation. She holds a doctorate in Tumor Biology and is a postgraduate in Biotechnology, with more than 30 years of research experience in new drug discovery and early preclinical drug development in oncology and related areas. She received her PhD. in 1994 from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi and completed postdoctoral research at the National Institute of Immunology, Delhi around signal transduction alterations in adenocarcinomas. Dr. Singh holds 14 US patents, more than 46 in the rest of the world and several others in India. She has published and presented over 30 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and scientific meetings.

Managing Team

  • Charles Koppel

    Founder

    Charles Koppel is a successful founder and entrepreneur operating for over 30 years across a range of sectors including media, sports and entertainment, tourism and conservation, and healthcare.

    He has served as both Chairman and CEO of NASDAQ and TSX-v listed companies, is Chairman of a leading leisure and hospitality business, and is a director and strategic advisor to several private health and wellness, leisure and FMCG companies both in Europe and North America. Charles has a BSc in International Management & Finance and started his career at Merrill Lynch Europe.

  • Josh Stanley

    Co-Founder & Function Innovator

    Josh Stanley is a cofounder at Stanley Brothers Biotech and Stanley Brothers Holdings, both plant-based health and wellness companies. He’s a pioneer and leader in the cannabis industry, known for developing life-changing proprietary hemp genetics that became the foundation for Charlotte’s Web.

    Prior to Charlotte’s Web, Josh worked in the medical cannabis and hemp industry for over eight years and formed Colorado’s first medical political action committee. He continues the pursuit to further the science, medicine, and care system of plant-based health and wellness options.

    Josh has been featured on TEDx and in the New York Times, 60 Minutes, Dateline, Today Show, Washington Post, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Time, and more.

  • Nina Fichtl

    Co-Founder – Strategy

    Nina Fichtl is currently leading a climate tech investing program at AIM SE and is also an advisor at Form Life Ventures. She has significant experience as an advisor on sustainable venture investing for family offices and corporations. She previously served as CIO of AlphaQ, and has held several leadership positions at Allianz, including at their strategic digital investment arm, Allianz X.

    Nina has a degree in Business Administration from LMU, Munich and a PhD in Entrepreneurial Finance from TUM, Munich.

  • Mike Santos

    Chief Scientific Officer

    Mike has over 20 years of expertise in biomaterials, formulation, and drug delivery, bringing a unique depth of knowledge and practice to Silklyfe. Prior, he dedicated more than six years to the development and optimization of a silk fibroin platform technology, establishing a novel manufacturing method and innovating various cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations.

    In addition, Mike spent over 11 years at Genzyme, a Sanofi company where he established and advanced parenteral drug delivery and biomaterial platforms.

    Mike has a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Richmond. He also holds numerous patents and has published and presented research papers in peer-reviewed journals.

  • Emily Dryer

    Chief Operating Officer

    Emily Dryer has over 15 years of experience working in high growth startups and family offices across the US, Canada, and the UK. She has a background in operations and extensive experience rapidly scaling businesses through key growth stages. Emily has worked across several industries including technology, travel, sports, and entertainment.

    Emily holds a BSc in Anthropology from the London School of Economics.