Bio

Mr. Yakin is a Managing Director for VelocityHealth Securities, and he is focused on the life sciences sectors, including the diagnostic and pharmaceutical sectors where he is very experienced with generic and branded products. He began working with VHS in 2013 from his base in Taiwan where he maintains close ties with a network of industry contacts throughout the Asia-Pacific region and concentrates on identifying opportunities for cross-border deals. Previously, Mr. Yakin held several positions within Novartis, the last role being Head BPA for the Diagnostics division’s APAC commercial organization based in Hong Kong. He had initially joined Novartis Vaccines in 2006 with key responsibilities in the areas of M&A valuation, partnering, strategic and capital planning just as the vaccines division entered a period of intensive renovation of its manufacturing network, expansion to new geographies, and portfolio expansion. Mr. Yakin first arrived in Asia in 2010 as a member of the Novartis integration team following an acquisition of a Chinese vaccines manufacturer. For that 2-year assignment, he concentrated on site investment planning and drove portfolio selection to maximize the value of this new asset. Mr. Yakin has routinely spoke on this subject at various conferences throughout the region. Prior work history includes extensive performance analytics and valuation within high-tech industries, and several years as an engineer focused on biological and physico-chemical process design. Mr. Yakin earned a BA degree from the Furman University in Greenville, SC, as well as a Masters in Environmental Engineering from Clemson University and an MBA from University of Arizona. Mr. Yakin holds the Series 79 & 63 Licenses. Mr. Yakin served on the BIO Asia Advisory Committee in 2019.