
Ashok Kumar
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Ashok Kumar is the founder, president, and CEO of Nexera Inc. Previously, he was the general manager and vice president of business development at Sanofi, where he led the in-licensing initiatives for Sanofi Canada. Mr. Kumar holds a Phd in Chemistry from Manchester University.

Brendon Buschman
Chief Financial Officer
Brendon Buschman joined Nexera in June 2019, most recently serving as VP Finance & Corporate Controller before being appointed Chief Financial Officer in June of 2024. He has over 15 years of experience in accounting, finance and strategy with publicly traded and privately held organizations. Mr. Buschman holds a Master of Finance (MFin) from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and a CPA, CA designation.

Oliver Smithkline
Chief Procurement Officer
Oliver Smithkline has served as Nexera’s general counsel since November 2021. He previously served in senior positions with WeWork and as a corporate associate with Debevoise & Plimpton and WilmerHale. He holds a JD from Harvard Law School, an MSc from the University of Oxford, and a BA from Queen’s University at Kingston and is admitted to practice law in New York.

Richard Labelle
Chief Operating Officer
Richard Labelle joined Nexera in February 2014, where he recently served as General Manager of Canadian Operations before being appointed Chief Operating Officer in June 2024. With over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Mr. Labelle, prior to joining Nexera, led the creation of Sanofi's consumer healthcare division in Canada as General Manager. He also led business development teams and managed several business units in various therapeutic areas. Mr. Labelle holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Quebec and an MBA from the McGill – HEC executive program.