Riaz Bandali, BSc’91

Riaz Bandali, BSc’91

Current Role:  Chief Innovation Officer, InVentiv Health - Clinical Division

What was your first job after graduation?

I went on to an MBA degree, 1 year after graduating from UBC. So my first "real" job was as an Investment Analyst in a Venture Capital firm that was focused on investing in the Health & Life Sciences sector. It was a great opportunity to combine my academic backgrounds in science and business, and to work with some very dynamic and accomplished scientists and business people to help create and build several promising biotech & health and life sciences companies in North America.

What would you tell your graduating self?

There is a reason why some sayings that you heard from your parents while you were growing up are everlasting: you need to enjoy the journey, not only the destination; success is 3% aptitude and 97% attitude; always focus on the effort and the results will follow, and lastly (my personal favorite) - "it is not the strongest of species that survive, but those that are the most adaptable to change." (to paraphrase C. Darwin)

What was your ‘aha’ moment?"

Loving the theory and the concepts that I learned about as a Microbiology major at UBC, while, simultaneously breaking enough lab equipment to realize that my future did not consist of being someone who actually spent time working in lab.

What is your best memory from your time at UBC?

It's hard to pick just one, but I fondly recall the diversity and inclusiveness of students at UBC. These factors really help set UBC apart from other universities.

What did you think you would be doing when you started university?

When I started my first year at UBC, I was planning on studying to become a dentist. Career plans, like people, evolve over time.