Fares is a seasoned Global Executive with more than 30 years of broad management experience in semiconductors, EDA and healthcare IT. Most recently Fares  was VP/GM of the Semiconductor Business Unit  at ANSYS, the world’s leader in engineering simulation. Before ANSYS, he was President of TeleResults, a Healthcare IT company focused on transplant and organ disease patient management.  Fares has held various executive management, marketing and sales and  engineering roles at at Actel Corporation (acquired by Microsemi), AMD and Samsung Semiconductor. Mubarak holds a MSEE degree from Case Western Reserve University and a MBA from Golden Gate University.

Frederic Nabki, PhD, leads the technological innovation that SPARK Microsystems brings to market. With 25 years of experience in RFIC and MEMS research and development, he earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering from McGill University in 2010. Nabki has shaped technology roadmaps for emerging technology companies, led the development of advanced technologies, and contributed to multiple product launches. His expertise spans analog, RF, and mixed-signal integrated circuits, as well as MEMS sensors and actuators. He has authored numerous scientific publications, holds multiple patents in microsystems and integrated circuits, and serves on the Board of Directors of the UWB Alliance.

Steeve Robitaille joined SPARK’s board in March 2023.
Mr. Robitaille is the Co-Managing Partner of Idealist Capital, an investment firm focused on accelerating the energy transition by providing growth capital to entrepreneurs across North America with a primary focus on the Canadian market.

Prior to co-founding Idealist Capital, Mr. Robitaille served as senior executive in M&A, legal, and strategic functions at Bombardier from April 2019 to February 2021, and at WSP from May 2017 to April 2019. 

Before 2017, Mr. Robitaille was a Senior Partner of the law firm Stikeman Elliott LLP, where he practiced corporate law for over 20 years and was a member of its Partnership Board and Executive Committee. Mr. Robitaille holds a law degree from Université Laval and has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1994.

François Boudreault joined SPARK’s board in March 2023. Mr. Boudreault has been investing in private equity for over 20 years and is a Partner at Idealist Capital, an investment firm focused on accelerating the energy transition by providing growth capital to entrepreneurs across North America with a primary focus on the Canadian market.

Mr. Boudreault was previously Managing Director and Deputy Head of Private Equity at CDPQ, where he co-head a global team of investment professionals with a mandate to build and manage a direct private equity portfolio of diversified investments in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. He has served on several boards of portfolio companies during his tenure of 21 years at CDPQ.

Mr. Boudreault holds a Master of Science in Administration in Finance from HEC Montréal, as well as a CFA designation.

Gerd Goette joined SPARK’s Board of Directors in October 2024. Gerd is a Senior Partner at Cycle Capital, Canada’s largest impact fund manager and investment platform focused on clean technologies. With over 25 years of experience in venture capital, management, and strategy, Gerd brings deep expertise to SPARK.

Cycle Capital manages more than $500 million in assets across four North American funds, a Chinese fund, and a global circular innovation fund in partnership with Demeter. The platform also includes Cycle Momentum, an accelerator supporting startups in clean technology.

Throughout his career, Gerd has invested over $100 million across 50+ transactions and has overseen an additional $90 million in portfolio companies. He has held more than 25 board and observer positions over the past two decades, providing him with extensive boardroom experience and strategic insight.

John East joined SPARK’s board in July 2017. Retired CEO of Actel and former senior vice president at AMD. Serves on several public and private companies boards in the United States. Prior to that, Mr. East held various engineering, marketing, and management positions at Raytheon Semiconductor and Fairchild Semiconductor. He has served on the boards of directors of Adaptec and Zehntel, and MCC and Single Chip Systems. He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. Based in San Jose, California.

Mark McDowell joined SPARK’s board in November 2017. Angel investor, entrepreneur, engineer. Partner at Real Ventures and co-founder of Acta Wireless Capital. Mark has over 20 years experience in the wireless industry as a wireless operator and entrepreneur. He was part of the founding management team of four companies, including Invertix, a pioneer in wireless instant messaging and presence, and Telecorp PCS, which was acquired by AT&T Wireless Services. Mark holds MSEE and BSEE degrees from MIT.