Irvine

David has +30 years buy- and sell-side expertise of M&A, partnering and investments within the life sciences and healthcare sectors working within strategic biopharmaceutical companies, private equity, investment banking and venture capital. He serves as Managing Partner for Cardiff Advisory LLC, a boutique mergers & acquisitions FINRA investment banking and strategic advisory firm focused on M&A and partnering collaborations for life sciences and healthcare companies.  He has  served as an advisor to more than 250 entrepreneurs, founders and their company Board of Directors, and has facilitated and chaired 6 CEO peer-to-peer cohort groups.
 
In parallel to his investment banking activities, David is an emerging fund manager and raising capital from limited partners for 1004 Venture Partners, a $100 million life sciences fund focused on healthy aging and longevity.  He is also a venture partner for VU Venture Partners and LemVega Biotech Fund and a limited partner for Suncoast Venture Partners and Mesa Verde Venture Partners, all venture funds focused on early stage through growth-stage companies. 
 
David currently serves in leading Boards of Director roles for Cenna Biosciences, Paracrine Inc., Almon Therapeutics, Connect San Diego, and BIOCOM California. He is also Chairman Emeritus of the Board for the Alzheimer’s Association for San Diego/ Imperial Counties.
 
As a result of his trusted and outstanding advisory work, Dr. Crean has been awarded numerous recognitions including 2023 Leader of Influence in Life Sciences by San Diego Business Journal, San Diego’s 500 Most Influential people for the past five years (2019 -2023), 2020 Top Thought Leaders by Axial, M&A Advisor of the Year in 2019, and the 2018 Healthcare Hero Award.

John co-chairs Life Science, Biotech and MedTech CEO peer-to-peer advisory groups advising CEOs in multiple stages including Startup, Early Venture, and Late Growth. 

With over 30 years of business innovation and growth, John helps privately-held, middle market companies navigate the changing technology, marketing, sales, and digital landscape. He helps businesses reimagine, reshape, and retool for an era in which traditional business models are being transformed.

With extensive experience with investor backed companies, John understands how to fast-track revenue growth, transform sales organizations, reposition and rebrand based on customer data and insights.

John is a creative problem solver who anticipates the needs of the market and investors, and helps guide business stakeholders accordingly. Adept at building and managing relationships throughout the organization, and has a successful track record of leading cross-functional teams.  

Noel advises start up and emerging growth clients on strategic patent portfolio development and implementation to protect their technology and achieve their business objectives, the most important objectives being market share and premium pricing. He has extensive experience working with telecommunications companies, especially wireless telecommunications companies; digital health, health information technology, and medical devices companies; semiconductor; and software and Internet companies. His approach to patent portfolio development helps his clients ensure their patents guard these important objectives, even on a budget. Noel worked as an electrical engineer for many years, leading teams in the development of man-worn free space optical communication systems and early CDMA cellphones.