The newly appointed chief innovation officer will leverage over two decades of R&D experience to accelerate the development of medical technologies.
Summary: LivaNova, a medical technology company, has appointed Ahmet Tezel as chief innovation officer, effective May 13. Tezel, with over 20 years of R&D experience, will establish an integrated innovation function aimed at accelerating the company’s development of new technologies. He joins the LivaNova executive leadership team, bringing expertise from his previous role as company group chairman at Johnson & Johnson MedTech. Tezel holds degrees in chemical engineering from Bogazici University and the University of California-Santa Barbara.
Key Takeaways:
- LivaNova appointed Ahmet Tezel as its chief innovation officer, effective May 13.
- Tezel brings over 20 years of research and development experience to LivaNova, gained from leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Ethicon, Alcon Inc, and Allergan Inc.
- Tezel’s primary role at LivaNova will be to establish an integrated innovation function aimed at accelerating the company’s development of new medical technologies.
LivaNova PLC, maker of the CE-marked aura6000 hypoglossal neurostimulator for obstructive sleep apnea, announced Ahmet Tezel, PhD, will join the company as chief innovation officer, effective May 13.
In this newly created position, Tezel will leverage his career of more than 20 years in research and development to establish an integrated innovation function at LivaNova that will accelerate the company’s development of new technologies. In this capacity, Tezel will join the LivaNova executive leadership team.
“I am very pleased to welcome Ahmet to the LivaNova team. At LivaNova, our commitment to pioneering innovation remains unwavering, and Ahmet’s arrival marks a significant step in advancing this vision. With a remarkable track record, Ahmet has led teams that have developed market-leading technologies across diverse medical domains, from bariatric surgery to surgical ophthalmology,” says Vladimir Makatsaria, chief executive officer of LivaNova, in a release.
Tezel most recently served as company group chairman at Johnson & Johnson MedTech, leading its global research and development and innovation teams. Throughout his career, he has held executive research and development roles at several healthcare companies, including Ethicon, Alcon Inc, and Allergan Inc, developing Class III implantables and complex capital equipment, according to a release from LivaNova.
“I look forward to this new chapter at LivaNova, working with the team to harness their motivations and talents to drive innovative product development that creates long-term value for the Company and aligns with its mission,” says Tezel in a release. “I am honored to join a company that has a profound impact on patients.”
Tezel earned a bachelor of science and a master of science in chemical engineering from Bogazici University in Türkiye and a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of California-Santa Barbara, where he focused on transdermal drug delivery.
Photo caption: Ahmet Tezel
Photo credit: LivaNova
