Medtech lobbying group AdvaMed appointed a new board chairman, tapping Covidien (NYSE:COV) chairman, president & CEO José Almeida for the role.
Almeida has been on the board since 2005 and a member of the executive committee since 2010. He’ll serve a 2-year term as chairman, succeeding outgoing chairman and Zimmer Holdings (NYSE:ZMH) president & CEO David Dvorak.
Almeida’s term will be focused on improving medtech review timelines at the FDA, supporting industry-friendly tax policies and repeal of the medical device excise tax, pursuing streamlining in international healthcare regulation and promoting AdvaMed’s ethics in Asia and Latin America.
"Advances in medical technology are allowing patients to live better, longer lives," Almeida said in prepared remarks. "Yet the challenges of getting medical devices and diagnostics into the hands of patients and physicians are still formidable, highlighting the imperative for AdvaMed and continued industry partnership."
The incoming chairman plans to hold a press conference next week to discuss his plans for his term.
Other committee and board chairs for 2014-2016 include:
- Nominating Committee – David. Dvorak, president and CEO, Zimmer Holdings
- Treasurer & Finance, Audit & Compensation Committee – Kieran Gallahue, chairman and CEO, CareFusion
- Secretary – Jeffrey Binder, CEO, Biomet
- Payment & Healthcare Delivery – Timothy Ring, chairman and CEO, C. R. Bard
- Technology & Regulation – Vincent Forlenza, chairman, president and CEO, BD
- International – Debra Rectenwald, president and General Manager, 3M Infection Prevention Division Health Care Business
- Membership – Peter Arduini, president and CEO, Integra LifeSciences
- Legal – Gerhard Burbach, president, CEO and Director, Thoratec
- Ethics and Healthcare Compliance – Michael Mussallem, chairman and CEO, Edwards Lifesciences
- AdvaMed PAC – Michael Minogue, chairman, president and CEO, Abiomed
- Industry Communications – Caroll Neubauer, chairman and CEO, B. Braun Medical
- Strategic Planning – Mike Genau, Senior Vice president and president, U.S. Region, Medtronic
- Emerging Growth Company Council – Nadim Yared, president and CEO, CVRx
- AdvaMedDx – John Bishop, chairman and CEO, Cepheid