Former AcuFocus CEO Mazzo moves to head Ophthamology at Zeiss

Carl Zeiss Meditec (ETR:AFX) said this week it tapped ex-AcuFocus CEO James Mazzo as the global president of its ophthalmology business as well as managing the entire company’s U.S. sales and service center.

Mazzo comes from a 3-year run as president and CEO at AcuFocus, where he led the the company to FDA approval for its Kamra inlay. AcuFocus tapped Alan Waterhouse to operate as Prez & COO and Dr. William Link as board chair as Mazzo steps away.

“I am privileged and honored to be joining Carl Zeiss Meditec. The company has been an innovative leader in the industry for over 100 years. The broad line of technology and commitment to our industry is exciting. I look forward to continuing this excellence and building Zeiss into the premier ophthalmic franchise,” James Mazzo said in prepared remarks.

In March Mazzo, the former Advanced Medical Optics CEO who was indicted 2 years ago, sought a stay pending a U.S. Supreme Court decision over issues he claims could affect the insider trading charges alleged in his case.

Mazzo was indicted in September 2014, stemming from Abbott‘s (NYSE:ABT) $2.8 billion acquisition of AMO in 2009. Prosecutors accused Mazzo of tipping close friend and neighbor Doug DeCinces about the deal. DeCinces, a former baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles, allegedly passed the information on to former teammate Eddie Murray, who agreed to settle his case for $358,000 but admitted no wrongdoing. (DeCinces agreed in 2011 to pony up $2.5 million (but admitted no guilt) to settle similar charges leveled by the SEC.)

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