Nina Goodheart, SVP and president of Structural Heart and Aortic at Medtronic, shared the news in a post on LinkedIn. Goodheart said Popma intends to retire, effective Nov. 1, to join the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF).

Popma became a VP and chief medical officer at Medtronic in June 2020. His title on LinkedIn is listed as VP and chief medical officer for Coronary, Renal Denervation and Structural Heart. He served as director of interventional cardiology at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for more than 11 years before that.

“Jeff’s transformative work with Medtronic has been impactful and we wish him well in his next career chapter,” Goodheart wrote.

With Popma’s departure, Goodheart also announced the appointment of Dr. Kendra J. Grubb as VP and chief medical officer for Structural Heart. Grubb plans to join the medtech giant on Nov. 1 from Emory University. At Emory, she served as the surgical director for the university’s Structural Heart and Valve Center.

Goodheart called Grubb a “renowned clinical researcher and thought leader in both the surgical and interventional cardiology spaces.” She also noted that Grubb served as a long-time advisor and study investigator for a variety of Medtronic-sponsored clinical trials.

“We are honored that Kendra will bring her clinical, medical, and scientific knowledge and expertise to our team as we continue to innovate and serve patients,” Goodheart concluded. “Please join me in thanking Dr. Popma for his outstanding partnership and welcoming Dr. Grubb to Medtronic!”