Shockwave Medical picks up ex-HeartWare CEO Godshall | Personnel Moves - May 11, 2017

Shockwave Medical said today it tapped former HeartWare CEO Doug Godshall as its new prez & CEO.

Godshall served as CEO of HeartWare for 10 years until the business was acquired by Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) for $1.1 billion last August, Fremont, Calif.-based Shockwave Medical said. Prior to his time at HeartWare, Godshall held various executive and leadership positions at Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX).

“Shockwave represents a rather remarkable combination: the company’s Lithoplasty system is addressing significant unmet clinical needs using a truly novel approach to the problem; there is a near term, substantial commercial opportunity; and the company has a product pipeline that can carry it for years into the future. From the time I first learned of Shockwave, I have heard remarkably consistent feedback about the profound difference this system makes on some of the most challenging interventional procedures. The team has done a superb job bringing the technology from concept through clinical validation, and I am honored to be given this opportunity to take the reins from one of the company’s founders, Daniel Hawkins, who has worked tirelessly to make this vision a reality,” Godshall said in a prepared statement.

“Doug brings a proven track record and a wealth of directly relevant experience to the company. He shares our passion for Lithoplasty technology and its potential role in the treatment of patients across a wide range of advanced cardiovascular disease. We are thrilled to have him leading the company through the next phases of growth and expansion,” co-founder Daniel Hawkins said in prepared remarks.

“We are excited to welcome an executive of Doug’s caliber and experience to the Shockwave team at this important time in the company’s development. His unique combination of skills gives us a rare opportunity to accelerate commercialization simultaneously in both coronary and peripheral applications, while continuing to advance our valve program. All of us in the organization are extremely grateful to Daniel Hawkins for showing the vision and leadership needed to move this technology successfully from the bench to the patient over these past seven years,” board chair Jay Watkins said in a press release.

Reflexion taps Powell as prez, CEO

RefleXion Medical said this week it hired former Elekta (STO:EKTA B) exec Todd Powell as its new prez & CEO.

During his 11-years at Elekta AB, Powell held senior executive roles including exec VP or comprehensive oncology solutions. Prior to his time at Elekta, Powell worked at IMPAC Medical Systems.

“I’m excited to join the tremendous innovators at RefleXion Medical. Radiation therapy is a cost-effective pillar of cancer treatment, and RefleXion is developing the most profound advance in radiotherapy I’ve seen in decades. By leveraging biological signals from tumors during treatment, this company has the potential to significantly improve cancer care for millions of patients across the world,” Powell said in a prepared statement.

“Todd has a sterling record of achievement in our industry. He shares our passion for dramatically transforming and improving how cancer patients are treated with radiotherapy. He also knows how to grow a successful global brand and business. We feel fortunate to have him heading our fast-growing team,” founder & CTO Samuel Mazin said in a press release.

Biolase (NSDQ:BIOL) said last week that CFO Mark Nelson has resigned from the company less than 2 months after he was appointed to the position.

Nelson was assigned the position on March 1, reporting to prez & CEO Harold Flynn Jr.

“We were very disappointed that Mark was faced with the difficult decision to leave Biolase after recently starting as CFO. Mark came to me with a career-changing opportunity with a significant compensation package and substantial financial incentives to work with a previous employer that quickly materialized. We mutually agreed that his departure was best for all parties. Mark’s separation from service was effective May 4, 2017, and no severance or other benefits of any kind were paid. I think it is important to note that Mark not only completed the work reflected in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q, he was actually one of the investors in our recent $10.5 million financing. We wish him well,” Flynn said in a prepared statement.

Nelson will return to his former employer, Beyond Meat, and retake the CFO and COO position he left to join Biolase earlier this year.

Until a replacement is named, day-to-day finance responsibilities will be handled by finance VP & corporate controller Brendan O’Connell, with Flynn covering investor relations and other administrative duties, the company said.

Former director of the National Institute of Mental Health and Verily Life Sciences clinical neuroscience director Dr. Thomas Insel has left the company to join brain function tech dev Mindstrong Health as prez and co-founder.

Insel left the NIMH to join Verily in 2015 and oversaw technology efforts within the company related to mental health.

“One in 5 people has a mental health condition. And despite a lot of exciting science, neuropsychiatry has yet to embrace the possibilities of mobile technology to measure and intervene in mental health treatment and disease management. The technology that Mindstrong has developed will close the gap between mental health diagnosis and ongoing disease management. Five years from now, the day-to-day management of mental health will look very different thanks to the technology that Mindstrong has developed,” Dr. Insel said in a prepared statement.

Mindstrong Health is developing technology to objectively and continuously measure brain function day-to-day, according to a press release from the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company.

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Baxter shuffles the deck

Baxter (NYSE:BAX) early this month announced a number of changes to its executive roster as part of the company’s continued portfolio management and transformation efforts.

Former corporate VP and prez of Renal Giusseppe Accogli has shifted roles to senior VP and prez of global business. Former corporate VP and prez of hospital products Brik Eyre is shifting roles to take over as senior VP and prez of the Americas.

Both changes went into effect May 1, according to an SEC filing from the Deerfield, Ill.-based company.

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